# French copper wires under Paris

- Teacher: Ajahn Brahm
- Type: Joke
- URL: https://beingmindfulstories.com/stories/brahm-joke-french-copper-wires
- Themes: humour, nationalism, technology
- Life situations: needing a laugh, conferences

## Synopsis (editorial summary)

Telecom conference: French claim ancient copper under Paris; English one-up with older bronze under London; US won't be outdone.

## The story, as told by Ajahn Brahm (verbatim captions)

French telecommunications expert got on stage and said it is my great pride as a Frenchman to announce this new discovery we were doing excavations Under Paris and we found ancient copper wires which we never knew about before it shows the great Republic of France were the Innovative innovators of telecommunications we had copper wires underneath our city before anyone else and the English if you know the English they will never be outdone by the French so the English guy got up there and said um yes understand that but he was lying of course he said but we have found out underneath the city of London ancient bronze wires were found

## Teaching point

National pride will excavate any century to win the punchline.

## Reflection (in the spirit of Ajahn Brahm's talk)

At a conference, France claimed ancient copper wires under Paris, England bronze under London, and America iron under New York. India's delegate said they'd found no wires at all, proof of ancient wireless. Behind the laughter is a question: why must we always be first, or right? Let go of the need to win.

## Source

- [Intellectual Materialism | Ajahn Brahm | 15 Jan 2016](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbGLQATIWfc) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 20:28 to 21:20: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbGLQATIWfc&t=1228s

Other tellings of this story:

- [Materialisme Intelektual | Ajahn Brahm | 15 Januari 2016](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCbXHr1k64k) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 20:17 to 22:30: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCbXHr1k64k&t=1217s