Bernard-Henri Lévy: The retreat of the west is a disaster

Freddie Sayers speaks to Bernard-Henri Lévy.

Few have made the case for liberal interventionism more consistently than Bernard-Henri Lévy. Despite setbacks in Iraq, Libya and Afghanistan, the French public intellectual’s worldview has remained largely unchanged.

But with the Taliban now in control of Afghanistan — and signs of resistance dwindling — is he still convinced the West was right to be there at all?

He joined Freddie Sayers in our London studio to discuss his new book, The Will to See.

// Timecodes //

00:00 - 01:13 - Introduction
01:13 - 02:04 - What does Bernard-Henri Lévy believe?
02:04 - 05:08 - Bernard-Henri Lévy’s new book, The Will to See
05:08 - 10:43 - What should liberal Western liberal democrats do when confronted with overseas illiberalism?
10:43 - 15:47 - “I’m not a troop maniac.” BHL on the plight of Nigerian Christians
15:47 - 17:49 - Must liberalism be universal and exported abroad or should it be reinforced at home?
17:49 - 20:24 - What if democratic majorities at home oppose liberal interventions abroad?
20:24 - 22:52 - Don’t recent populist revolts make BHL re-examine his worldview?
22:52 - 25:57 - BHL on confronting China
25:57 - 28:09 - Is Bernard-Henri Lévy disappointed in Joe Biden’s presidency?
28:09 - 30:52 - If voters support Biden’s Afghanistan withdrawal, doesn’t that prove BHL wrong?
30:52 - 32:26 - Wokeness, cancel culture and Left illiberalism must be resisted
32:26 - 34:52 - BHL on Covid authoritarianism
34:52 - 37:00 - What does Bernard-Henri Lévy think of Covid protestors?
37:00 - 41:53 - BHL on Éric Zemmour, Marine Le Pen, Brexit and Boris Johnson
41:53 - 42:37 - End

#BernardHenriLévy #Biden #ÉricZemmour

[MEGALITHdotORG]

Though I disagree with much of what he is saying, he sounded as if he was honestly interested in liberal principles until he was asked about the protests against Covid measures. Simply dismissing these liberal protesters with a weak excuse like "they are conspiratorial" is really illiberal. Even if Lévy were right, I don't see why the protesters could not be protesting for a liberal principle and be conspiracy-theorists at the same time. Before sending French soldiers around the world in support of liberals in Muslim countries, Lévy should support liberal principles in France a little more wholeheartedly.

[celiacresswell]

Freddy repeatedly interviews people who are giants in their field but ends up looking like the wiser man. I think these old dudes are so invested in the world view that made them famous that they cannot adapt their opinions and would rather defend absurdities. Perhaps it is the fate of even the best to finish as a pub bore: what hope for the rest of us?!

[richardmajor]

This guy is a symbol of why we are where we are.

[MrOvidiuk]

Problem is the “democracy” need to fix in Europe first….or in other “wester” countries. What is happening in France, Italy, Canada or Australia is outrageous.

[artyschopy]

BHL had the best line about covid: “The spectacle of world leaders so terrified by the threat of a corona Nuremberg that they deemed it more prudent to put the world on hold, caring little for the outbreaks of hunger, violence against the poor".

[navyaf]

He lost me when he whole heartedly condemned those who are skeptical of the various covid vaccines as having a "stupid understanding of health".

Edit: Ah, he hates Brexit, too. I think self determination does not have a place in his concept of a liberal democracy.

[cfarinho]

It's very hard to distinguish Mr Levy's humanitarianism and democratic zeal from cynical real politics.

[lessismore]

So on the one hand we see the utter contempt for those who see sovereignty - personal and national - as a value worth defending; and on the other hand some serious reflections on the attacks against Western culture and values.
This fellow has some unresolved issues.

[TheVoltaire]

It gets worse amd worse the longer you listen...

My iq dropped to 90 by the end

[zeitgeistTNN]

I think we've just seen why French foreign policy has been such a success in the last 120 years

[cfarinho]

Oh, my goodness. Such admirable altruism from the rich bourgeois. Let us shed a tear or two, my brothers and sisters.

[just_another]

He agrees with draconian lockdowns for everyone as long as it doesn't apply to him. After all, he would find staying indoors impossible. Sorry but fed up with hypocrisy (isn't that what it is?!). How can I take seriously, or at face value, anything else that he has to say?

[OrwellsHousecat]

This guy makes Tony Blair look sincere

[tomigrgicevic]

The most prominent intellectual in France!!?? I hope not...

[fromhereon]

36:20 Freddie, thank you for illustrating that your guest is special pleading whenever it suits him and pushing back with where the reasoning lands without hypocrisy.

[johnchristopher]

Mr. Levy is a passionate (is there any other kind?) evangelist for a morally bankrupt liberal humanism.

[dealwithitsloth]

Neoconservative. Neoliberal. Anti-democratic. Tony Blair with a French accent. The literal personification of a global elite…surprised he’s even on here. He’s the leader of the herd.

[cfarinho]

The cost. Had it cost more to leave kaddafi in Libya than the civil war that predictably ensued and the encroachment of those that he purports to fight? For a supposed philosopher the gentleman is remarkably lacking in lucidity.

[abdelkarimkouaouci]

This guy was involved in the decision making of destroying Libya which is quite a mess right now.

[glennmitchell]

So Monsieur Levy accepts the vax mandate but not the lockdown, both of which were championed by the same health experts. So he is free to choose which expert directives he is willing to follow but nobody else shares that freedom. Freedom for me, but not for thee.