DERRIDA TRANSCRIPT TITLE CARD: JANE DOE FILMS LAVENIR (We hear Derridas voice speaking in French while

watching the Seine and Parisian landscape passing by through a car window.) DE !D"# !n general$ ! try to distinguish between what one calls the %uture and &lavenir.' (he %uture is that which ) to*orrow$ later$ ne+t century ) will be. (heres a %uture which is predictable$ progra**ed$ scheduled$ %oreseeable. ,ut there is a %uture$ lavenir (to co*e) which re%ers to so*eone who co*es whose arrival is totally une+pected. For *e$ that is the real %uture. (hat which is totally unpredictable. (he -ther who co*es without *y being able to anticipate their arrival. So i% there is a real %uture beyond this other known %uture$ its lavenir in that its the co*ing o% the -ther when ! a* co*pletely unable to %oresee their arrival. KEYS (!nterior$ Derridas ho*e in /" 01E !(E# 2ackie$ do you have your keys3 DE !D"# 4es$ ! have the*. MEDIA ON DERRIDA P-5!S6 7EWS8"S(E # (his century has given us philosophers o% highest caliber$ notables like 6usserl$ ,ergson$ Wittgenstein$ 6eidegger$ icoeur$ and 5evinas. !t would see* that the list o% the centurys greatest *en o% thought would be closed. Who else could possibly co*pare to the*3 "nd yet$ this list o% great thinkers would not be co*plete without 2ac9ues Derrida. KEYS DE !D"# Forgive *e %or not even saying hello. !ts a bit di%%icult: MEDIA ON DERRIDA ,,8 7EWS8"S(E # 0ood Evening$ later on tonights late show we look at the French philosopher 2ac9ues Derrida$ %ounder o% the post.structuralist *ode o% analysis known as deconstruction and internationally acknowledged by *any as one o% the *ost innovative and inspiring o% conte*porary philosophers. is.-rangis$ France)

KEYS DE !D"# -kay$ !ve got *y keys. So youre going to %ollow *e3 When we get there$ theres a garage$ and !ll have to speak to so*eone at the hair salon about arranging to park your car. MEDIA ON DERRIDA ,E50!"7 7EWS8"S(E # ,orn in El ,iar$ "lgeria$ 2ac9ues Derridas na*e is now known on %ive continents. 6es a thinker o% lightening thoughts whose work is like that o% *iners who work by e+ploding the bea*s supporting their sha%ts. OPENING TITLE SEQUENCE /1S!8 8-/P-SED ,4 41!86! S";"/-(ED!(ED ,4 ;! ,4 D!8; /"((6EW 85" ;E "SS-8!"(E P -D18E 0!5 ;-F/"7 8"/E " ;! S(E7 2-67S-7 P -D18E "/4 <!E !70 ;-F/"7 D! E8(ED ,4 ;! ,4 D!8; "/4 <!E !70 ;-F/"7 DE !D"

WALKING NY/STAR "5"7 86-D-5E7;- (Pro%essor$ 1niversity o% Sydney$ "ustralia)# /y theory is that "*ericans e+ist to the degree that theyre being %il*ed or believe the*selves to be %il*ed. (his is their natural condition. DE !D"# 4ou see how "*ericani=ed ! a*. 8are%ul.

(Derrida pointing to ca*erawo*an) She sees everything around *e but she is totally blind. (hats the i*age o% the philosopher who %alls in the well$ while looking at the star. (Derrida points to hi*sel%). ! have these people around all the ti*e$ day and night$ wherever ! a*. 0! 5# !ts like the 5oud %a*ily. DE !D"# For two weeks now they have been constantly tracking *e. 0! 5# So are you getting used to it3 DE !D"# So*eti*es ! %orget$ ! >ust %orget. NYU BIOGRAPHY CONFERENCE DE !D"# (741) We should not neglect the %act that so*e biographies .. written by people that have authority in the acade*y .. %inally invest this authority in a book$ which %or centuries$ so*eti*es a%ter the death o% an author$ represents the truth. (he &truth'. Say so*eone interested in biography writes# &(he 5i%e and Works o% 6eidegger'$ well docu*ented$ apparently consistent$ and its the only one$ published under the authority o% a good press$ okay$ and then 6eideggers i*age$ 6eideggers li%e i*age is %i+ed and stabili=ed %or centuries. (hats why ! would say that so*eti*es the one who reads a te+t by a philosopher$ %or instance$ one tiny paragraph$ and interprets it in a rigorous and inventive and power%ully deciphering %ashion$ is *ore o% a real biographer than the one who knows the whole story. JACKET (5aguna ho*e interior) DE !D"# (his is the blue >acket ! have. "<;# (hats nice. DE !D"# ,ut this doesnt %it with this... (his is black and this is not blue$ o.k. and ! usually cant: "<;#

! know$ we wont get your botto* hal%$ can ! >ust see it what it looks like$ is that okay3 !* sorry to trouble you. NYU BIOGRAPHY CONFERENCE -- BORN THOUGHT DIED DE !D"# "s you know the traditional philosophy e+cludes biography$ considers biography as so*ething e+ternal to philosophy. 4ou re*e*ber 6eideggers state*ent about "ristotle....6eidegger once was asked ! think &What was the li%e o% "ristotle3' What could we answer to the 9uestion &what was "ristotles li%e3' Well the answer is very si*ple$ &"ristotle was a philosopher'$ and the answer holds in one sentence# &6e was born$ he thought$ and he died.' "nd all the rest is pure anecdote. FACTS (Derrida walking through streets o% Paris) ?@-# 6is /others grave is pro%aned. 6is parents never read any o% his books. 6e cries out# &/o**y !* scared' every night until she lets hi* sleep on a so%a near the*. -ne side o% his %ace is paraly=ed %or three weeks leaving his eye open continuously unblinking. 6is %ather co*poses his own death notice shortly be%ore he dies o% cancer. 6e is e+pelled %ro* school because he is 2ewish. 6e learns he was given a secret na*e$ Eli$ a%ter the 2ewish prophet Eli>ah that isnt on his birth certi%icate. 6e %ails his %irst entrance e+a* to the 1niversity. 6e writes his %irst novel at age %i%teen about the the%t o% a diary and black*ail %or its return. 6e pretends to learn 6ebrew so as to read it without understanding it. 6e is arrested and thrown in prison %or AB hours in Prague %or transporting drugs which the authorities plant on hi*. 6e receives a collect call %ro* so*eone who identi%ies hi*sel% as /artini 6eidegger. 6e doesnt circu*cise his sons greatly upsetting his /other and Father. "s an adolescent he drea*s o% beco*ing a pro%essional soccer player. 6e declines and o%%er %ro* /arguerite Duras to play a part in one o% her %il*s. 6e su%%ers %ro* sleeplessness and nervous collapse %ro* the overuse o% sleeping tablets and a*pheta*ines. 6is older brother lives only seven days$ dying >ust a year be%ore he is born. NYU BIOGRAPHY CONFERENCE - INDECENT DE !D"# !% classical philosophers usually avoid autobiography$ it is because they think its indecent. (hat is$ a philosopher should not speak o% hi*sel% as an e*pirical being. "nd this i*politeness$ or this politeness is philosophy itsel%$ in principle. So i% we want to break with this philosophical a+io*$ classical philosophical a+io*$ according to which a philosopher should not present hi*sel% or give in to autobiography$ then we have to be indecent to so*e e+tent.

HAIRCUT (Salon in

is.-rangis$ France)

THE EAR OF THE OTHER 19 ! ?@-# We no longer consider the biography o% a philosopher as a set o% e*pirical accidents that leaves one with a na*e that would then itsel% be o%%ered up to philosophical reading$ the only kind o% reading held to be philosophically legiti*ate. 7either readings o% philosophical syste*s nor e+ternal e*pirical readings have ever in the*selves 9uestioned the dyna*ics o% that borderline between the work and the li%e$ between the syste* and the sub>ect o% the syste*. (his borderline is neither active or passive$ its neither outside nor inside. !t is *ost especially not a thin line$ an invisible or indivisible trait that lies between the philosophy on the one hand$ and the li%e o% an author on the other. STUDENTS MEET DERRIDA " NORTHWESTERN U# S(1DE7( CD# 5istening to you speak >ust elucidated your te+ts >ust so *uch %or *e. DE !D"# (hank you. (hank you. S(1DE7( CD# ,ut ! >ust wanted to *eet you. S(1DE7( CA# ! read one o% your novels over the su**er... ! >ust wanted to hear you speak so ! could understand it better. S(1DE7( CE# ! started reading about negative theology and ! was wondering i% there was any connection:.(conversation trails o%%) /!8 -P6-7E !7(E EFE E78E YOUR NAME IS SYNON WITH DECON (6o*e in Paris) "<;# 4oure very well known in the states %or deconstruction. 8an you talk a little about the origin o% that idea3 DE !D"# ,e%ore responding to this 9uestion$ ! want to *ake a preli*inary re*ark on the co*pletely arti%icial character o% this situation. ! dont know whos going to be watching this$ but ! want to underline rather than e%%ace our surrounding technical conditions$ and not to %eign a &naturality' which doesnt

e+ist. !ve already in a way started to respond to your 9uestion about deconstruction because one o% the gestures o% deconstruction is to not naturali=e what isnt natural ) to not assu*e that what is conditioned by history$ institutions$ or society is natural. MEMOIRES FOR PAUL DE MAN 19 $ ?@-# (he very condition o% a deconstruction *ay be at work in the work$ within the syste* to be deconstructed. !t *ay already be located there$ already at work. 7ot at the center$ but in an eccentric center$ in a corner whose eccentricity assures the solid concentration o% the syste*$ participating in the construction o% what it$ at the sa*e ti*e$ threatens to deconstruct. -ne *ight then be inclined to reach this conclusion# deconstruction is not an operation that supervenes a%terwards$ %ro* the outside$ one %ine day. !t is always already at work in the work. Since the destructive %orce o% deconstruction is always already contained within the very architecture o% the work$ all one would %inally have to do to be able to deconstruct$ given this always already$ is to do *e*ory work. 4et since ! want neither to accept or to re>ect a conclusion %or*ulated in precisely these ter*s$ let us leave this 9uestion suspended %or the *o*ent. EHHES LECTURE (Paris) DE !D"# ! want to e+plain the presence o% and ask %or your per*ission %or this %il* crew on *y le%t. (heyll be recording so*e i*ages and ! hope this occurs as i*perceptibly as all the other recording devices weve beco*e accusto*ed to. ecording devices$ notably video or %il*ic ones$ have been a topic o% our se*inar. -n several occasions$ we e+a*ined the* in light o% the e+a*ple posed by the odney ;ing verdict. ((his is a 8ali%ornia %il* crew$ by the way). !n that case we posed the 9uestion# What happens to the testi*onial archive when one takes into account that the classic de%inition o% testi*ony e+cludes the intervention o% recording devices3 So as an e+peri*ent well see what its like to work %or a *o*ent in the presence o% these archiving *achines. HOME OFFICE ( is.-rangis) DE !D" (talking on the phone)# "gnes called *e yesterday to talk about *eeting... its canceled3 4es$... yes.. well$ thats not bad... DE !D" (talking to the ca*era)# So$ this is what you call cine*a verite3

Everything is %alse. "l*ost$ al*ost everything. !* not really like this. First o% all$ ! dont usually dress like this. "<;# 7o3 DE !D"# 7o$ you *ust know that when ! stay at ho*e alone in the dayti*e$ ! dont get dressed. ! stay in *y pa>a*as and a bathrobe. "<;# "ll day3 DE !D"# 4es until ! leave the house. When ! spend all the whole day at ho*e$ ! dont get dressed. DISSEMINATION 19%! ?@-# Who is it that is addressing you3 Since it is not an author$ a narrator$ or a deus e+ *achina it is an ! that is both part o% the spectacle and part o% the audience. "n ! that$ a bit like you$ undergoes its own incessant violent reinscription within the arith*etical *achinery. "n ! that %unctioning as a pure passageway %or operations o% substitution is not so*e singular and irreplaceable e+istence$ so*e sub>ect or li%e. ,ut only rather *oves between li%e and death$ between reality and %iction. "n ! that is a *ere %unction or phanto*. IMPROV ONE -- BODY PARTS DE !D"# 5et *e think. (o go back to what we were saying earlier about seeing and touching$ about seeing and speaking$ and seeing and touching:!nstead o% getting en*eshed in a pro%ound *editation on sight which !ve written about and discussed at length elsewhere$ !d like to say that what interests *e about the eyes is that they are the part o% the body that doesnt age. !n other words$ o% one looks %or ones childhood across all signs o% aging in the body .. the deterioration o% *usculature$ the whitening o% the hair$ changes in height and weight .. one can %ind ones childhood in the look o% the eyes. "nd whats striking about this is that a *an o% *y age keeps the e+act sa*e eyes that he had as a child. 6egel says that the eyes are the outer *ani%estation o% the soul. (hrough the eyes$ the inner soul presents itsel% to the outside. ,ut ! translate this thought as %ollows# (hat ones act o% looking has no age. -nes eyes are the sa*e all o% ones li%e. "nd !ll say so*ething related to this about the sub>ect o% hands. !n a book ! >ust published$ ! spoke

a lot about hands. !* very interested in the hands o% philosophers. !ve written a te+t on the hands o% 6eidegger$ which also re%erences the hands o% ;ant$ 6usserl:So the hands o% philosophers interest *e a lot. "nd what they say about hands$ and the privilege thats given to this part o% the body. ;eeping in *ind that theres a history o% the hand$ the evolution o% *an$ what we call the ho*ini=ation o% the ani*al$ occurs via the trans%or*ation o% the hand. ! think that its not the body o% the hand that stays the sa*e$ the hand changes %ro* childhood to old age. !t is the eyes and hands that are the sites o% recognition$ the signs through which one identi%ies the -ther. (o return to the 9uestion o% narcissis*$ they are$ parado+ically$ the parts that we see the least easily. We can look in a *irror and see ourselves and have a reasonably accurate sense o% what we look like. ,ut itFs very di%%icult to have an i*age o% our own act o% looking or to have a true i*age o% our own hands as they are *oving. !ts the -ther who knows what our hands and eyes are like. (hese ) how do you say ) these gestures o% the hands$ are seen better by the -ther than by *ysel%. PORTRAIT (8athedral 0allery$ Paris) "<;# "nd when you see this$ what do you think3 DE !D"# (his portrait o% *e3 !t *akes *e very an+ious. Weve already spoken a great deal about the di%%icult rapport ! have with *y i*age. So ! arrived here 9uite worried. ,ut !* not going to *ake any aesthetic evaluations. ! can only say &! accept.' "<;# !ts a strange %eeling isnt it3 DE !D"# !ts very strange. ,ut there are strange things against which one revolts$ and others which one accepts. !ts uncanny. !ts bi=arre. ,ut ! dont have the desire to destroy it as ! o%ten have with other photos or i*ages. !ts a very nice gi%t she has given *e. Shes given to a little narcissist. "n old narcissist. LA COUPOLE (Paris) POINTS 199! ?@-# (here is not narcissis* and non.narcissis*. (here are narcissis*s that are *ore or less co*prehensive$ generous$ open$ e+tended. What is called non. narcissis* is in general but the econo*y o% a *uch *ore welco*ing and hospitable narcissis*. -ne that is *uch *ore open to the e+perience o% the -ther as -ther. ! believe that without a *ove*ent o% narcissistic reappropriation$ the relation to the -ther would be absolutely destroyed$ it

would be destroyed in advance. (he relation to the -ther$ even i% it re*ains asy**etrical$ open$ without possible reappropriation$ *ust trace a *ove*ent o% reappropriation in the i*age o% ones sel% %or love to be possible. 5ove is narcissistic. DINNER PARTY (Paris$ 6o*e o% ene and 8hantal /a>or)

"<;# 6ow did you two *eet3 Wait a second ) cut. DE !D"# 6ow can ! start to think about responding to your 9uestion when you interrupt *e to ad>ust the lights and then you interrupt *e a second ti*e ) ! cant do it. "<;# So you never can %orget the ca*era3 DE !D"# ,ut when ! %orget$ theres a proble*$ and !* %orced to stop *id.sentence %or you to read>ust ) what do you call that there3 Protector3 -h$ re%lector. -ne starts to re%lect on ones response$ and the re%lector interrupts the re%lection. !ts di%%icult. -kay$ repeat your 9uestion. "<;# 6ow did you two *eet3 DE !D"# Should we tell or no3 /" 01E !(E# 0o ahead tell. (ell. DE !D"# !* not going to tell you everything. 7o. !* >ust going to tell you super%icial things. ! was a student with /arguerites brother at the sa*e school ) Ecole 7or*ale SupGrieure$ DHIA. /" 01E !(E# So there was a pretty strong probability that wed *eet. DE !D"# (hen one winter$ the %irst year we were together at this school$ we went skiing together$ her brother$ *e and so*e %riends. "nd thats when ! *et /arguerite. !* not going into *ore detail$ but it was in IE. "nd then we didnt see each other %or awhile$ the she invited *e to have lunch with her %a*ily$ and it started like that.

"<;# /arguerite$ Do you re*e*ber the %irst ti*e you saw 2ac9ues3 /" 01E !(E# 4es. yes. !n the snow. DE !D"# She see*s to be surprised that we actually re*e*ber: /" 01E !(E# 6e ca*e to the village in the *ountains where ! was staying. DE !D"# 4ouve hit an area where youre not going to get *uch in%or*ation %ro* us. !ts very di%%icult to speak o% these things in %ront o% a ca*era. ! can give you the %acts$ the dates... We were *arried in the States in DHIJ. (hese are %acts. aw %acts. "<;# 4es. !t see*s you have rules ) youve already decided to only tell *e %acts. Why have you i*posed this decision to not disclose anything3 /" 01E !(E# !ts >ust not that easy: MARGUERITE LEAVING ( is.-rangis) /" 01E !(E# -kay$ goodbye everybody. 0oodbye$ have %un. ANECDOTE INTERVIEW (5aguna) "<;# What !d like to ask you about now is this 9uestion o% the anecdote. "t the biography con%erence you 9uoted 6eidegger as saying that one could su* up the li%e o% "ristotle as# "ristotle was born$ he thought$ and he died. "nd then when ! asked you about your relationship with /arguerite$ you said ! can give you the %acts$ the dates$ and thats it. 8an you o%%er so*e co**entary on that3 DE !D"# Even though !* not in agree*ent with 6eidegger when he says the li%e o% a philosopher can be su**ed up as his birth$ death$ and thought$ and ! can e+plain the reasons why !* not in agree*ent with hi*. 7evertheless$ ! %eel close to hi* and understand what he says$ and in a certain *anner ! subscribe to his belie% as well. (hat is to say i% the story o% ones li%e$ the details$ the anecdotes$ the daily events$ can only be inade9uately told$ then

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what re*ains essential %or both *e and 6eidegger to know$ is what a person thinks and writes philosophically. When ! said earlier in that clip you showed *e that youre not going to get *uch in%or*ation %ro* us$ it wasnt si*ply because ! believed things had to be hidden$ but because its di%%icult to speak o% personal things under these conditions$ when one is only able to say a %ew phrases in %ront o% a ca*era. Even when ! con%ide things that are very secret$ ! dont con%ide the* in *ode o% a story. "t ti*es$ ! provide certain signs$ %acts$ dates$ but otherwise$ ! dont write a narrative. "nd so the 9uestion %or *e is the 9uestion o% narration$ which has always been a serious 9uestion %or *e. !ve always said ! cant tell a story. !d love to tell stories$ but ! dont know how to tell the*. "nd !ve always %elt that the telling is so*ehow inade9uate to the story !d want to tell. So !ve >ust given up telling stories. !ve >ust given up. WATCHING HOW DID YOU TWO MEET& (5os "ngeles) "<;# 6ow did you two *eet3 DE !D"# Should we tell or not3 /" 01E !(E# 0o ahead tell. DE !D"# !* not going to tell you everything. 7o. !* >ust going to tell you super%icial things. NO MEMORY OF& (5aguna) "<;# Was it strange to see so*ething you have no *e*ory o%3 DE !D"# 4es$ ! dont re*e*ber at all the %irst ti*e you asked *e and /arguerite about how we %irst *et. ! dont re*e*ber this at all. ! like that scene precisely because we dont say anything. We think the sa*e thing$ but we dont say it. ! was *oved by the scene$ ! liked it a lot. ,ut ! liked it precisely because we said nothing. We were about to say so*ething but we re*ained on the edge o% an i*possible con%idence. JACQUES AND MARGUERITE E'ITING EHESS (Paris)

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IMPROV ! -- LOVE "<;# 2ust whatever you want to say about love: DE !D"# "bout what3 "<;# 5ove. DE !D"# 5ove or Death3 "<;# 5ove$ not death. Weve heard enough about death. DE !D"# 5ove3 "<;# 5ove. DE !D"# ! have nothing to say about love. "t least pose a 9uestion. ! cant e+a*ine &love' >ust like that. 4ou need to pose a 9uestion. !* not capable o% talking in generalities about love. !* not capable:/aybe thats what you want *e to say in %ront o% the ca*era$ that ! have nothing to say about love in general. "<;# 8ould you e+plain why this topic has concerned philosophers %or centuries3 !ts an i*portant philosophical sub>ect$ isnt it3 DE !D"# 4ou cant ask this o% *e "*y. Why have philosophers always spoken o% love3 (hats how philosophy started ) 7o$ no. !ts not possible. ! have an e*pty head on love in general. "nd as %or the reason philosophy has o%ten spoken o% love$ ! either have nothing to say$ or !d >ust be reciting cliches. "<;# Plato o%ten spoke about this$ *aybe you could >ust talk about that. DE !D"# -ne o% the %irst 9uestions one could pose:!* >ust searching a bit:is the 9uestion o% the di%%erence between the who and the what. !s love the love o%

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so*eone or the love o% so*e thing3 -kay$ supposing ! loved so*eone. Do ! love so*eone %or the absolute singularity o% who they are3 ! love you because you are you. -r do ! love your 9ualities$ your beauty$ your intelligence3 Does one love so*eone$ or does one love so*ething about so*eone3 (he di%%erence between the who and the what at the heart o% love$ separates the heart. !t is o%ten said that love is the *ove*ent o% the heart. Does *y heart *ove because ! love so*eone who is an absolute singularity$ or because ! love the way that so*eone is3 -%ten love starts with so*e type o% seduction. -ne is attracted because the other is like this or that. !nversely$ love is disappointed and dies when one co*es to reali=e the other person doesnt *erit our love. (he other person isnt like this or that. So at the death o% love$ it appears that one stops loving another not because o% who they are$ but because they are such and such. (hat is to say$ the history o% love$ the heart o% love$ is divided between the who and the what. (he 9uestion o% ,eing$ to return to philosophy ) because the %irst 9uestion o% philosophy is# What is it &to ,e'3 What is ,eing3 (he 9uestion o% being is itsel% always already divided between the who and what. !s &,eing' so*eone or so*e thing3 ! speak o% it abstractly$ but ! think that whoever starts to love$ is in love$ or stops loving$ is caught between this division o% the who and the what. -ne wants to be true to so*eone ) singularly$ irreplaceably ) and one perceives that this so*eone isnt + or y. (hey didnt have the 9ualities$ properties$ the i*ages$ that ! thought !d loved. So %idelity is threatened by this di%%erence between the who and the what. BURNING CRIB (Paris 6o*e) DE !D"# What did you think o% *y: "<;# What did ! think o% your %a*ily3 ?ery nice$ very war*. DE !D"# 4ou thought they were nice3 "<;# 4es. Di%%erent %ro* you. DE !D"# 4es$ very di%%erent$ and di%%erent %ro* each other also. ! love *y sister very *uch. She is very sweet. 6er husband also. "<;# (hey were very kind and war*: DE !D"#

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/y sister is so*eone with who* ! never$ throughout *y entire li%e$ %ought over anything. (here was never ) between *y sister and *e ) the least little:"bsolute peace. "<;# E+cept %or when you tried to set her on %ire in her crib3 DE !D" (laughing)# (hats the %irst and last ti*eK... 4ou re*e*ber that3.... RENE ( CHANTAL MAJOR -- KIDNEY STONES DE !D"# (he people who watch these i*ages will think &6es a %anatic o% chips.' &6e drinks cha*pagne in a *agni%icent ho*e every day.' /" 01E !(E# !% youd like so*ething$ help yoursel%. E7E# (o everyones good health: DE !D"# We were in the *iddle o% co*paring our two surgical operations. E7E# 4ou *ust understand$ this is our way o% getting hi* to talk about his body$ DE !D"# !ve written a lot about *y *others kidney stone. /y *other$ at BJ$ had been %eeling sick$ so they took an +.ray. "nd by chance they %ound a whole set o% kidney stones. "nd so they operated to re*ove the*$ but %ound they couldnt re*ove the* because one stone was son enor*ous that they were obliged to re*ove her whole kidney. So *y *other lived with >ust one kidney %ro* age BJ to HL. "nd she always kept in her house this spectacular stone. CEMETARY (7ice$ France) CIRCUMFESSION 199! ?@-# "nd ! a* writing here at the *o*ent when *y *other no longer recogni=es *e$ and at which$ though still capable o% speaking or articulating$ a little$ she no longer calls *e and %or her and there%ore %or the rest o% her li%e$ ! no longer have a na*e$ thats whats happening$ and when she nonetheless see*s to reply to *e$ she is presu*ably replying to so*eone who happens to be *e without her knowing it$ i% knowing *eans anything here$ like the other day in 7ice when ! asked her i% she was in pain (&yes') then where3 !t

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was February I DHMH$ she had in a rhetoric that could never have been hers$ the audacity o% this stroke about which she will alas$ never know anything$ no doubt knew nothing$ and which$ piercing the night replies to *y 9uestion# &! have a pain in *y *other'$ as though she were speaking %or *e$ both in *y direction and in *y place. ! stop %or a *o*ent over a pang o% re*orse$ in any case over the ad*ission ! owe the reader$ in truth that ! owe *y *other hersel% %or the reader will have understood that ! a* writing %or *y *other$ perhaps even %or a dead wo*an$ %or i% ! were here writing %or *y *other$ it would be %or a living *other who does not recogni=e her son$ and ! a* paraphrasing here %or who*ever no longer recogni=es *e$ unless it be so that one should no longer recogni=e *e$ another way o% saying$ another version$ so that people think they %inally recogni=e *e: RADIO/EGGPLANT (;itchen$ is.-rangis)

Derrida prepares lunch %or hi*sel% while listening to news on the radio. "D!-# (he *ilitary chie% o% the 6e=bollah$ the pro.!ranian *ove*ent$ was killed this *orning in South 5ebanon by an attack %ro* an !sraeli helicopter which destroyed the car o% the 6e=bollah chie%. !srael then launched an operation targeting *any positions o% the 6e=bollah in South 5ebanon. !n wanda$ the re%ugees are continuing their e+odus. (here are now BI$LLL who are walking towards (an=ania. ANTI-SEMITISM (5aguna !nterview) DE !D"# (he racis* that ! su%%ered %ro* the *ost was the anti.Se*itis* that was per*anent in "lgeria$ and was even *ore greatly unleashed be%ore the war. !n DHBL$ when ! was ten$ anti.Se*itis* beca*e the o%%icial doctrine o% the French govern*ent. (hey e+pelled %or* school all the 2ewish children$ all the 2ewish pro%essors$ and all the 2ewish ad*inistrators$ with >ust a %ew e+ceptions. So when ! was ten$ ! was thrown out o% school$ as !ve o%ten recounted. /y brother and sister as well. 7o one told us why. -ne day the principal >ust said$ &0o ho*e and your parents will e+plain.' ,ut what was *ost pain%ul wasnt si*ply the ad*inistrative decision to e+pel us %ro* school. !t was in the streets$ the insults$ the children calling us &dirty 2ews.' (he violence that was e+pressed. (hat was our daily e+perience. (he persecution$ kids toward other kids. !t wasnt the adults. !t was *y class*ates as they le%t school who picked and insulted the &dirty 2ews.' So*eti*es they beat us. (his very &rich' and pain%ul e+perience naturally *ade *e very sensitive to racis* and anti.Se*itis*. ! e+ercise an e+tre*e vigilance against all acts o% anti.Se*itis*$ even when they are disguised or presented covertly. ,ut the parado+ o% this situation$ is that at the *o*ent when ! was e+pelled %ro* school and the French 8hristian co**unity$ !

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wasnt happy to be enclosed in the 2ewish co**unity either. (here was a 2ewish school that *y parents had enrolled *e in. With all the 2ewish pro%essors that had been %ired$ it was easy to reconstitute a really good school. ! didnt like this school either. ! was ill at ease. So there was at the sa*e ti*e a part o% *e that re>ected solidarity with the 2ewish co**unity. (hese were the years that very *uch counted %or *e. ! was very *arked by this double e+perience o% su%%ering both %ro* anti.Se*itis* and *y own disco*%ort in the 2ewish co**unity. MANDELA PRISON obben !sland ) South "%rica. Derrida goes to see President /andelas prison cell. W" DE7# (his is cell where President /andela spent DM years. DE !D"# 6ow *uch3 W" DE7# DM years. 4ou will notice that in this cell there is no water %acility or toilets. ARCHIVE FEVER 199) ?@-# "s soon as there is the one$ there is *urder. Wounding$ trau*atis*. (he one guards against the other$ it protects itsel% %ro* the other. ,ut in the *ove*ent o% this >ealous violence it co*pro*ises in itsel% its sel%.otherness or sel% di%%erence. (he di%%erence %ro* within ones sel%$ which *akes it one. (he one as the other. "t one and the sa*e ti*e$ but in the sa*e ti*e that is out o% >oint. (he one %orgets to re*e*ber itsel% to its sel%. !t keeps and erases the archive o% this in>ustice that it is$ o% this violence that it does. (he one *akes itsel% violence$ it violates and does violence to itsel%. !t beco*es what it is$ the very violence that it does to itsel%. (he deter*ination o% the sel% as one is violence. SOUTH AFRICA / FORGIVENESS (8apetown 1niversity) P5"8" D# !n "ugust DHHM. Derrida was invited to speak at several South "%rican universities. 6e choose to address the topic o% %orgiveness. DE !D"# /ore than once we will be %aced with the e%%ects o% a preli*inary 9uestion which is the 9uestion# who or what3 Does one %orgive so*eone %or a wrong co**itted or does one %orgive so*eone so*ething3 So*eone who$ in whatever way$ can never totally be con%used with the wrong doing and the

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*o*ent o% the past wrong doing nor with the past in>ury. So$ the 9uestion is$ who or what3 Do we %orgive so*eone or do we %orgive so*eone so*ething3 /-DE "(- # -k$ a %inal$ %inal 9uestion. (here is a very an+ious 9uestion: S(1DE7(# So youre a white Western *ale$ speaking to a white audience. We are part o% the previous oppressive co**unity in South "%rica. "nd you are speaking to us about unconditional %orgiveness:7ow you *ight have *eant that pure %orgiveness thing with a lot o% irony$ and *aybe that is so*ething that is really i*possible .. pure %orgiveness being really i*possible$ but we sit here as potential ob>ects o% %orgiveness and we are$ all o% us$ you included$ in a sense guilty. 7ow:dont you think it %ills an ideological %unction speaking to us$ telling us in a sense we should not repent$ not ask %or %orgiveness$ because then we &ruin' pure$ unconditional %orgiveness$ while at the sa*e ti*e you are telling oppressed people they should %orgive without e+pecting repentance. DE !D"# First o% all$ ! take irony seriouslyN ! take the proble* o% irony very seriously. "nd we need so*e irony that is so*ething which challenges the co**on sensical concepts$ and you cant do this without so*e irony. So there was no doubt so*e irony. 7ow o% course in this conte+t ! understand your concern and ! share your concern. ! want to precisely draw a very rigorous border between the pure concept o% %orgiveness and the idea o% reconciliation and the idea o% e+cuse and the process which is going on. ! think that as soon as you *i+ the concept o% %orgiveness with all the connected concepts which are at work in this current process$ reconciliation$ repentance$ so on and so %orth$ then you %irst obscurely 8hristiani=e the process$ you introduce con%usion and obscurity in so*ething which has to be as clear as possible. OUTSIDE INTERVIEW (5aguna) DE !D"# (his gesture that ! *ake when ! talk o% pure %orgiveness$ is a di%%erent gesture. ! try to e+plain that any type o% pure %orgiveness is i*possible. "nd that one can truly %orgive only that which is un%orgivable. !% one %orgives what is easily %orgiven$ one doesnt really %orgive. -ne *ust %orgive what is un%orgivable$ and so do the i*possible. ! also try and distinguish between reconciliation and %orgiveness. " %orgiveness that is de*anded or accorded in order to achieve so*e type o% reconciliation is not %orgiveness. !% ! %orgive solely to change a situation or to heal a wound$ or i% ! %orgive with a therapeutic intention or a psychoanalytic or ecological purpose or so that so*eones health returns$ or peace is restored$ then to *e$ that is not pure %orgiveness. (hats a calculation. 7ow ! *ight think its a good calculation$ one that *ust be *ade$ but ! wouldnt consider it pure %orgiveness. ! would regard it as so*ething that is part o% the process$ a process o% *ourning$ or

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reconciliation which is so*eti*es therapeutic$ or politically necessary. "nd ! approve o% all these processes o% reconciliation that are atte*pted in *any parts o% the world today. ,ut since ! a* a philosopher who tries to be rigorous with whats said and tries to understand the *eaning o% words and evaluate their sense and i*plication$ ! re%rain %ro* calling these situations e+a*ples o% pure %orgiveness. SEINFELD ",8 7EWS8"S(E # !% ! give you an e+a*ple that ! have o%ten thought to *ysel% that Sein%eld which is "*ericas *ost popular ever sitco*$ Sein%eld$ do you know the Sein%eld sitco* in "*erica3 !% you think o% a classic "*erican$ 2erry Sein%eld *ade this sitco* about a group o% people living together$ everything is about irony and parody and what you do with your kitchen cupboard is i*bued with as *uch %eeling or thought as whether so*eone believes in 0od$ i% you like$ do you see anything in that3 DE !D"# Deconstruction the way ! understand it doesnt produce any sitco*$ and i% a sitco* is this and this$ and the people who watch this and think that Deconstruction is this$ the only advice ! have to give the* >ust is to read$ stop watching sitco*s$ and try and do your own ho*ework and read. WATCHING TV UNPUBLISHED INTERVIEW 19 ! ?@-# !ts not easy to i*provise$ its the *ost di%%icult thing to do. Even when one i*provises in %ront o% a ca*era or *icrophone$ one ventrilo9ui=es or leaves another to speak in ones place the sche*as and languages that are already there. (here are already a great nu*ber o% prescriptions that are prescribed in our *e*ory and in our culture. "ll the na*es are already preprogra**ed. !ts already the na*es that inhibit our ability to ever really i*provise. -ne cant say what ever one wants$ one is obliged *ore or less to reproduce the stereotypical discourse. "nd so ! believe in i*provisation and ! %ight %or i*provisation. ,ut always with the belie% that its i*possible. "nd there where there is i*provisation ! a* not able to see *ysel%. ! a* blind to *ysel%. "nd its what ! will see$ no$ ! wont see it. !ts %or others to see. (he one who is i*provised here$ no ! wont ever see hi*. IMPROV * -- ECHO AND NARCISSUS DE !D"# !ll try now to answer your 9uestion about the story o% Echo and 7arcissus. !% one %ocuses on the treat*ent o% the i*age and not on the love story in the

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*yth o% Echo and 7arcissus one sees the *yth as about the relationship between specular i*age and voice between sight and voice between light and speech$ between the re%lection and the *irror. Speech is whats taking place here right now. (heres a *irror. !* speaking. (heres a ca*era. 4ou pose a 9uestion$ ! repeat it. So !* acting as both 7arcissus and Echo at one and the sa*e ti*e. "nd whats e+traordinary in this scene$ which !ve e+a*ined in *y se*inars$ is the *o*ent when Echo traps 7arcissus in a certain way. Echo$ cursed by the >ealous gods$ was never allowed to speak %or hersel%$ and was only allowed to repeat the ends o% others phrases. ,ut Echo$ in her loving and in%inite cleverness$ arranges it so that in repeating the last syllables o% the words o% 7arcissus$ she speaks in such a way that her words beco*e her own. !n a certain way$ she appropriates his language. !n repeating the language o% another$ she signs her own love. !n repeating she responds to hi*. !n repeating$ she co**unicates with hi*. She speaks in her own na*e by >ust repeating his words. "nd as always with speech$ one is blind. (o speak is to not see. So all speech to so*e e+tent is blind. "nd at base$ Echo blindly but 9uite lucidly corresponds to 7arcissus. !ts a story o% love$ a%ter all. She corresponds to 7arcissus who is also blind$ because 7arcissus reali=es that he can only see hi*sel%$ that its only his own i*age he is seeing in the water. (o see only onesel% is a %or* o% blindness. -ne sees nothing else. "nd its because o% this that 7arcissus cries. 6e cries$ and in a way$ he dies %ro* not being able to see anyone else. Echo and 7arcissus then are two blind people who love each other. 7ow how do two blind people love each other3 (hats the 9uestion. DID YOU READ ALL THESE& ( is.-rangis) "<;# "nd whats this roo*3 DE !D"# !ts the new addition. !ve only been working here a %ew *onths. "<;# Did you read these3 DE !D"# ! never read these. (here was a ti*e ! was teaching on va*piris*$ on cannibalis*$ eating the -ther. So ! *ade a nu*ber o% re%erences to va*pires$ and so*eone gave *e these books. ! dont even re*e*ber who gave the* to *e. 7o$ ! havent read these. ! havent read all the books that are here. "<;# ,ut youve read *ost o% the*3 DE !D"# 7o$ 7o. (hree o% %our. ,ut ! read those %our really$ really well.

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(his was *y son Pierres bedroo*. (hese things there are %or when ?era$ our granddaughter$ co*es to visit. She sleeps here. "<;# (hats nice. DE !D"# !ts now another o%%ice$ but it used to be Pierres bedroo*. MOTHER AS PHILOSOPHER (5aguna) ;! ,4 D!8;# !% you had a choice what philosopher would you like to have been your *other3 DE !D"# (hats his style$ thats his own style3 ! have no ready answer %or this$ give *e so*e ti*e. /y *other3 0ood 9uestion$ its a good 9uestion in %act. !ll try to tell you why its i*possible %or *e to have any philosopher as a *other. /y *other$ *y *other couldnt be a philosopher. " philosopher couldnt be *y *other. (hats a very i*portant point. ,ecause the %igure o% the philosopher is$ %or *e$ always a *asculine %igure. (his is one o% the reasons ! undertook the deconstruction o% philosophy. "ll the deconstruction o% phallogocentris* is the deconstruction o% what one calls philosophy which since its inception$ has always been linked to a paternal %igure. So$ a philosopher is a Father$ not a /other. So the philosopher that would be *y *other would be a post.deconstructive philosopher$ that is$ *ysel% or *y son. /y *other as a philosopher would be *y granddaughter$ %or e+a*ple. "n inheritor. " wo*an philosopher who would rea%%ir* the deconstruction. "nd conse9uently$ would be a wo*an who thinks. 7ot a philosopher. ! always distinguish thinking %ro* philosophy. " thinking *other ) its what ! both love and try to give birth to. PARISIAN STREETS VIOLENCE AND METAPHYSICS 19$+ ?@-# (hat philosophy died yesterday$ since 6egel or /ar+$ 7iet=che$ or 6eidegger ) and that philosophy should still wander toward the *eaning o% its death ) or that it has always lived knowing itsel% to be dyingN that philosophy died one day$ within history$ or that it has always %ed on its own agony$ on the violent way it opens history by opposing itsel% to nonphilosophy$ which is its past and its concern$ its death and wellspringN that beyond the death$ or dying nature o% philosophy$ perhaps even because o% it$ thought still has a %uture$ or even$ as is said today$ is still entirely to co*e because o% what philosophy has held in storeN or *ore strangely still$ that the %uture itsel% has

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a %uture ) all these are unanswerable 9uestions. ,y right o% birth$ and %or one ti*e at least$ these are proble*s put to philosophy as proble*s philosophy cannot resolve. AVITAL RONELL, NYU PROFESSOR "vital# 5ong ago ! had dinner and his *other when she was alive was there and one o% the great dictionaries in France had >ust co*e out and included di%%erance with an &a' and that had happened that day and at dinner ! said that we should have a party to celebrate the induction o% di%%erence with an &a' into the dictionary$ this was a *onu*ental encyclopedic event that ought to be *arked and proper cere*ony which ! was very willing to arrange should take place$ and 2ac9ues *other who was very ancient but noble$ she said &2ackie did you spell di%%erence with an "3' "nd she was *orti%ied but it was so sweet$ it was so %abulous and there was this *o*ent where ! also %elt ! had blabbed because$ you know$ now whats he supposed to do$ e+plain to his *other3 6e doesnt .. hes very *odest$ he doesnt talk about hi*sel% to his %a*ily$ ! *ean his relatives %a*ily. DERRIDAS BROTHER (7ice) ene Derrida# Each ti*e he gives us one o% his books$ or we attend one o% his con%erences we ask ourselves$ &6ow does he do it3' 6ow *ust his *ind work to be able to co*e up with all these philosophical thoughts3 ,ecause we have brains as well$ and we cannot co*e up with such things. Why hi*3 Why is he able to co*e up with these philosophical thoughts and all these deductions and deconstructions3 "<;# !ts e+traordinary. 8"/E "W-/"7# !ts an enig*a$ isnt it3 ene Derrida# 4es$ its a great enig*a. "<;# 4ou dont see any links in your %a*ily3 ene Derrida# 7ot at all$ 7ot at all. 8"/E "W-/"7# !t co*es out o% nowhere.

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ene Derrida# -ut o% nowhere. "<;# "nd what would your parents say3 ene Derrida# Well$ *y *other read a lot$ but de%initely not this sort o% reading. We were not an intellectual %a*ily. 7ot at all. PE S-7# !% you had to speculate where it ca*e %ro*:3 ene Derrida# ! would be incapable. Even i% one searched past generations either on the side o% *y %ather or *other one couldnt %ind a link to 2ac9ues spirit. ARCHIVE CEREMONY AT IRVINE P5"8" D# -n "pril DJ$ DHHI a cere*ony was held to co**e*orate the creation o% a Derrida "rchive in the 1nited States at the 1niversity o% 8ali%ornia at !rvine. Derrida# 4ou can i*agine how strange it is$ not >ust to have so*eone gather your archive$ but to attend the event o% the inauguration o% the archive. ! reali=ed the other day and this a%ternoon by looking at the archive in the library$ with these gray$ black and gray urns accu*ulated like$ o% course$ in a graveyard and already *ourning ) we are always already *ourning .. well$ you know$ a*ong the concerns we have about where we are going to be buried$ the 9uestion is .. with who*...3 EDDIE YEGHIAYAN, ARCHIVIST Eddie# (his is the entire Derrida archive beginning there al*ost to the end$ theres about DLL bo+es. 6e *entioned that his wi%e was kind o% reluctant to see these *aterials go$ that it was a kind o% %oretelling o% his i**inent death or so*ething like that. "nd you know we then had the bo+es still in our reading roo* .. we were in a kind o% di%%erent situation there .. and he treated it like it was his little child and ! re*e*ber the *anuscript was pushed out and he looked at it and touched the bo+$ kind o% sorry to see it go or be in another do*icile or whatever.

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WATCHING BOOKS AND MARGUERITE A-./012 F212- 199) ?@-# (he 9uestion o% the archive is not a 9uestion o% the past. !t is not the 9uestion o% a concept dealing with the past that *ight already be at our disposal. "n archivable concept o% the archive. !t is a 9uestion o% the %uture$ the 9uestion o% the %uture itsel%$ the 9uestion o% a response$ o% a pro*ise$ and o% a responsibility %or to*orrow. (he archive ) i% we want to know what that will have *eant$ we will only know in ti*es to co*eN not to*orrow$ but in ti*es to co*e. 5ater on$ or perhaps never. SE'UAL LIFE OF PHILOSOPHER "<;# !% you were to watch a docu*entary about a philosopher ) 6eidegger$ ;ant or 6egel$ what would you like to see in it3 Derrida# (heir se+ lives. !% you want a 9uick answer. ! would like to hear the* speak about their se+ual lives. ! would like to hear the* speak about it. What is the se+ual li%e o% 6egel or 6eidegger3 "<;# Why3 Derrida# 4ou want a 9uick answer$ you dont want >usti%ication. ,ecause its so*ething they dont talk about. !d love to hear about so*ething they re%use to talk about. Why do philosophers present the*selves ase+ually in their work3 Why have they erased their private lives %ro* their work3 -r never talked about anything personal3 (here is nothing *ore i*portant in their private li%e than love. !* not talking about *aking a porno %il* about 6egel or 6eidegger. ! want the* to speak about the part that love plays in their lives. So you could take a *icrophone up to 6egel:-ne knows so*e things about 6egel or 6eidegger already. ,ut not %ro* things theyve said. !d like to hear the* speak on this. "<;# "nd do you think you would want people to ask you such a 9uestion3 Derrida# 4es$ ! never said !d respond to such a 9uestion but:in *y te+ts there are already *any things that re%erence this. ! disguise things:but ! dont do so in the sa*e way as the other philosophers youve na*ed. !ve dissi*ulated o% course$ like everybody. ,ut not in the sa*e %ashion. So to answer your 9uestion$ !d be very interested to hear other philosophers speak about this.

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(hats not to say that ! would tell you$ even i% you were to ask *e. ! speak when ! want and when ! can:and eventually$ in the presence o% *y attorneys:What are you going to do with all this3 Weve been talking %or about two hours ) no$ AI years weve been doing this %il* and youre going to edit this down to one hour. What are you going to keep3 4ou will keep e+actly what you think has to be kept. (hat will be your signature and your autobiography in a certain way. STALKING IN LAGUNA T/2 G034 53 D264/ 199! ?@-# 6ow can another see into *e$ into *y *ost secret sel%$ without *y being able to see in there *ysel%3 "nd without *y being able to see hi* in *e. "nd i% *y secret sel%$ that which can be revealed only to the other$ to the wholly other$ to 0od i% you wish$ is a secret that ! will never re%lect on$ that ! will never know or e+perience or possess as *y own$ then what sense is there in saying that it is &*y' secret$ or in saying *ore generally that a secret belongs$ that it is proper to or belongs to so*e &one'$ or to so*e other who re*ains so*eone. !ts perhaps there that we %ind the secret o% secrecy. 7a*ely$ that it is not a *atter o% knowing and that it is there %or no.one. " secret doesnt belong$ it can never be said to be at ho*e or in its place. (he 9uestion o% the sel%# &who a* !' not in the sense o% &who a* !' but rather &who is this O!' & that can say &who'3 What is the &!' and what beco*es o% responsibility once the identity o% the &!' tre*bles in secret3 REGRET& "<;# 4ou asked *e the other day i% ! regretted having undertaken this pro>ect and ! was wondering i% that was a pro>ection i% youve regretted it3 Derrida# 7o$ so %ar no$ perhaps one day ! will regret this. So %ar$ no. "<;# 6ave you ever been in psychoanalysis yoursel%3 Derrida# 7o "<;# Would you ever consider it3 Derrida# 7o. ! absolutely e+clude this.

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"<;# 8ould you characteri=e any trau*atic breaks in your own li%e3 Derrida# (here have been$ yes. "<;# (hank you. Derrida (laughing)# "gain$ no ! wont be able to$ uh$ no$ no. DERRIDA AND CREW WALKING IN STREET (Paris) DERRIDA SITS A-./012 F212- 199) ?@-# We will wonder what he *ay have kept o% his unconditional right to secrecy$ while at the sa*e ti*e burning with the desire to know$ to *ake known$ and to archive the very things he concealed %orever. What did he conceal even beyond the intention to conceal3 ,eyond the intention to lie or to per>ure. We will always wonder what$ sharing with co*passion in this archive %ever$ what *ay have burned o% his secret passions$ o% his correspondences$ or o% his &li%e'. ,urned without hi*$ without re*ains and without knowledge. Without the least sy*pto*$ and without even an ash. END CREDITS

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