It is a rumor inseparable from the baccalaureate philosophy test, that of the student who obtained 20/20 with a simple answer to the question “what is audacity?”. Here is the possible origin of this urban legend.
It’s an old refrain that every year amuses or gives hope to baccalaureate candidates: three words that would have allowed a student to get 20/20 in philosophy. To the question “what is audacity?” a reckless student would have answered “that’s it” without further explanation on his copy. An act that instead of reflecting on audacity, puts it on stage. This stroke of genius evoked every year at the approach of the philosophy test or during the baccalaureate results has never existed, however, the Ministry of Education itself assured it at one time in its fair questions dedicated to the baccalaureate.
A rumor that has become a true legend of the baccalaureate, it has been mentioned every year for more than forty, and even sixty years, according to historian Thomas Snégaroff, who looked into the subject in 2019 and interviewed by franceinfo and Brut. This story that does not mention any date or identify the student who would have had the nerve or the flash of genius rewarded with a 20/20 is easily appropriated and relived year after year.
Could the 1978 film Le Pion be the source of this rumour, or is the pre-existing legend itself inspired by the scene in Christian Gion’s French film? In this case it is during a French homework that asks students about “what is risk?” that a student returning his paper in a few minutes does not obtain the mark of excellence, but a very good 18/20. How ? By simply answering: “The risk is that”. A “fantastic idea” according to the professor of the feature film, but which if it is carried out during a real exam will never be rewarded with the best possible mark.
The reputation of philosophy passing the subject for a discipline that does not revise, even sometimes for a lottery where the marks are assigned at random, according to the appreciation and the sensitivity of the correctors, the rumor had more to facilitate to take root in the minds.
But philosophy evaluates candidates’ general knowledge and ability to reason and reflect on matters relevant to society and cannot be satisfied with this casual response, no offense to Christian Gion whose character seems to prefer action. on reflection: “Others spoke to me more or less intelligently (and rather less than more) about risk, but you, you risked!” In 2023, it is therefore better to blacken your copy with a thought-out argument than to rely on daring. Especially since the odds are slim that the subject will hold up in this question: “What is audacity?”
