EMILY IN PARIS (2020) Season 1 Episodes 1x1, 1x2 & 1x3 Reaction! | First Time Watch! | Lily Collins
Quick Read
Summary
Takeaways
- ❖Emily's initial optimism and lack of French language skills are immediately identified as major obstacles.
- ❖The hosts agree with the show's character Luke's assessment of Emily's approach as 'the arrogance of ignorance.'
- ❖French workplace culture is depicted as having longer lunches and a 'work to live' philosophy, contrasting with American 'live to work' attitudes.
- ❖The hosts note the immediate and direct nature of French flirting, which surprises Emily.
- ❖Emily's long-distance boyfriend breaks up with her due to his unwillingness to visit Paris, leaving her single.
- ❖The 'sexy or sexist' debate around a perfume ad highlights differing cultural perspectives on female representation and desire in advertising.
- ❖Emily's boss, Sylvie, is portrayed as threatened by Emily's youth and American marketing approach, leading to resistance and attempts to sideline her.
- ❖The hosts discuss the difficulty of making friends in a foreign country where language is a barrier, drawing parallels to their own travel experiences.
- ❖The show effectively uses cliffhangers to maintain viewer engagement between episodes.
Insights
1The 'Arrogance of Ignorance' in Cultural Immersion
The hosts highlight how Emily's decision to move to Paris without learning French, relying on a 'fake it till you make it' mentality, is perceived as arrogant and ignorant by the French characters, a sentiment the hosts agree with. This lack of preparation creates immediate communication barriers and cultural misunderstandings, both socially and professionally.
The character Luke explicitly calls Emily's lack of French 'the arrogance of ignorance,' which Jabby and Brandon affirm. They discuss how Emily's reliance on Google Translate and her expectation for others to speak English is unrealistic in France.
2Clash of Work-Life Philosophies: American Drive vs. French Leisure
A significant point of contention is the fundamental difference in work culture. Emily embodies the American 'live to work' ethos, constantly pitching ideas and prioritizing career advancement, while her French colleagues adhere to a 'work to live' philosophy, valuing long lunches and personal time. This creates friction and makes Emily's ideas seem 'too radical' or intrusive.
Luke explains to Emily, 'You leave to work. We work to live.' The hosts discuss how Emily's constant 'chipper' attitude and eagerness to share ideas on day one are met with resistance and seen as overly aggressive by her French colleagues, who prefer a more measured approach.
3Navigating 'Sexy vs. Sexist' in International Marketing
The hosts analyze the debate surrounding a perfume commercial that Emily deems 'sexist' while her French colleagues defend it as 'sexy' and artistic. This illustrates a cultural divide in how female representation and desire are perceived in advertising, with the French viewing desire as a compliment and a sign of respect, contrasting with American concerns about objectification and political correctness.
Emily's suggestion to put a poll on Twitter asking 'sexy or sexist' about the perfume ad is seen as a smart engagement strategy by the hosts, but it highlights the core disagreement between Emily and her French colleagues on the ad's interpretation. The hosts acknowledge both perspectives as interesting.
4The Threat of Youth and New Ideas in Established Workplaces
Emily's immediate boss, Sylvie, consistently undermines Emily and assigns her demeaning tasks, which the hosts interpret as a defensive reaction to Emily's youth, ambition, and fresh American perspective. Sylvie perceives Emily as a threat to her own position and established methods, leading to a hostile work environment.
The hosts observe Sylvie's deliberate attempts to 'manipulate her into wanting to leave' and assign Emily to market a vaginal dryness product, despite her experience being in pharmaceuticals. They explicitly state that Sylvie 'doesn't want to lose it to some young American girl' and feels 'threatened.'
Lessons
- When moving to a new country for work, prioritize learning the local language and understanding cultural norms to avoid being perceived as ignorant or arrogant.
- Recognize and respect different work-life philosophies; an aggressive, 'always-on' approach may be counterproductive in cultures that value leisure and slower paces.
- Be prepared for cultural differences in communication, especially regarding directness in social interactions and differing views on sensitive topics like gender representation in media.
- Cultivate local friendships and support networks to navigate the challenges and loneliness of living abroad, as these connections can provide invaluable cultural insights and emotional support.
Quotes
"You don't speak French. That's not going to fly in France. Google Translate. You look worried. I'm not worried. It's the French who should be worried. No, you're worried. They will annihilate you. You got to learn French. Quick dual lingo."
"I get what the guy was saying. Was his name Luke or something? Yes. Uh yeah, I get what he was saying. It does seem ignorant or arrogant or a little bit of both. how we said at the end, arrogance of ignorance. But I mean I you and I I think feel the same. It's like going to another country where English is not the predominant language. It would be ideal to at least pick up a couple of phrases."
"I mean, I can imagine being young and ambitious and smart and going to France for the first time. It's like the optimism. I can like I palpable, you know, and I can I can see it and I can feel it and I know that like it feels like that kind of person really is there in the wild, you know, who would go like that opportunity sounds amazing and then but the but the ignorance accompanying it of just like going to another country without speaking a lick is just a recipe for feeling alone."
"I think she's going to end up with the dude on the fourth floor. At least for something. Maybe she's just going to come and knocking."
"I mean, the French are romantics, but they're also realists."
Q&A
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