It is said that Moderns establish the sovereignty of a subject. Yet we surround ourselves with objects we worship: Father Christmas , the Eiffel Tower, the Tour de France, marathons, airplanes, the Internet, photo booths, dentistry, aperitifs, vacations and New Year's greetings, just to name a few. We are urged from all sides to love them! Father Christmas? A saint full of love and generosity. The Eiffel Tower? Progressive architecture showcasing French ingenuity. The Tour de France? An epic event for professional cyclist heroes. Marathons? A lesson on how to surpass oneself.

What if these same idols were actually concealed hatreds? What if they were furtively teaching us to love violence, domination and war? Hating them would then become salutary and justified. Not all hatreds can be labelled as propaganda or intimidation. Some hatreds are about emancipation, while others convey indignation transformed into action. This book makes a contribution to further the exhilarating and subtle analytical deconstruction of some of the psycho-political objects of our times, without lapsing into systematic criticism. It would seem that impromptu loves flourish amidst hatreds, of which they represent the truthful aspect.

Jean-Jacques Delfour, a graduate of École normale supérieure de Saint-Cloud, is a Professor of Philosophy in preparatory classes for the Grandes Écoles in Toulouse and General Culture at Université de Toulouse 1. In addition to General Philosophy, his writings deal with performing arts techniques in stage and street theatre, press caricatures, etc.