A true barbarian

bidussaBy David Bidussa

I happened to read by chance some pages by Michel de Montaigne, pages dedicated to cannibals (Essays, Book I, chap. XXXI). The philosopher reflects on the episodes of cannibalism that characterized the religious war between Catholics and Protestants. When it comes to brutality, civilized Europe has nothing to learn from the savages of the Americas. A true barbarian is he who believes he is not.

*David Bidussa is a historian of social ideas.