Beyond this nauseating Anglicism, the French Days encourage excessive consumption through their massive sales on a wide variety of products.
Pope Francis recently addressed this issue by emphasizing the need to repent of our "'ecological sins.'"
Tweet: "Let us repent of our 'ecological sins,' as my brother, the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, warns us. With the help of God's grace, let us adopt lifestyles with less waste and less unnecessary consumption. #SeasonOfCreation"
According to this teaching, the "'ecological sin'" consists of adopting a lifestyle that promotes waste and unnecessary consumption. So, what is the purpose of the French Days if not to push the French toward unnecessary consumption through promotions? Therefore, does this fall under the category of ecological sin? Catholics who refuse to oppose these practices are not true environmentalists.
The Pope could also have used his platform at the Marseille stadium to mention the French Days and warn the faithful of the danger to their souls, as it leads them to commit the sin of ecological harm, for which they must repent.
The advertising surrounding the French Days can also pressure consumers into buying products they do not truly need, which can lead to impulsive purchases and the accumulation of unnecessary goods. In a coherent world, it would be logical to consider banning all advertising on radio and television.
Many French websites do not hesitate to advertise through sponsorships or affiliate links to maximally encourage French consumers to make purchases here and there, publishing attractive articles with lists of the best products not to miss!
For example, on the site Frandroid, one can find real-time updates on the best tech products, similar to a sports commentary site, except the goal is to not miss any interesting offer."
This also creates a major ecological problem, as these large-scale online purchases lead to a considerable increase in product deliveries across France, worsening the carbon footprint. If the State or the clergy were truly concerned about ecology, they would call for a boycott of the 2023 French Days. However, the clergy in France is more occupied with tweeting platitudes about ecology rather than calling for concrete measures consistent with their discourse.
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Brands participating in this event should, moreover, be subject to severe sanctions from the State, not to mention consumer boycotts. It is easy to raise our ecological awareness through speeches, but action seems absent when it concerns corporations rather than French citizens.
When it comes to giving moral lessons or taxing the average citizen, who struggles to make ends meet, by increasing the cost of their food, cigarettes, gasoline, or electricity in the name of ecology, there are many people to applaud. On the other hand, when all these Sunday environmentalists must denounce real problems, they are nowhere to be heard.