Nothing But Respect

It wouldn’t be right to note the passing of Professor Derrida without also paying tribute to another public figure who died this week — a man whose influence on the intelligensia was far more profound (and certainly more comprehensible): Rodney Dangerfield. His reading from James Joyce’s Ulysses in the movie Back To School is surely one of the finest literary renditions ever recorded. We’ll miss you, Rodney.

Not Just “Death,” But Death Itself

Jacques Derrida — father of deconstruction and the patron saint of undeserved tenured faculty positions — died on Friday. Rest in peace, Jacques.