Derida and Deconstruction - Thinking Activity

This blog is written in response to the thinking activity given on the 'Deconstruction theory of Derida' by Prof. Dilip Barad Sir at the Department of English, MKBU.

What is Deconstruction?

Deconstruction is a philosophical method developed by Jacques Derrida that seeks to challenge the assumptions underlying texts and other forms of discourse. Derrida argued that all texts are inherently unstable and contradictory, and that they can be deconstructed to reveal the hidden power relations and hierarchies that they contain.

One of the key concepts in deconstruction is the binary opposition. A binary opposition is a pair of terms that are seen as opposites, such as good and evil, man and woman, speech and writing, presence and absence. Derrida argued that binary oppositions are never truly equal, but that one term is always privileged over the other. For example, in the binary opposition of man and woman, the term "man" is typically privileged over the term "woman."

Deconstruction seeks to disrupt the hierarchical relationship between the two terms in a binary opposition. This can be done by showing how the two terms are interdependent, or how they rely on each other for their meaning. For example, the meaning of the term "man" cannot be fully understood without the term "woman," and vice versa.

Deconstruction can also be used to show how the privileged term in a binary opposition is often based on a false or arbitrary distinction. For example, the distinction between speech and writing is often seen as a natural one, but Derrida argues that it is actually a social construct. The privileging of speech over writing can be seen as a way of marginalizing certain groups of people, such as women and non-Western cultures, who have traditionally been associated with writing.

Deconstruction is a complex and challenging method, but it can be a powerful tool for revealing the hidden assumptions and biases that underlie texts and other forms of discourse. It can also be used to open up new possibilities for meaning and interpretation.

Deconstruction has been influential in a variety of fields, including philosophy, literature, law, and cultural studies. It has been used to analyze texts from a variety of cultures and periods, and it has been used to challenge a wide range of assumptions, including the idea of a stable and objective truth.

 Deconstructing the TV ad of Idea 3G

The ad is showing the increasing population of Indians and it is very shameful. The reason behind it is that when the lights are cut off and the TV can not be watched the men go to their wives as they do not get enough entertainment. This imposes that men only think of their wives when they are short of entertainment. So, basically they are the most available of all things. It also showcases that most of the birth of children are unplanned and unwanted and it can create problems in the lives of parents and children in near future. Secondly if we see then it also shows that nobody is working on anything as they all need is just entertainment, it also implies that the Indian people are very free or we have time to waste as most of the men are shown without any work or worries rather than TV and their Wives. So, we can say that we have an increasing population but not enough economical support for that. It also means that most of the men are without any proper financial security just fulfilling their desires. The main focus of the ad is the network of Idea 3G as it provides the best internet network, so when you have a fully charged mobile phone you do not have to worry about light cutoffs and just enjoy the internet. It will divert the mind of men from their wives to the 3G internet. This does not guarantee the fulfilment of wives. The unwanted births are stopped thanks to the Idea 3G but does that mean that it also helps to increase the economic position of the family? Does it solve the problems of the people who already have unwanted children? It does not do anything more than give new addiction to people and make them away from the real issues of their lives. The Ad shows that now wives give away smartphones rather than themselves to their husbands, it is a thing of pride not to have another baby now and they feel that they have contributed to the country, nobody goes to do vasectomy as the mobile phone is their ultimate option. But the ultimate question is that in the land where there are often light cutoffs, less job opportunities, backward society and lower economical position, it is affordable to the common people to use the internet. In a country where 60 % of the population is in rural areas, does the internet have the power to put a stop on the increase of population, i don’t think so.