July 18,2025 I am reading Sixty Million Frenchmen Can’t Be Wrong: Why We Love France but Not the French by Jean-Benoit Nadeau and Julie Barlaw. The authors are journalists from Canada, one French speaking and one English speaking. Nearly every page gives insights into the cultural and economic differences between France and the USA and Canada such as this one: “The French believe in equality, but they don’t embrace the lowest common denominator.” There is an important part of French cultural values around the idea of equality. The French are committed to the principle of equality, (Liberte, Egalite, Fraternite). The French form of equality emphasizes that everyone should be treated equally under the law, and that merit should determine access to opportunities, especially in education and public service. It doesn’t mean that everyone must be the same, or that society should be lowered to the simplest and least demanding “lowest common denomina...
Simple Raw & Natural is my quiet corner of the internet where I explore nourishment, beauty, clarity, and the small practices that make life feel meaningful. I write to understand my own life — my health, my curiosity, my community, and the ways we find our way back to presence. My blog is a place for recipes, reflections, glimpses of everyday beauty, and thoughts on creating a healthier, kinder world.