Sunday, 6 August 2023

Thinking Activity - Derrida and Deconstruction


 Thinking Activity - Derrida and Deconstruction

 Welcome to my Blog.This blog is written as a part of a thinking activity assigned by Dr. Dilip Barad sir. This blog is about the theory of deconstruction found by Derrida. So in this blog, I would like to share my ideas and understanding of deconstruction, and how to deconstruct the work with the example. 


Jacques Derrida


Jacques Derrida was an Algerian-born French philosopher who developed the philosophy of deconstruction.He was born in El Biar, Algeria, in 1930, to Sephardic Jewish parents.He studied philosophy at the École Normale Supérieure in Paris, and later taught at the Sorbonne, the École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales, and the University of California, Irvine.


Derrida's work has been influential in a wide range of disciplines, including philosophy, literary criticism, cultural studies, and law.

Derrida's work is highly complex and difficult to summarize, but it can be broadly characterized as a critique of Western philosophy and its reliance on binary oppositions, such as speech/writing, presence/absence, and good/evil.

Deconstruction seeks to show how these oppositions are unstable and how they can be used to reveal the hidden assumptions of a text.


His book Speech and Phenomena (1967) argues that the concept of "speech" is dependent on the concept of "writing," and that this relationship undermines the traditional view of speech as a more authentic form of communication.



(1)What do you understand by 'Deconst

ruction'?

Definition of Deconstruction :-

A philosophical movement and theory of literary Criticism that questions traditional assumption about certainty, identity and truth; asserts that words can only refer to other words; and attempts to demonstrate how statement about any text subvert their own meaning. 




Deconstruction is a philosophical method that was developed by the French philosopher Jacques Derrida in the 1960s. It is a way of reading and interpreting texts that focuses on the ways in which meaning is unstable and constantly deferred. Deconstructionists argue that texts are not simply repositories of meaning, but are instead active sites of meaning-production. They believe that texts contain internal contradictions and inconsistencies that can be used to destabilize their ostensible meanings.

One important idea in deconstruction is called "différance." It's a made-up word by Derrida, combining "difference" and "deferment" in French. Différance means that meaning is never just given right away, but it's always delayed or postponed. According to Derrida, meaning is created through differences and delays.


Deconstructionists use different methods to analyze texts. One common method is focusing on binary oppositions. 

These are pairs of terms like "good" and "evil," "male" and "female," or "nature" and "culture," which are believed to be completely opposite. Deconstructionists suggest that these oppositions aren't as fixed as they appear and often have hidden contradictions. For instance, the "good" and "evil" opposition assumes a clear difference, but deconstructionists argue that it's not always so clear-cut and can be blurry.

Deconstruction is a method of reading and understanding texts that is both intricate and debated. Some critics argue that it's overly negative and questions the very idea of meaning. However, deconstruction also has its supporters who praise it for its valuable observations about language and its ability to challenge established ways of thinking. So, it's a method that sparks both criticism and admiration in the academic world.


(2)Read a poem or an add or TV serial or film or any literary text as post structuralist critic.

Advertisement of Wild Stone Talcum powder




Wild Stone Talcum powder is a well-known talcum powder brand in India, targeted towards men. Their advertisements typically showcase muscular, shirtless men exuding confidence and attractiveness. These ads show a particular image of masculinity, connecting it to qualities like strength, manliness, and attractiveness.

This ad is a problem because they encourage old-fashioned ideas about how men should be. They suggest that men must be strong, manly, and attractive, and that using talcum powder is necessary to fit into this traditional view of masculinity.This ad is concerning because it supports old-fashioned ideas about how men should act or appear.

We can see that this ad is not realistic and achievable. The men in the ads appear to be physically perfect and flawless, which is not how real people are. This unrealistic image of masculinity can be harmful to men, as it may make them feel not good enough and unsure about themselves.

The Wild Stone Talcum powder ads use clever words. The brand name "Wild Stone" suggests that using this product will make men more masculine and attractive. The word "wild" can also mean  "uncontrolled," which means the product might make men feel more primal and animal-like.The ads also show men in a specific way. All the men in the ads are muscular and shirtless, highlighting their physical strength and manliness. However, this portrayal of masculinity is very narrow and leaves out men who don't have a perfect body, making them feel excluded.

This ad is a good example of how advertising can reinforce traditional ideas about gender. They create an unrealistic and unattainable image of masculinity, which could arm men's self-esteem and confidence.

The Wild Stone Talcum powder ads use language and visuals to shape a specific idea of masculinity, but this portrayal is limited and can negatively impact men's perception of themselves.




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