Jacques Derrida, the father of deconstructionism, died this week. The Associated Press describes deconstructionism as “the method of inquiry that asserts that all writing is full of confusion and that the author’s intent cannot overcome the inherent contradictions of language itself, robbing texts of truthfulness, absolute meaning and permanence.”
If I understand the squib correctly (and I have never successfully read Derrida’s work, so I may not), deconstructionism can serve as a convenient excuse for someone whose written work is confusing and untrue. I was about to draw a parallel with some public figures, but I think I’ll stop here.