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Site Takes On World Champs of Pessimism: the French

Professor's evidence counters doomsayers

By Mary Papenfuss, Newser Staff

Posted Mar 21, 2011 2:25 AM CDT | Updated Mar 21, 2011 2:46 AM CDT

(Newser) – Can the Internet cure pessimism? A French professor hopes so, and is launching a site designed to battle the blues in France. It's aimed at "les declinologists," who fear that French culture and society are in their death throes. A poll early this year found the French to be the "world champions" of pessimism, reports the Telegraph. One academic "high priest" of gloom wrote recently that France's economy is "going up the spout" and its industry is "headed for extinction." But Professor Jean-Hervé Lorenzi is posting evidence on Tous Optimistes that the nation is "potentially one of the most dynamic countries in the Western world." Cherchez les optimistes.

Cherchez l'optimism. (?Ariaski)

Paris: dynamic or dying? (?Positive / Negative)

Ooh la blah. (?Kevin N. Murphy)

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Site Takes On World Champs of Pessimism: the French

Professor's evidence counters doomsayers

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