John M. Ellis > Quotes

“Derrida's rejection of logocentrism is not revolutionary, and because he thinks it is, he is unable to take advantage of the sophistication that the debate on essentialist thinking has already reached; as a result, he jumps from one extreme (meaning is a matter of fixed, immutable concepts) to the other (meaning is a matter of the indeterminate, infinite play of signs). This appears very like the undeveloped response of one who has just been surprised by the realization that real essences do not exist. The conclusion of this discussion can therefore only be that Derrida's contribution to the debate on language and meaning is not substantial; it fails to establish any coherent new view of meaning or of the way language functions.”
― John M. Ellis, Against Deconstruction

“John Searle recently defended Western thought against the criticisms of the politically correct by pointing out that it is uniquely self-critical. But an even stronger point can be made: political correctness itself is a thoroughly Western phenomenon. From earliest times, Western society has been prone to recurring fits of this self-doubt. Those who are seized by this mood may imagine that they are taking an anti-Western stance, but that is all part of the same pattern of self-delusion.”
― John M. Ellis

“Literary critics are not trained in political analysis, and as we shall see from their attempts at it, they do it badly. As a result, political scientists usually have a low opinion of the political thought of such critics.”
― John M. Ellis, Literature Lost: Social Agendas and the Corruption of the Humanities

“Oddly enough, the race-gender-class critics who want to reshape the canon according to their political beliefs (instead of allowing it to be shaped by the diverse forces of the citizenry at large) share Joseph Stalin’s view of the uses of literature. These critics think of themselves as liberators, but they follow in the footsteps of dictators.”
― John M. Ellis, Literature Lost : Social Agendas and the Corruption of the Humanities