Nancy - Three Phrases by J.D

8/9/2019 Nancy - Three Phrases by J.D.

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A ll ow m e to be g in by sa ying th a t I a m spe a k ing on beh a lf o f m a ny f r iend s f r o m f a r a w a y w how e r e e a ge r to con vey the i r g r ee t ings he r e , tod a y: F r a nson M a n ja li in N ew D e lh i , G ine tt e M ich a udin M on tr e a l, M a r c F r o m en t -M eu r ice in N a shvill e , P egg y K a m u f in Los A nge les, A vit a l Ron e ll inN ew Y o r k , H eb a M a chhou r in C a ir o , to n a m e , r a the r a r b itr a r il y, on ly a f ew o f tho se w ho w ou ldh a ve li k ed to be he r e w ith us.

A t the sa m e t im e , I a m a lso spe a k ing f o r the w ho le te a m a t G a lil e , w h ich is he r e w ith us no w jus t a s it w a s w ith h im so o f ten ove r the cou r se o f m o r e th a n th irt y ye a r s, a cc o m p a n ying h im ina w a y th a t goe s w e ll be yond w h a t one no r m a ll y unde r s t a nd s w hen one th ink s o f a n ed ito r a ndpub li she r .

A s w e ll , I h a ve been r ece ivin g m a ny m ess a ges f r o m p eo p le w ho a r e a t a d is t a nce f r o m the w o r ldo f p h il osoph y o r f r o m the un ive r s ity: th is h a s to be e m ph a s ized . O ne o f the m sa id to m e : I t ison ly w hen a g r e a t th in k e r d ies th a t you unde r s t a nd ho w m uch h a s been en tr us ted to the m , th isa c t ivi ty o f th ink ing th a t is so ne cess a r y bu t f o r w h ich so f ew o f us h a ve the t im e o r the ene r gy.

I w ou ld a lso li k e to a dd , w ith a sm il e in r esp on se to the sm il e th a t Ja cque s g a ve us la s tT uesd a y the w o r ds o f a ve r y youn g ch il d , the d a ugh te r o f C h r is t ine I r iz a rr y, on e o f Ja cqu estr a ns la to r s in A m e r ic a . A s he r m o the r w a s exp la in in g to he r th a t she is no t a ll ow ed to scr ibb leon the w a ll s, she sa id , B u t w h a t if you w a n t to w r ite so m e th in g im po rt a n t , li k e D e rr id a isde a d .? U s in g a m u r a l a s he r m ed iu m , the li tt le g ir l w a s r epe a t ing the quo t a t ion m a r k s th a t

Ja cque s pu t a r ound the ph r a se , M a u r ice B la ncho t is de a d: im po ss ib le p h r a se he sa id , a ph r a seth a t cou ld on ly eve r be a c i t a t i o n

F o r tod a y, I w ill r e m a in a t the leve l o f ph r a ses : a t the ed ge o f d iscou r se , in o the r w o r d s, on them a r g i n . W ithou t a cc en t , w ithou t ce r e m on y, w ithou t m inc ing m a tt e r s (s an s p h r a s e s ) in the sen seone so r igh t ly exp r ess es w i th l a m o r t s a n s p h r a s e s jus t a r ec it a t ion , then , in o r de r to m a in -t a in the s im p li c i ty o f th ings th a t m us t on ly be li gh t ly tou ched up on , so a s to r espec t the sa dn ess

T h r ee P h r a ses by J.D .1J e a n - L u c N a n c y

... to th in k is a lw a ys tor eck on w i th w h a t

esc a p es...

P O I E S I S : A Jou r n a l o f t h e A r t s a n d C o m m u n i c a t i o n V o l u m e 7 , 2005 ISS N 1492-4986/2005 2005 EGS Pr e ss Pri n t e d in C a n a d a . All ri g ht s r e s e r v e d


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P O I E S I S : A J o u r n a l o f t h e A r t s a n d C o m m u n i c a t i o n 2 0 0 5

a nd a lso t he p r esen ce , t h a t b i tt e r -sw ee t p r es-

en ce o f h is w h ich is h a un t ing us.

I w ou ld li k e t o c i t e t h r ee o f Ja cque s p h r a ses,t o b r ing t he m b a ck , r epe a t t he m , he a r t he ma ne w : no t w r i tt en p h r a ses bu t sp o k en one s,t o r e m a in c lose t o h is vo ice , if poss ib le , f o r ali tt le w h il e lon ge r . F o r i t is t he vo ice t h a t c a r -r ies tr a ces a nd m a k es d iff e r en ces. I t is voc a l-ized w r i t ing a nd no t , o f cou r se , a s il en t o rtr a n scenden t a l vo ice . Reg a r d ing ex a c t ly t h isp r op os i t ion , m o r eo ve r , w e cou ld c i t e ye ta no t he r o f Ja cque s ph r a ses, one he m a de inC e r isy in 1980 du r ing a g r ou p d iscuss ion int he g a r den . C e rt a in p eo p le w a n t ed t o d is-

c r ed i t t he vo ice a nd he : B u t I h a ve ne ve r

sa id a nyt h ing a g a ins t t he vo ice ! (I m a g ine h isvo ice sa ying t h a t , w i t h a ce rt a in r ise in p i t ch ,t h a t c la ss ic E l B ia r de - t on a t ion o f h is t h a ta cc o m p a n ied a ll h is exc la m a t ion s)

T h r ee ph r a ses, t hen . T h r ee ph r a ses f r o mt h r ee d iff e r en t p e r iod s a nd in t h r ee r eg is t e r s,

t h a t h a ve con t inued t o r eson a t e w i t h m e .

O ne is on w r i t ing, t he second on t h ink ing,t he la s t is on t he bod y.

T he f i r s t is o ld , doub t less f r o m a r ound 1970 .I h a d been expe r ien c ing a m o m en t o f doub ta nd d iscou r a ge m en t a nd w a s t e lli ng Ja cque st h a t I t hou gh t I d id no t h a ve , o r no lon ge r

h a d , a nyt h ing o f im po rt a n ce t o sa y. A lm os ta nge r ed by w h a t I w a s sa ying, he g a ve m et h is c li pp ed r espon se : Y es, I k no w , t he se a r et he p r e t ex t s one g ives one se lf t o a vo id w r i t -ing. I w a s t a k en a b a ck , w h ich is p r ob a b lyw hy I h a ve neve r f o r go tt en t h is ph r a se ( a s heh a d , la t e r on ) . I h a d ne ve r im a g ined t h a t

w r i t ing cou ld p r esen t i t se lf a s a n ob li g a t iont h a t one m igh t tr y t o r e f u se . I a m s t ill no t su r eif I h a ve und e r s t ood co rr ec t ly, even t hou gh ,a s t he sa ying goe s, I ve been w a r ned .N one t he le ss , t h is p h r a se o f Ja cque s h a sr e m a ined w i t h m e a s a n a x io m o r a n im pe r a -t ive . T he r isk in w r i t ing m us t no t be a vo ided :t he r isk o f tr ying t o r eg is t e r w h a t h a s neve r

been a nd pe r h a p s ne ve r w ill be . T hu s i t isim p o rt a n t t h a t w e no t see k t o p r o t ec t ou r -

se lves f r o m t h a t t o w h ich w e a r e exp osedt h r ou gh w r i t ing, even if i t w r i t in gcou ldnon e t he less a pp e a r a nd f un c t ion a s a n ins tr u -m en t o f p ow e r o r co m p l a cen cy. F o r one c a n -

no t a nd m us t no t be con t en t ed w i t h w h a t h a sa l r e a dy been sa idone m us t no t s im p ly sa yi t a g a in , no t r ep e a t i t , bu t sa y i t a ne w , a lw a ys,a nd t he r e c a n neve r be t oo m a n y vo ices.

T he second ph r a se co m es la t e r a nd con ce r nst h ink ing. W e w e r e d iscuss ing a li ne in S p ee c ha n d P h e n o m e n o n w h ich r e a ds, In f in i t e d i f -f r a nce is f in i t e . I h a d e m ph a s ized i t s d iff i-

cu l t y. H e sa id t o m e , Y ou k no w , I m no t su r eI unde r s t a nd e i t he r . H e w a s sm ili ng, bu t hew a sn t jok ing. O n t h a t d a y, I unde r s t ood t h a tt h ink ing cou ld esc a p e f r o m h i m t oo h isow n t h ink ing e lud ed h i m , t h r ou gh so m eex tr e m i t y a nd I r e a li zed t h a t t o t h ink isa lw a ys t o r eck on w i t h w h a t esc a p es, w i t h t hein a cc ess ib ili t y o f w h a t esc a pes even in t heeven t o f i t s be co m ing a cc ess ib le . Ja cque sneve r be li eved h im se lf t o h a ve b r ou gh t at hou gh t t o de f in i t ive co m p le t ion . A nd t h a t isp r ec ise ly w h a t is m e a n t by d iff r a nce: no t a

s im p le d is t inc t ion be t w een B e ing ( l

t r e ) a ndbe ing ( l t a n t ), bu t t he t hou gh t o f B e ing t h a t

d iff e r s f r o m i t se lf w i t h in be ing. B e ing ( l t r e )t h a t con s is t s o f sep a r a t in g w i t h in i t se lf f r o m

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i tse l f , f ro m sub st a nce o r sub ject , thu s f ro m the con cep t a s we ll . Re r e a d ing on p a ge 102 yeste r -

d a y, I no t iced th a t the ph r a se , p r in ted in i t a li cs, is imm ed i a te ly p r eceded by the se wo r ds: thef in i tude o f li f e a s a n essen t ia l re l a t ion w i th one se lf a nd one s de a th th is is the in f in i te , o r be t -te r , th is is wh a t m a ke s the in f in i te . I t is th is un th ink a b le th a t tr u ly m a k es us th ink : i t t a k es a w a ya ll ou r a ssu r a nces, even tho se th a t con ce r n li f e i tse l f . T h is is no t m o rt if ying, thou gh i t is pe r -seve r ing. I t is, si m p ly a nd a bso lu te ly, r i g o r o u s .

T he th i rd ph r a se is a ve r y r ecen t one , close to de a th . I t w a s the n igh t be f o re , a t the ho sp i t a l.M a r gue r i te w a s the r e . Ja cque s h a d h a d a n ope r a t ion a nd , m a k ing a n a ll usion to m y he a rt tr a ns-

p la n t , he sa id to m e : N ow I h a ve a sc a r th a t is a s b ig a s you r s. H e w a s jok inghe a lw a ys lovedto l a ughbu t h is f a t igue a nd a nxie ty we r e such th a t the tone w a s no t ve r y jovia l . I w a s no t

expect ing a ph r a se li k e th is one , a ny m o re th a n I w a s the o the r two . B eyond i ts hu m ou r , i ttou ched m e in a no the r w a y: a s if the r e cou ld be a n a m ica b le r iva lr y in su ff e r ing, in the incision ,in the insc r ip t ion o f the bod y. A s if , f r om one sc a r to the o the r , the r e cou ld be com pe t i t ion f o r wh a t , thou gh ? F o r the inc ision a nd the insc r ip t ion o f wh a t ? F o r the incision a nd insc r ip t iono f ou r f in i tude , who se li ne m a k es ou r in f in i tude a pp e a r in the s an s o f the pu r e cu t ,2 a s he on cew r o te .

B u t I do no t w a n t to m a k e h im sa y a ny m o r e th a n he a c tu a ll y d id .

T he r e you h a ve i t , then sim p ly, the se ph r a ses th a t con t inue to r eson a te , just a s h is f a ce , h isch a r m , h is gestu r es a nd h is vo ice a ll do s k m a k a i p h o n e , sa ys the str a nge r in T h e S o p h i s t : thesche m a a nd in ton a t ion o f the singu la r , o f the non -sub st i tu t a b le , o f the p r ope r in i ts in a ccess ib le ,in im i t a b le , in - a pp rop r ia b le a r ch i -p rope rt y, the p r ope r such th a t i t p r ope r ly spe a k s i tse lf , suchth a t i t th ink s i tse lf a nd su ff e r s i tse lf , such th a t he r em a ins in us, in h im se lf , f in a ll y in h im se lf then , wh ich is a lso to sa y, ou tside o f h im , ex il ed , exsc r ibed , ek -sisted , be yond whe r e , f in a ll y?H e r e , w i th us.

T r an s l a t e d b y S a r a h Cl i f t an d C o r y S t o c k w e ll

Notes

1. N a ncy de li ve r ed the F r en ch ve r sion o f th is text a t the H om a ge to J.D . wh ich w a s he ld a t theC o ll g e i n t e r n a t i o n a l d e p h i l o s o p h i e in P a r is on Octobe r 21 , 2004 .

2. [T r a nsla ted li te r a ll y, the ph r a se wou ld be the w i t h o u t o f the pu r e cu t , bu t the r eson a nce o f the F r en ch s an s w i th s an g (b lood ) a nd s e n s (sen se, d i rec t ion ) a r e bo th im po rt a n t . In le a ving s an s in F r en ch , we h a ve f o ll owed B enn ing ton a nd M cLeod s tr a nsl a t ion o f the ph r a se f o r T h e T r u t hi n P a i n t i n g (C h ic a go : C h ic a go U .P ., 1987 . p . 83 ). T r a ns. ]

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2. T h is logic gove r ns no t on ly g r a t i t ud e bu t a lso t he g if t , gen ius, f a i t h , t hou gh t , p r a ye r , gen -

e r osi t y. I t is t he gene r a l logic o f a ll f o r m s o f send ing, o f a dd r ess o r de st in a t ion , t o wh ich no po in t

o f em iss ion o r a rr iva l c a n be a ss igned send ings wh ich t hu s c a nno t r e t u r n t o t h e m s e l v e s , o r , f o rt h a t m a tt e r , r e t u r n in a ny w a y.

Ge n e r o s i t y is t he be st ex a m p le . T h is wo r d is be ing t a k en up a ga in a nd a ga in w i t h r ega r ds t oD e rr id a , in ho m a ges, ce leb r a t ion s a nd eu log ies. N o t h ing cou ld be m o r e just t h a n t he see m inglyend less a ccum u la t ion o f t est im on ies t o h is gene r osi t y w i t h h is t i m e , h is a tt en t ion , h is wo r ds,h is ve r y pe r son . I t is none t he less tr ue t h a t D e rr id a h im se l f insist en t ly ca u t ioned a g a inst t he useo f t h is wo r d . I a m a ll t he be tt e r p la ced t o spe a k he r e since i t is t o m e t h a t he a dd r essed t h is cr i-t ique a nd t h is w a r n ing: G iving t h r ou gh g e n e r o s i t y , o r be ca use one is a b l e t o give (w h a t one

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incei t de sign a t es t he p r ope r powe r t o d ispen se o f a p r ope r good a nd hen ce , in t he f in a l inst a nce ,

t o r e a ssu r e t he owne r ( p r o p r i t a i r e ).

G o ing be yond p r a ise w ill t hu s m e a n p a ss ingbe yond t he r est i t u t ion t o D e rr id a o f a gene r osi t yt h a t wou ld be h i s exc eed ing t h is a ttr ibu t ion o f a qu a li t y p r ope r t o h im . A s e ff ec t ive ly p r ope r t oJa cque s D e rr id a a s i t m a y be , a nd in a s unde -

n ia b ly singu la r a w a y a s i t de m a nd s t o be r ecog -

n ized w i t hou t r ese r ve , t h is gene r osi t y ca nno ta nd m ust no t be r ecogn ized . O r (w h a t a m oun t st o t he sa m e t h ing), J.D . m ust no t be r ecogn izedin such a str a igh t f o r w a r d a nd un if ied m a nne r .

H is gene r osi t y is no t h is a c t , h is gest u r e ,w i t hou t h i m f i r st be ing t he gest u r e o r t he e ff ec t

o f a no t he r gene r osi t y in h i m , one wh ich , p a ss ingt h r ou gh h im , m a k es h im poss ib le : a co m ingf r o m no whe r e a nd f r om no one t h a t cho se ,se lec t ed , spec if ied a nd r ese r ved h im t o be t h isgene r ou s be ing who m we p r a ise .

3. I m a gin ing t he de a t h o f t he la st w r i t e r ,B l a ncho t w r i t es t h a t wh a t a r ises a t t he m o m en t

o f t h is de a t h is no t sil en ce bu t a n incess a n t m u r -m u r , a n e rr a n t spee ch , t o wh ich t he w r i t e r h a dlen t a singu la r vo ice . T he vo ice , t he gene r ou s

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N o t h ing cou ldbe m o r e justt h a n t he see m ing ly end less a ccu m u la t iono f t est im on iest o h is gene r osi t y.


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vo ice , o f J.D . g a t he r ed such a m u r m u r on t o it se lf v o c a lized it , p h r a sed it , g a ve it r eson a nce .Th is m u r m u r is t h a t o f a t im e , o f a w o r ld ; w it h in it lies a gene r osit y a n t e r io r t o a ny gen it o r o r

gen iu s, t o a ny genesis o r gene a logy: t h a t o f t he ve r y m u r m u r t h a t a w a it ed , a nd t hu s m a de p os-sib le , a vo ice . J.D . is t he sign a t u r e o f a t im e .

It is no t t he on ly one , a nd t he r e is a lw a ys a nd m us t a lw a ys be m o r e t h a n one vo ice (it is a g a inD e rr id a h im se lf w ho t e lls us t h is) . The vo ice o f D e leu ze , a t t he ve r y le a s t , a s w e ll a s t h a t o f La c a n , f o r m ve r y d iff e r en t voc a liz a t ion s a nd t a k e on en t ir e ly o t he r in t on a t ion s. O ne d a y w e w illh a ve t o de c iphe r t he ir p o lyp hon y, t he ir coun t e r p o in t w it hou t r eso lu t ion , jus t a s w e w ill a lso h a vet o deciphe r t he coun t e r p o in t o f H e id egg e r , W itt gens t e in a nd B a t a ille .

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isin t h is w a y t h a t it is gene r ou s, a nd a bo ve a ll it is w i t h t h is g if t t h a t it is gene r ou s: w h a t it g ivesf o rt h goes a bo ve a nd beyond a ny iden t if ia b le , a pp r op r ia b le D e rr ide a n m ess a ge . It is no t a p r i-va t e bu t a co mm on p r op e rt y, a n un con sciou s o r a supe r -con sciou sne ss in exc ess o f a ny I: itis t he ind is t inc t m u r m u r o f a t im e t h a t r u m in a t es ove r it s ow n closin g a nd it s un f o r esee a b leopen ing, it is t he de a f r us t ling o f a slee p less t im e , gene r ou s bo t h w it h exp ec t a t ion s a nd w it htr e m b lings.

Beyond p r a ise: w e so m e t im es u se t h is exp r ess ion w hen w e f ee l inc a p a b le o f p r onoun cingso m eon e s m e r it o r exc e llence . Bu t in f a c t t h is t u r n o f p h r a se qu it e cle a r ly r eve a ls w h a t is a t

s t a k e : no p r a ise c a n be be s t ow ed upon a sub jec t , a n a m e o r a f a ce , w it hou t b r ing in g t h is sub - jec t in f in it e ly be yond it se lf , a nd in t o t he g r a t u it y a nd g r a ciou sne ss o f it s ow n b irt h , in t o t he con -t in gen cy o f it s ne cess it y.

The t r u t h o f p r a ise is loc a t ed p r ec ise ly t he r e , w he r e it is pu lled a w a y f r o m it s ow n gene r osit y,a n e m o t ion a l, ex a gg e r a t ed , a ff ec t ed gene r osit y t h a t is a lw a ys in d a n ge r o f se lf -con t en t m en t . Thetr u t h o f t he b less in g is t h a t it spe a k s a good t h a t in f in it e ly su r p a ss es bo t h t he one w ho r ece ivest he b less ing a nd t he one w ho g ives it .

And w e unde r s t a nd t h is tr u t h , t od a y, t h a n k s t o t he one t o w ho m w e o ff e r t h is p r a iseD e rr id a

de m a nd s t h is m uch o f us.

T r a n s l a t e d b y S a r a h Cl i f t a n d C o r y S t o c k w e ll

Notes

1. L e T o u c h e r , p . 36. It w ou ld , o f cou r se , be ne cess a r y t o r e r e a d a nd a n a lyze t he en t ir e p a ss a ge .

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Nancy - Three Phrases by J.D