Derrida Quote by Benoît Peeters
““Admitting that his distance probably contained ‘a sort of crypto-Communist legacy’, Derrida spoke in more detail about his attitude to the student movement in his interview with Maurizio Ferraris: I did not say no to ‘68’, I took part in the demonstrations, I organized the first general assembly at the École Normale. Still, rightly or wrongly, my heart was not ‘on the barricades’. What really bothered me was not so much the apparent spontaneity, which I do not believe in, but the spontaneist political eloquence, the call for transparency, for communication without relay or delay, the liberation from every sort of apparatus, party or union. [. . .] Spontaneism, like workerism, pauperism, struck me as something to be wary of. I wouldn’t say my conscience is clear on this matter and that it’s as simple as that. These days [. . .], I would be more cautious about formulating this critique of spontaneism.””
About This Quote
Source Interview: Maurizio Ferraris, date unknown
Derrida reflects on his cautious stance toward spontaneous political movements, emphasizing the need for critical distance and awareness of underlying structures.
In simple terms: He warns against uncritical enthusiasm for spontaneous activism.
Key Takeaway
Question reflective, question spontaneity.
Themes
critical thinking
political theory
activism
Mood
thoughtful
analytical
Type
philosophical
critical
When to use this quote
- academic discussion
- political organizing
- student protests
- media analysis
Key Concepts
spontaneism
transparency
communication
apparatus
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you balance enthusiasm with critical analysis?
- What hidden structures influence movements?
A Different Perspective
Spontaneity can overlook deeper power dynamics.
![“I now have at home, I can freely admit, three computers and two of then also have a zip drive, an extra hard disk [. . .] and when I write a long text that’s hanging around without being printed out, I never leave the house without making copies of the text in question [. . .]. There are at least…” quote by Benoît Peeters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/38a/beno-t-peeters-15866_computers_i-now-have-at-home-i-can-freely-admit-th_513159.jpg)
