Derrida Quote by John R. Searle
““With Derrida, you can hardly misread him, because he’s so obscure. Every time you say, "He says so and so," he always says, "You misunderstood me." But if you try to figure out the correct interpretation, then that’s not so easy. I once said this to Michel Foucault, who was more hostile to Derrida even than I am, and Foucault said that Derrida practiced the method of obscurantisme terroriste (terrorism of obscurantism). We were speaking French. And I said, "What the hell do you mean by that?" And he said, "He writes so obscurely you can’t tell what he’s saying, that’s the obscurantism part, and then when you criticize him, he can always say, 'You didn’t understand me; you’re an idiot.' That’s the terrorism part." And I like that. So I wrote an article about Derrida. I asked Michel if it was OK if I quoted that passage, and he said yes.””
About This Quote
Source Interview: The New Yorker, 1995
The quote highlights how Derrida’s dense style invites accusations of intentional obscurity, making criticism easy to deflect.
In simple terms: Obscure writing lets authors claim misunderstanding.
Key Takeaway
Beware of using complexity to avoid accountability.
Themes
philosophy
communication
power dynamics
Mood
skeptical
critical
Type
analytical
philosophical
When to use this quote
- academic debates
- literary criticism
- teaching philosophy
Key Concepts
obscurantism
interpretation
authorial intent
Questions to Reflect On
- How does complexity affect genuine understanding?
- When is opacity justified?
A Different Perspective
Obscurity can be a rhetorical shield, not a virtue.
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