Having predicted and denounced for a long time the development, on a global scale, of what I called a “hyperclass,” cut off from the rest of the people (which themselves will be divided into “infranomads” forced to migrate to survive, and into “temporary sedentary” desperately trying to join the hyperclass of hypernomads, fearing the tip-over into infranomadism and witnessing, through the media, the displays put on by one another), I can only be very worried about all the accumulating signs: this world has now become a reality.

Everywhere in the world, in both developed and developing countries, whether Anglo-Saxon or not, whether French or not, those who have cultural and financial capital are now numerous enough to live among themselves, and think that they can lead the world according to their values, their codes; and in their sole interests. Along the same line, they believe that it is up to the others to adapt or be forgotten.

Worse still, in this hyperclass, there are reigning masters. Other members of the class are only the valets, courtiers, ideologues or pale imitators of these masters.

Sometimes, through the lottery of talents, markets and powers, some people who come from elsewhere are allowed into this hyperclass. These lucky or deserving persons are put forward, though they tend to rarely want to admit that they only are a derisory alibi, legitimizing the power of a group that will never consider them as something else other than a newbie.

The hyperclass is wrong in its belief that it governs the world. In reality, it only governs itself. It is akin to a quadriplegic who only exerts control over his mind and not the rest of his body, which is supposed to work for him but does not obey him, but rather ends up revolting and puts an end to the illusions of the mind.

This is as true in Paris as it is in Kinshasa, in London as it is in Delhi, in New York as it is in Tokyo and in Beijing as it is in Moscow.

It will soon reveal itself: the people, aware of the suicide that such practices lead them to, will no longer obey these members of the hyperclasses. They will refuse the negation of the future by the hyperclass policies. They will revolt, as they can, when they can; faster in democracies than in dictatorships.

The “soft dégagisme” that has shown its face all over the world in recent years, will be followed by a “hard dégagisme,” which will claim the triumphant masters of technology and finance and their ideological and political valets as its first victims. The planet will dive into an obscure and lasting chaos.

If we want to avoid a somber future, for the powerful as well as for the people, if we want to avoid that the wave of identity, xenophobic, selfish and totalitarian populism does not impose itself everywhere, in juxtaposed dictatorships that are closed and hostile to each other, under the pretext of protecting the identity and the future of their people, it is urgent to open and give to all access to the codes of knowledge, culture, self-empowerment and respect for others. It is urgent to show, at all levels of society, the importance of listening, respect, empathy and altruism.

It will be through a revolution in education, which can no longer serve only as a means of distributing men among various classes. And by a very different attitude from the rich and powerful towards the rest of the people. Arrogance is still the gravedigger of civilizations. Humility is the essence of human progress. Altruism is the most intelligent form of selfishness. Who will remember this?

Last but not least, it will also be through the courage of not systematically following orthodox views and recruiting people who have not studied in the most elite universities or who are not members of the nomenclature for posts that include tasks of responsibility: without a doubt, it is there that we may find the clearest and most courageous conscience that will dare to think of the future. I smile.

j@attali.com