Writers' Thoughts on Derrida

The Guardian has asked several writers for their thoughts on Derrida. Many of these answers leave something to be desired.

Alain de Botton wins the prize for trying to sound like he knows what he's talking about, but failing:

Derrida defies summary. He investigates the different ways in which attempts to simplify and summarise ideas are, in fact, a betrayal of the true complexity of things. He stands, rather like Wittgenstein or perhaps Freud, as an example of a thinker who made it his business to tell us that things are more complicated than we trust them to be.

Richard Dawkins uses Derrida's death as an opportunity to hawk some books:

My thoughts are contained in my book, A Devil's Chaplain, published by Weidenfeld, in the chapter called "Postmodernism disrobed".

JG Ballard has a rather funny, and honest, remark:

For 20 years, I've been floating around Derrida like a space capsule whose landing instructions have got lost, and I have never really made contact.

The most callous quote must go to Julie Burchill:

I did laugh, though, when I saw the news on AOL. It said: "Cancer claims snowy-haired philosopher."

(Really, what's more funny than death by cancer?)

And lastly, this remark by Ivan Massow is just plain odd. Did they call him on his cell phone or something?

Who? I don't know who you are talking about? I'm in a meeting with a group of City luminaries and none of them has heard of him. I can Google him for you if you are having difficulties.

Comments

[Michael]

I think de Botton wins that prize every time he writes, doesn't he? :)

[Scott]

No contest--the answer is YES.