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Derrida is dead; Buffy lives
Oct. 13th, 2004 07:00 pmThe Guardian asked some notable luminaries what they knew of his philosophy. As I've never studied Derrida myself, I am unable to comment with certainty on the following summary from Denis MacShane, UK Minister for Europe:
The core of Derrida's thinking is that every text contains multiple meanings. To read is neither to know nor to understand, but to begin a process of exploration that is essential to comprehend oneself and society.
I can say with confidence that I understand that point of view so much better after two and a half years in Buffy fandom. It's been lit crit with teeth, thousands of people arguing passionately and tenaciously over a single work, espousing often astoundingly disparate but justifiable points of view. You begin to see the fault lines in your own and others' ways of thinking.
I think I've even begun reading the news differently; this huge example shows how variously people can interpret a TV show, let alone the many sources from which we construct our understanding of the world at large.
The core of Derrida's thinking is that every text contains multiple meanings. To read is neither to know nor to understand, but to begin a process of exploration that is essential to comprehend oneself and society.
I can say with confidence that I understand that point of view so much better after two and a half years in Buffy fandom. It's been lit crit with teeth, thousands of people arguing passionately and tenaciously over a single work, espousing often astoundingly disparate but justifiable points of view. You begin to see the fault lines in your own and others' ways of thinking.
I think I've even begun reading the news differently; this huge example shows how variously people can interpret a TV show, let alone the many sources from which we construct our understanding of the world at large.
