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Cédric Villani: mathematician challenging to be Paris mayor

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Re: Cédric Villani: mathematician challenging to be Paris mayor

#21

Post by p4bl0 »

He is already an elected representative in the French parliament, being part of the current government's majority. His political party and the government have already passed several laws that are very damaging to research and higher education (among other things, but these two topics Villani actually knows something about, and he should care a bit given his background). He has never said anything publicly about it, or only to support the government. I see this behavior as proof that he doesn't care at all about being a mathematician (well, except when it gives him credit he doesn't deserve), so he should just be considered another random politician, and he's not even a good one.

Edit: fixed "dommageable".

Re: Cédric Villani: mathematician challenging to be Paris mayor

#22

Post by jnaddef »

prideout wrote: post #3

Not just a mathematician but a Fields medal winner. The current mayor of Paris is also an interesting person, being a Spanish-born woman from a working class family. She has made huge strides in the greenification of Paris: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/05/world/europe/paris-anne-h...

Current mayor is hated by a lot of Parisians because of the "greenification of Paris" as you call it.

She closed a few roads and made them pedestrian-only; that was not well received by a number of people.

Re: Cédric Villani: mathematician challenging to be Paris mayor

#23

Post by yardie »

flashyfaffe2 wrote: post #15
gabaix wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What radical changes would you like to see? I don't live in Paris but I may be living there in the years to come.

Not radical changes but just expect some common sense being applied. Over the last decade housing prices has doubled and the city receives a small percentage for each transactions. However this money did benefit only for the whole community but rather for clientlism. Debt has been getting higher and so the taxes. Driving has been made impossible and restaurants are too expensing for the similar service and quality yo…

Maybe it has changed since I was last there. But while living there I watched the nightlife scene explode in Paris. I'm from the 18eme which has had an interesting history as far as the nightlife. Since moving there I watched the bar scene grow in Bastille, Pigalle, Belleville, and Montmartre. Maybe this is super local and it was just the areas I frequented.

> Paris is becoming a big sleepy museum where only real Parisians do appreciate the lifestyle.

Funny they were saying this 10 years ago as well. Commerce has increased as companies exit the UK due to Brexit.

Re: Cédric Villani: mathematician challenging to be Paris mayor

#24

Post by yardie »

jnaddef wrote: post #22
prideout wrote: post #3

Not just a mathematician but a Fields medal winner. The current mayor of Paris is also an interesting person, being a Spanish-born woman from a working class family. She has made huge strides in the greenification of Paris: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/05/world/europe/paris-anne-h...

Current mayor is hated by a lot of Parisians because of the "greenification of Paris" as you call it. She closed a few roads and made them pedestrian-only; that was not well received by a number of people.

This appears to bother the people that live outside Paris rather than most Parisians. I'm all for it. I've watched my balcony become unusable from pollution. I imagine if half the stuff that was collecting on the balcony floor was going into my lungs my lungs would look like a 50 year heavy smoker.

Re: Cédric Villani: mathematician challenging to be Paris mayor

#25

Post by account73466 »

yardie wrote: post #23
flashyfaffe2 wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not radical changes but just expect some common sense being applied. Over the last decade housing prices has doubled and the city receives a small percentage for each transactions. However this money did benefit only for the whole community but rather for clientlism. Debt has been getting higher and so the taxes. Driving has been made impossible and restaurants are too expensing for the similar service and quality yo…

Maybe it has changed since I was last there. But while living there I watched the nightlife scene explode in Paris. I'm from the 18eme which has had an interesting history as far as the nightlife. Since moving there I watched the bar scene grow in Bastille, Pigalle, Belleville, and Montmartre. Maybe this is super local and it was just the areas I frequented. > Paris is becoming a big sleepy museum where only real Par…

>> I'm from the 18eme which has had an interesting history as far as the nightlife.

Probably he lived in the South, we don't go that far North :-)

Re: Cédric Villani: mathematician challenging to be Paris mayor

#27

Post by onlyrealcuzzo »

p4bl0 wrote: post #21

He is already an elected representative in the French parliament, being part of the current government's majority. His political party and the government have already passed several laws that are very damaging to research and higher education (among other things, but these two topics Villani actually knows something about, and he should care a bit given his background). He has never said anything publicly about it, o…

"dommageable" is "damaging", for anyone who couldn't guess.

Can you go into detail about what his party has voted for that's so bad for higher education and research?

I consider myself pretty academia-friendly, and there's a lot of things I'd vote for that most people would consider damaging to higher education and research.

For example, I think free college for everyone is a terrible idea. Most people consider that heresy.

Re: Cédric Villani: mathematician challenging to be Paris mayor

#28

Post by syrusakbary »

onlyrealcuzzo wrote: post #27
p4bl0 wrote: post #21

He is already an elected representative in the French parliament, being part of the current government's majority. His political party and the government have already passed several laws that are very damaging to research and higher education (among other things, but these two topics Villani actually knows something about, and he should care a bit given his background). He has never said anything publicly about it, o…

"dommageable" is "damaging", for anyone who couldn't guess. Can you go into detail about what his party has voted for that's so bad for higher education and research? I consider myself pretty academia-friendly, and there's a lot of things I'd vote for that most people would consider damaging to higher education and research. For example, I think free college for everyone is a terrible idea. Most people consider that…

> For example, I think free college for everyone is a terrible idea. Most people consider that heresy.

A terrible idea from what perspective? I'd love to hear more! (I'm on the other side of the spectrum)

Re: Cédric Villani: mathematician challenging to be Paris mayor

#30

Post by salamandar »

acoye wrote: post #12
salamandar wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's not because you are good at maths that you are good at politics. And he's the best example about that we've had so far.

If politics works like it is said in "The Prince" (ie. Machiavelli), then I do not see any easily transferable skill set from renowned mathematician to politician. Except for game theory maybe?

Yeah, agreed. And he proved he's a shitty politician. (with shitty ideas too, but that's my point of view)
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