The Reign of the Never-Ending Party

A renowned pamphleteer known for the wit and causticity of his attacks, Philippe Muray was the creator of a body of theoretical and critical work inspired by the emergence of a world that rejects conflict, boredom, and reality: that of Homo festivus.

Paris, September 19, 1998. More than 200,000 partygoers stream toward Place de la Nation to the sound of a new kind of procession. France’s first Techno Parade, inspired by its Berlin counterpart, enjoys the support of public authorities and their new cultural policies, which aim to legitimize electronic music—previously associated with illegal raves, drug use, and public disturbances. Among the observers standing back from the crowd is Philippe Muray, a writer to whom the *Revue des Deux Mondes* has just entrusted a column following the publication of his latest novel, *On ferme*,