I'm actually bummed out by this. I never thought I would be, really; however, I have to admit that I'm saddened by the passing of someone who I feel was a kindred spirit. I'm well aware of people believing Derrida to be a pompous, pretentious, buffonish joke - but as I've always said: fuck 'em. I still like Douglas Adams even if his fans and derivatives drive me absolutely insane, know what I mean? Derrida, to me, saw the necessity of fighting back against the sterility and deathly self-absorption of philosophy - much as Deleuze and Foucault did. To open a philosophy book and see the words "Your Oedipus is a fucking drag", or to feel the impish humour leaping off the page in Derrida's wry deflections does something for me that all the G.E. Moore or
Theodor Adorno or Simone Weil (or whatever) in the world could never do: it gives me hope. Destruction is certain, but hope is important. To that end: tonight when I drink, I'll be drinking to Professor Derrida. Thanks for everything.
Here are some Derrida related writeups:
This is a reminder of the truth that we all face