POMO rants (Durrida)

[argus.]

Meg Larson, and quoting Joe Varo::
> The guy who wrote _Derrida for Beginners_, forgot his name at the moment,
> has another book out, or coming out soon, titled _Postmodernism for
> Beginners_.   I was on the Derrida listserv for a while--without a doubt
> one of the most boring lists available.  
> Three months of defining iterability--ugh.

<grin>  I subscribed to this list "way back in '94", and usually am
subscribed, tho I really can't explain why.  At first, it was to
try to understand Derrida (heh).  As my friend reminded me, that list is
mainly Grad students flexing their inadequate muscles.  But I stay
on for the occasional outrageous poetry and the several Really
Brilliant People who sometimes post off-topic and take my breath
away.  

> | Sometimes I find decon utterly fascinating...at others I have to wonder
> at
> | the point of it all.
> |
> I'm with you, Joe; sometimes I think I've got it, and other times all I can
> think is HUH???  In my mind, an important thing to keep in mind is that
> decon is not destruct, even if it seems that way.

I think the main beauty of it is that decon is a generous, impish
method.  what other critique is so bold to use the basis of something's
own argument against it?  usually arguments go more along the lines
of "you are wrong because you contradict MY beliefs."  while Derrida
says "you are [something] because of your OWN standards."  D. really
LOVES the thinkers he deconstructs, and has to.

Like all those crazy Fronch folk, D. is trying to access a new way of 
thinking, that takes us beyond our stodgy stagnant capitalist discourse.  
To my mind, that's as sacred a quest as any these days.  it aint about 
killing the old, it's about finding the new, which sometimes *looks* 
like murder, but isnt.

Yikes.  Wearing my heart on my sleeve today.
Take care all.
susan