“Literature pays off!” » calls out the academician and writer Antoine Compagnon

You publish an essay with a shocking title, Literature pays! There are two possible meanings: it makes money or it has value. What do you mean ?

It makes money! From the authors’ point of view, this is mostly not the case. There is only a short list of best-selling authors making a living from their pen, in popular literature, romance. The majority make a living from other professions: teaching, journalism, etc. But, as far as readers are concerned, literature pays off!

How can reading make money for the person who reads?

If reading allows you to write emails and write summary notes without spelling errors, it is not essential. Because artificial intelligence does it very well. On the other hand, literature allows us to cope better in life, in the face of happy or unhappy events, private (love, breakups, etc.) and professional (social advancement, growth, bankruptcy, etc.). You cannot get into finance without having read The human comedy by Balzac! By reading, we learn that things don’t happen all at once, that there are twists and turns. We can adapt, because we have gained perspective on human nature, on society. Art allows us to step outside of ourselves, to see the world through someone else’s eyes.

Is this your firm belief or do you have proof?

Literary people, initially, often obtain positions downgraded in relation to their studies, and paid less than scientists. But, over time, the relationship reverses. Regardless of one’s field of activity, the fact of having read and reading constitutes a real comparative advantage. All studies show that those who are most successful, both professionally and personally, are those who read! This is why we must tell middle school students, high school students, young adults that reading brings money.

But reading is expensive and takes time: what to do today?

Reading requires slowness, the same as yesterday, while everything goes faster! It is therefore poorly suited to the century. But you have to regain control of your time. As for the cost of a book, in pocket format, it remains minimal.

Does literature seem discredited to you today?

It is a value that we observe from afar. We had a generation of golden age of reading: with the invention of printing, the great writers of the 19th century, the opening of schools to all, the creation of the Pocket Book… The years 1950-1990 were prosperous. A whole generation was trained for life by reading the great classics, French, English, Russian… There were not many other distractions. But today, the boredom has disappeared, the slowness has disappeared. I read less myself. Fortunately, my status as an academician obliges me to do so for our Grand Prix du roman de l’Académie française. Screens and networks have taken up all the space. Young people read only seven minutes a day. A major school like Sciences Po Paris has stopped offering a general knowledge assessment upon entry. Recently, a group of engineering schools removed the French test from their competition. As if we didn’t need French to develop mathematical reasoning! But it is essential.

These schools act in the name of a democratization of higher studies, noting that the general culture differs according to social classes…

This is an observation as old as time! In 1902, the same fight took place to remove Latin from the baccalaureate: some wanted democratization, others cried treason. The wealthy classes have a more direct relationship with culture, however, by removing culture from studies, you do not eliminate differences, you accentuate them! The social elevator has not disappeared, but it is cramped. This is why the study of letters seems necessary to me. I am in favor of the teaching of French and literature in professional careers.

Do you fear the arrival of artificial intelligence (AI), which reads and summarizes books…instead of humans?

I sometimes have texts translated by AI. She finds things quite interesting! AI is the extension of the invention of the computer, itself the extension of index cards, libraries and cultural theaters. AI feeds on the information we humans give it. The only difference is in the power, which is beyond us. AI allows and will simplify administrative, economic tasks, etc. If we give her the rules for composing a sonnet, she will provide them. If we could give it the structures of a novel, it would also succeed in doing so. But can this be called art? Of creation? And the time saved thanks to machines, what do we do with it? Do we binge on television, or do we take time to read? But if the AI ​​invents something other than what we humans provide it, then that’s different. Disturbing.

Do you think reading the great classics could stop?

No ! There is a demand for literature! For example, the free courses provided by the Collège de France are full. As far as I know, my shows on France Inter (on Montaigne, Pascal, Colette…), then my podcasts are successful. France has great writers. They may not be the ones that sell the most. Remember that Baudelaire, the most studied and recognized poet today, ended his life in poverty. There are works that we read for entertainment, and works that make history. If the first can lead to the others, you see me very happy!