Paris
A book that advocates slacking off at work has become the hit of the summer in France. In Bonjour Paresse, which translates to “Hello Laziness,” author Corinne Maier, a disgruntled bookkeeper, argues that French corporations are not meritocracies but seething nests of nepotism. Connections, not hard work, are how people get promotions, she says, so why bother to work hard? “Why not spread gangrene through the system from inside?” she asks. Maier’s employer, the state electric utility, has threatened her with disciplinary action for her desultory work habits, but her hearing keeps getting postponed because of staff vacations. The average French worker works about 300 hours less each year than the average American.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Microsoft pursues digital intelligence ‘aligned to human values’ in shift from OpenAIUNDER THE RADAR The iconic tech giant is jumping into the AI game with a bold new initiative designed to place people first in the search for digital intelligence
-
Sudoku medium: November 7, 2025The Week's daily medium sudoku puzzle
-
Crossword: November 7, 2025The Week's daily crossword
