The First Ever Philo Bistro in English: A Night of Philosophy, Connection, and "Je Ne Sais Quoi"

On November 13th, 2025—exactly ten years after the tragic Paris attacks—we gathered at the Alliance Française de Sydney for something unprecedented: the first-ever Philo Bistro conducted entirely in English.

For four years, Philo Bistro has been a beloved monthly tradition, bringing together French speakers to discuss philosophical questions in the style of the great café debates. But this time, we wanted to open our doors wider, to include those still learning French or more comfortable expressing complex ideas in English.

Joined by the brilliant Margaux Girard—a recent arrival from London with a background in philosophy—we created what we hoped would be a safe, inclusive space for grappling with life's biggest questions. No judgment, no stupid ideas, just genuine curiosity and respectful dialogue.

The questions our participants submitted were wonderfully diverse and deeply human:

• Why is it so difficult for humans to be happy and satisfied?

• What is that special "French thing" everyone talks about?

• Are things really better in the past?

• What emotions are most vulnerable to artificial intelligence?

On Happiness and Dissatisfaction

Our first deep dive explored why happiness seems so elusive. The conversation flowed beautifully, touching on evolutionary biology (we're wired to survive, not be satisfied), the Buddhist approach to presence, the tyranny of goal-setting, and the insidious role of social media in creating artificial needs.

One participant offered a profound insight: "You can only ever be happy now, right now." The past is memory, the future is projection—but happiness, if it exists anywhere, exists in the present moment.

We discussed how consumer capitalism designs us to be perpetually dissatisfied, always needing the next product, the next experience, the next upgrade. Another participant reminded us that in Christian tradition, life wasn't meant to be about happiness at all—it was about suffering and transcendence.

The Bhutan Happiness Index came up, as did the paradox of wealthy Sweden with its high rates of depression. Geography, religion, family structures, economic stability—all these factors interweave in complex ways we're only beginning to understand.

The Mythology of "French-ness"

Perhaps the most animated discussion centred on that elusive concept of "je ne sais quoi"—that indefinable French quality that has captivated (and commercially benefited) the world.

What emerged was fascinating: French culture is remarkably explicit about being French. From school curricula focused on French history, literature, and values, to the invention of concepts like terroir that have been exported worldwide, there's a deliberate cultivation of national identity that many cultures don't share.

We discussed how this "French-ness" has been brilliantly marketed—from fashion to philosophy, from cuisine to cinema. But we also acknowledged its shadow sides: the pressure to conform, the potential for exclusion, the way nostalgia can be weaponised for political purposes (think of the "Front National" party, now rebranded as "Rassemblement National"... another marketing operation).

One British participant noted that in countries without such a clearly defined national identity, we tend to romanticise others—particularly the French and Italians—projecting onto them qualities we wish we possessed ourselves.

The Power of Collective Thinking

What struck me most about the evening was watching ideas build upon each other. As Margaux sketched concepts on the whiteboard—connecting happiness to presence, nostalgia to nationalism, identity to storytelling—we could see our collective thinking taking shape.

We hardly talked about Camus and just scratched the surface of existentialism. We forgot to talk about Sartre and sadly omitted to put existentialism at the centre of our discussions and debates. We didn't even answer the big questions. Philosophy rarely does. But on the more positive side, we created something valuable: a space where diverse perspectives could meet, where we could sit with complexity rather than rushing to conclusions, where the act of thinking together became its own reward.

Looking Forward

This experiment in English-language Philo Bistro felt like a success. The format worked, the conversations flowed, and most importantly, people left wanting more.

We're already planning our next gathering, potentially incorporating more French language elements, philosophical frameworks, and perhaps even some pre-reading to deepen our discussions.

Because in a world increasingly driven by artificial intelligence and algorithmic thinking, spaces for genuine human dialogue—messy, meandering, and magnificently unpredictable—have never been more essential.

Philo Bistro meets monthly at the Alliance Française de Sydney. If you're interested in joining future discussions—in French or English—please reach out.

Olivier Vojetta

Writer, educator, and perpetual questioner