La GREVE !!!

The radio wakes us up in the morning and the television lights up the living room in the evening. Both scream "manifestation" and "greve". It's becoming more and more serious. Last night on the news, reporters shoved mics up peoples' faces on the street so they could scream out very aggressive messages to the so-called "bozos" (their words, not mine) who are leading their country: "Vous voyez ce qu'on peut faire?! Vous ne devez pas nous ignorer!"
I was indifferent to the noise last week but now I am becoming worried about not being able to get to work on time because the buses will not be running or will be stalled, all in the effort to fight the new reform. Now I don't mean to sound unfeeling. I understand that this reform is somewhat unfair. I don't find the French attitude toward reforms to be all that bad; it can be seen as virtuous sometimes. If you're not happy, you make an effort to make things better.

Already, fuel suppliers have stopped supplying gaz stations so motorists have become involved. Trains are no longer running, or very seldom, and high-school students whose "guerilla" and warrior-like instincts can be depended on to spice up demonstrations (i.e. they light cars on fire or tip them over like hockey "fans" in Montreal), have stopped going to school and are now in the streets complaining that the government has blocked their way into the work force. In other words, as less people will be leaving the work force in the next couple of years, there will necessarily be less work for the 20-year-olds. However, politicians argue, this reform should be a good thing for their generation. Indeed, there are more and more old farts in France, so making them leave later will lighten the burden of having to pay for all their retirement pensions. "You will be saving 2 years-worth on retirement pensions!", politicians say. D'ailleurs, many many politicians, union-leaders, and lycéens are invited onto television talk-shows to share their opinions. However, all I see are people yelling at each-other trying to make their voices heard. But the other party naturally doesn't listen.
Like it or not, it's most likely going to pass in the next fifteen days or so and then the not-so stereotyped French mania toward any reform will also subside in the coming weeks.