"I have always had trouble recognizing myself in the features of the intellectual playing his political role according to the screenplay that you are familiar with and whose heritage deserves to be questioned"
- Jacques Derrida
About this Quote
This quote by Jacques Derrida speaks to the difficulty of fixing up one's own identity with the expectations of a political role. He recommends that the "intellectual playing his political role" is following a script that recognizes to us, however that this script needs to be questioned. He indicates that this script does not constantly reflect the true identity of the person, and that it can be challenging to recognize oneself in the role that is anticipated of them. This quote talks to the value of questioning the status quo and acknowledging the person's own identity, rather than just following a script that has been handed down to them. It is a suggestion that we need to not be afraid to challenge the expectations of others and to accept our own unique identity.