Abstruse

I’m not going to try to tell you that Jacques Derrida wasn’t an “abstruse theorist.” The appropriateness of this adjective would be a perfectly appropriate subject of debate, and perhaps someday I’ll be in the mood to stake out a position in that debate and defend it. I suggest, however, that headline writers for obituaries, if they want to try to inject a little class into their vocation, might consider a headline with a little less attitude. It’s not that hard: might I suggest “Jacques Derrida, Literary Theorist, Dies at 74”?

Update: I’ve now read the obit. It’s unusually and oddly negative. Given the content, a more accurate headline might have been “Jacques Derrida, Incomprehensible Nazi defender, Dies at 74.” In contrast, theNYT obituary for Leni Riefenstahl seemed more committed to presenting an even-handed and nuanced take.