JACQUESDERRIDA AllEars:NietzschesOtobiography [ThefollowingexcerptistakenfromalecturedeliveredbyDerridaatthe UniversityofVirginiain1977.Thelecturedealswithinstitutions,signatures, andtheauthoritiesandauthorizationsthatlinkthem.Havingdiscusseda numberoftexts,fromtheAmericanDeclarationofIndependencetothe autobiographicalelementsinthewritingsofFriedrichNietzsche,Derrida movestothequestionoftheperversionofNietzscheswritingsbyNazi theoriesofculture.ThefocusofDerridasanalysisisanumberofpassages fromOntheFutureofOurEducationalInstitutions[aseries oflectures deliveredin1872butneverpublishedbyNietzsche)inwhichNietzsche deplores thedegenerationofGermancultureandthedisfigurementofthe mothertongue,anddescribes- intypicallyproblematicNietzscheanrheto- ric-theconditionsfora possible culturaland educationalrenewal.Itis with thefollowingremarksthatDerridaconcludeshis lecture.-Ed.] Fortherearehumanbeingswholackeverything,exceptone thingof whichtheyhavetoomuch-humanbeingswhoare nothingbuta bigeyeora bigmouthora bigbellyoranythingat allthatisbig.InversecripplesIcallthem. AndwhenI cameoutof mysolitudeandcrossedoverthis bridgeforthefirsttimeIdidnottrustmyeyes andlookedand lookedagain,andsaidatlast,Anear!Anearas bigas a man!I lookedstillmoreclosely-andindeed,underneaththeearsome- thingwasmoving,somethingpitifullysmallandwretchedand slender.And,nodoubtof it,thetremendousearwasattachedto a small,thinstalk-butthisstalkwasa humanbeing!I fone usedamagnifyingglassonecouldevenrecognizea tinyenvious face;also,thata bloatedlittlesoulwasdanglingfromthestalk. Thepeople,however,toldmethatthisgreatearwasnotonlya humanbeing,buta greatone,a genius.ButI neverbelievedthe peoplewhentheyspokeof greatmen;andI maintainedmy beliefthatitwasaninversecripplewhohadtoolittleof every- thingandtoomuchofonething. WhenZarathustrahadspokenthustothehunchbackandto thosewhosemouthpieceandadvocatethehunchbackwas,he turnedtohisdisciplesinprofounddismayandsaid:Verily,my friends,Iwalkamongmenas amongthefragmentsandlimbsof men.Thisiswhatisterribleformyeyes, thatI findmanin ruinsandscatteredas overa battlefieldora butcher-field.And whenmyeyes fleefromthenowtothepast,theyalwaysfind thesame:fragmentsandlimbsanddreadfulaccidents-butno humanbeings. -ThusSpokeZarathustra 245 246 YaleFrenchStudies IsthereanythingwithinNietzschesoeuvrethatcanhelpusunderstandits doubleinterpretationandtheso-calledperversionofthetext?TheFifth Lecturetellsusthattheremustbesomethinguncanny[unheimlich]about repression[ Unterdriickung]whenitisbroughtaboutbytheforceoftheleast degenerateneeds.Whyunheimlich?Thisisanotherformofthesame question. Uncannyistheear:whatitis-double;whatitcanbecome-largeor small;whatitcanmakeorlethappen[faireoulaisserfaire][wecansaylet, sincetheearisthemostobliging,themostopenorgan,asFreudpointsout,the onlyonetheinfantcannotclose);andthewayinwhichitcanbeprickedor lent.ItistothatearthatIwillpretendtoaddressmyself,inordertoconclude, hereandnow,byspeaking,aspromised,ofacademicfreedom.Mineand yours. WhenNietzsche,lecturingintheUniversity,appearstoberecommend- inglinguistictrainingasanantidotetothekindofacademicfreedomthat leavesstudentsandteachersfreetopursuetheirownthoughtsandprograms,it isnotinordertoopposeconstrainttofreedom.Thesilhouetteofa constraint farmoreferociousandunbendingtakesshapebehindacademicfreedomin theconcealedanddisguisedformoflettingthingstaketheircourse[laisser- faire].Throughtheagencyofacademicfreedom,theStatecontrolsall.The State:thatisthegreataccusedinthistrial,andHegel,thegreatthinkerofthe State,standsastheguiltypartyspropername.Infact,theautonomyofthe university,asofthoseinhabitingit-studentsandprofessors-isa ruseofthe State,themostperfectethicalorganism(HegelcitedbyNietzsche).The Statewantstoattractdocileandunquestioningfunctionariestoitscause.To accomplishthis,itimposestightcontrolsaswellasrigorousconstraints whichthesefunctionariesbelievetheyhaveinitiatedauto-nomously.The Lecturescanthusbereadasamoderncritiqueoftheculturalmachineryof StateandofthatfundamentalsystemofStateconstituted,evenasrecentlyas theadventofa fullyindustrializedsociety,bytheeducationalsystem.Andif nowadaysitappearsthatthissystemisbeingpartlyreplacedbyorassociated withthemassmedia,thismakesNietzschescritiqueofjournalism-and Nietzscheneverdissociatesjournalismfromtheeducationalsystem-allthe morecompelling.Ofcourse,heimplementsthiscritiquefromaperspective thatwouldmakeanyMarxistanalysisofthismachinery,includingits organizingconceptofideology,appearasanothersymptomofdegeneracy,as anewformofsubjectiontotheHegelianState.Butallsuchissues-the questionoftheMarxistconceptsoftheState,thenatureofNietzsches oppositiontosocialismanddemocracy(TheTwilightofIdolssaysthat Scienceispartofdemocracy),orthefunctioningoftheoppositionscience/ ideology-mustofcoursebelookedatmorecloselyandfrombothpointsof view.ElsewhereweshallpursuethedevelopmentofthiscritiqueoftheState JACQUESDERRIDA247 intheNachlass-fragmentsandinZarathustra(OntheNewIdol:State? Whatisthat?Well,then,openyourearstome.FornowIshallspeaktoyou aboutthedeathofpeoples.TheStateisthenameofthecoldestofallcold monsters.Coldlyittellslies,too;andthisliecrawlsoutofitsmouth:I,the State,amthepeople.Thatisa lie!...Confusionoftonguesofgoodandevil: thissignIgiveyouasthesignoftheState.Verily,thissignsignifiesthewillto death!Verily,itbeckonstothepreachersofdeath... Onearththereisnothing greaterthanI:theorderingfingerofGodamI-thusroarsthemonster.Andit isnotonlythelong-eared(Langeohrte)andshortsightedwhosinktotheir knees!...StateIcallitwherealldrinkpoison,thegoodandthewicked;... State,wheretheslowsuicideofalliscalledlife.)l TheStatenotonlybearsthepaternalsignandfigureofdeath,butitalso wantstopassforthemother;or,inotherwords,forlife,thepeople,thewomb ofthingsthemselves.InVongrossenEreignissena hypocriticaldog,likenedto theChurch,claimsthathisvoiceemanatesfromthebellyofthings. Thehypocriticaldogspeakstoyourearthroughhiseducationalsystems thatareacousticoracroamaticmachines.Yourearsenlarge.Youturninto long-earedasses.Andthisoccurswhen,ratherthanlisteningtoandobeying thebestmasterandthebestofleaderswithsmall,finelytunedears,youthink yourselvesfreeandautonomouswithregardtotheState,andwhenyouopen thusyourgreateartubes(pavillons)totheStatewithoutknowingthatitis alreadycontaminatedbyreactiveanddegenerateforces.Havingbecomeall earstothisdog-thedogofthephonograph-youtransformyourselfintoa highfidelityreceiver.Andtheear(yourearwhichisalsotheearoftheother) beginstooccupyinyourbodythesamedisproportionateplaceasinthe inversecripple(umgekehrteKriippel). Isthisoursituation?Isitaquestionofthesameear-theoneyouare lendingmeorthatIlendmyselfinspeaking,inotherwords,a borrowedear?Or rather,dowehear,dowealreadyheareachotherwithanotherear? Theearoffersnoresponse. Evenhere,whohearswhom?Who,forinstance,listenedtoNietzsche whenintheFifthLecturehelenthisvoicetothephilosopherofhisfictionto describe-forinstance-thisverysituation(s&e)? Permitmetomeasurethisautonomy(Selbststiindigkeit)ofyoursbythe standardofthisculture(Bildung),andtoconsideryouruniversitysolelyasa culturalinstitution(Bildungsinstitution).Whenaforeignerwantstounder- standouruniversitysystem,hefirstasksearnestly:howisthestudent connectedwith(hiingtzusammen)theuniversity?WeanswerBytheear,asa listener.Theforeigneristakenaback:Onlybytheear?herepeats,Onlyby theear,weagainreply.Thestudentlistens.Thestudentisautonomous,i.e., notdependentupontheeducationalinstitutionwhenhespeaks,whenhesees, 1.Trans.WalterKaufmann,inThePortableNietzsche(NewYork;Viking,19681,pp.160-62. 248YaleFrenchStudies whenhewalks,whenheenjoysthecompanyofhiscompanions,whenhe engagesinartisticactivity:inshort,whenhelives.Quiteoften,thestudent writesashelistens;anditisonlyintheseraremomentsthathedanglesbythe umbilicalcordoftheuniversity(anderNabelschnurderUniversitiithiingt).2 Dreamthisumbilicus:itholdsyoubytheear,butbytheearwhich dictatestoyouwhatyoupresentlywritewhenyouwriteaccordingtothat modecalledtakingnotes.Infactthemother-thebadorfalseonewhomthe teacher,inhiscapacityquafunctionaryoftheState,canonlysimulate-yes, themotherdictatestoyoupreciselythatwhich,passingthroughyourear, movesalongthecordasfarasyourstenography.Thisinturnlinksyou,likea leashintheformofanumbilicalcord,tothepaternalbellyoftheState.Your penisitspen;youholditsteleprinterasyouholdthoseballpointsinthepost officewhichareattachedtochains.Andallthemotionsareinducedthrough thebodyofthefatherrepresenting(figurant)thealmamater.Howcanan umbilicalcordcreatealinktothiscoldmonsterthatisadeadfather-orthe State.Thisiswhatisunheimlich. Weshouldbeattentivetothis:theomphalosofwhichNietzschemakes youdreamresemblesbothanearandamouth.Containinginvaginatedfolds andinvolutedorificiality,theomphalosmaintainsitscenteratthebaseofa cavity.Thiscavityremains,however,invisible,restlessandsensitive-toall . waves,whethercomingfromtheoutsideornot,whetheremittedorreceived, andalwaystransmittedbythetrajectoryofdimcircumvolutions. Thepersontransmittingthediscoursewhichyouteleprintinthis situationdoesnothimselfproduceit;indeed,hebarelyemitsit.Hereadsit. Justasyouareearsthattranscribe,themasterisa mouththatreads;andwhat youtranscribeamountstowhathedeciphersofa textthatprecedeshim-and fromwhichheissuspendedbythesameumbilicalcord.Hereiswhat transpires:Iread,... itisonlyintheseraremomentsthathedanglesbythe umbilicalcordoftheuniversity.Hehimselfmaychoosewhatheistolistento; heisnotboundtobelievewhathehears;hemayclosehisearsifhedoesnot caretolisten.Thisistheacroamaticmethodofteaching.Abstractionitself: theearcanbeclosedandcontactcanbesuspendedbecausetheomphalosofa disjointedbodyrejoinsadissociatedsegment(morceau)ofthefather.Asfor theprofessor,whoishe?Whatdoeshedo?Look,listen:Asfortheprofessor, hespeakstotheselisteningstudents.Whateverelsehemaythinkordoiscut offfromthestudentsperceptionbyanimmensegap.Theprofessoroftenreads whilespeaking.Asa rulehepreferstohaveasmanylistenersaspossible;inthe worstofcaseshecontentshimselfwithjustafew,andrarelywithjustone. Onespeakingmouth,withmanyears,andhalfasmanywritinghands-there 2.OntheFutureofOurEducationalInstitutions,trans.J.M.Kennedy(Edinburgh:T.N. Foulis,1910).(Inthisandthefollowingquotations,IhaveoftenmodifiedKennedystranslationin ordertobringitclosertotheGermanoriginal.-Trans.) JACQUESDERRIDA249 youhave,toallappearances,theexternalacademicapparatus(iiusserliche akademischeApparat);thereyouhavetheuniversityculture-machine (Bildungsmachine)inaction.Asforwhatremains,theproprietorofthisone mouthisseveredfromandindependentoftheownersofthemanyears;and thisdoubleautonomyisenthusiasticallyloanedandlaudedundertheheading ofacademicfreedom.Andofwhatisleft,onecansay-sothatfreedomisstill accrued-moreorlesswhatonewants,astheothermayhearmoreorless whathewants...Exceptthat,behindbothofthemtheStatestandsata measureddistancewithalltheintentnessofanoverseer.Itstandstherenow andthenremindingprofessorsandstudentsthatit,theState,istheaim,the goal,thebe-allandend-all&we&,ZielundInbegriflj,ofthiscuriousspeaking andhearingprocedure.Endofquote.Ihavejustread,andyouhavejustheard, a fragmentofa discourselenttoorcitedbyNietzscheandplacedinthemouth ofanironicphilosopher(Thephilosopherlaughed,notaltogethergood- naturedlybeforeholdingthediscoursethatwasjustrecorded).Thisphiloso- pherisold;heresignedfromtheuniversity,hardenedanddisappointed.Heis notspeakingatnoon,butintheafternoon,atmidnight.Andhehasjust protestedtheunexpectedarrivalofaflock,ahorde,aswarm(S&warm)of students.Whatisyourobjectiontostudents?theyaskhim.Atfirstheoffersno response.Then,aftera pause:So,myfriend,evenatmidnight,evenontopofa solitarymountain,weshallnotbealone;andyouyourselfarebringinga pack (Mar)ofmischief-makingstudentsalongwithyou,althoughyouwellknow thatIamonlytoogladtobecutofffromhocgenusomne.Idontquite understandyou,mydistantfriend. .. inthisplacewhere,inamemorable hour,Ioncecameuponyouasyousatinmajesticsolitude(feierlich vereinsamt),andwherewewouldearnestlydeliberatewitheachotherlike knightsofa neworder.Letthosewhocanunderstanduslistentous;butwhy shouldyoubringwithyouathrongofpeoplewhodontunderstandus!Ino longerrecognizeyou,mydistantfriend! Wedidnotthinkitpropertointerrupthimduringhisdisheartened lament:andwheninmelancholyherecededintosilence,wedidnotdaretell himhowgreatlythisdistrustfulrepudiationofstudentsdistressedus. Thetemptationisstrong.Iamreferringtothattemptationwhichleadsall ofustorecognizeourselvesintheprogramofthisverysituationorinthe partitionofthisverypiece.Icoulddemonstratethisfurtheriftheacademic allotmentoflecture-timedidnotprohibitit.Yes,torecognizeourselves,allof us,intheseplaces,andwithinthewallsofaninstitutionwhosecollapseis heraldedbytheoldphilosopherofmidnight[Constructeduponclayfounda- tionsofthecurrentGymnasien-culture,onacrumblinggroundwork,your edificewouldproveawryandunsteadyifa whirlwindweretoswirlup). Butevenifweyieldedtothetemptationofrecognizingourselves,allofus, 250 YaleFrenchStudies andnomatterhowwellwedemonstratedit,whatindeedwouldwerecognize butallofus,ourselves,acenturylater?IwouldsayinFrenchnoustous,not noustoutes-allofusmen,notallofuswomen.Forsuchistheprofound complicitylinkingtheprotagonistsinthissituationorscene;suchisthe contractthatmastermindsall,eventheirconflicts:woman,ifIhaveread correctly,neverappears.Neithertoengageinstudynortoteach.Sheappearsat nopointontheumbilicalcord.Thegreatcripple,perhaps.Nowomen-andI wouldnotwanttoextractfromthisremarkthesupplementofseductionthat figuresaspartofallcoursestoday:thevulgarsleightofhandrelatedtowhatI proposetocallgynegogy. Nowomen,then,ifI havereadcorrectly.Withthenotableexceptionofthe mother,ofcourse.Butthismakesuppartofthesystem,forthemotheristhe faceless,unfigurablefigureofa figurante.Shecreatesa placeforallthefigures bylosingherselfinthebackground,likeananonymouspersona.Allreturnsto her-and,inthefirstplace,life-alladdressesanddestinesitselftoher.She survives-ontheconditionofremaininginthebackground. TranslatedbyAvitalRonell