Jacques Derrida

[bretty]

Has anyone read any jacques Derrida? What are your opinions about him? Which books would you recommend? What is the foundation for Deconstructionism?

[Fuzzy_Louster]

I have never been a big fan of the man, I much more prefer Zizek, Baudrillard, or the good ole standby-Foucault. If you want a good postmodernist viewpoint on things, go for one of those three, Derrida is very specific to literature and language, while the other three transcend that position often and go to foreign and domestic policy. I myself am eager to get my hands on Baudrillard's book "The Spirit of Terrorism."

[Brownfist]

My favourite text by Baudrillard is "The Gulf War Did Not Take Place". I think it was absolutely hilarious, but brilliantly argued. There has been some amazing stuff on the technologies of war. I really wish that I had more time to read that stuff.

As for Derrida is two most seminal works are "Of Grammatology" and "Writing and Difference". I think Derrida has some interesting arguements, but I have been more interested in people who have utilized deconstruction, such as Gayatri Spivak.