INTELLECTUALS & THE DIVISION OF LABOR--SARTRE ET AL

[kenneth.mackendrick]

Ralph writes:

....  Feel free to take up Derrida's texts yourself and teach us
> something; I have other things to do.

In the current fray - this statement appears fairly ironic - but 
important.  Like Ralph - Derrida has opted for a similar strategy which 
 places its bets on an idea of freedom - the freedom to pursue what 
one wants - what one thinks is important.  Call this the pusuit of 
reason or the politics of desire.  Both Ralph and Jacques, in tune with 
Adorno, point out that one is not obligated to write about certain 
issues.  Ralph has no obligation to read Derrida and Derrida has no 
obligation to write about democracy.  I suspect a Habermasian might 
disagree - arguing that we need to call one another into account - in 
effect demand a response on moral grounds.  This tingling 
atmosphere holds a lot of tension.  What do we have obligations to 
defend, research, and argue.  To whom are these obligations to - and 
what form should they take.  Pretty standard stuff this.  Obligations, 
responsibility, accountability etc - but important ideas no?
ken