Colloquium

I've spent the evening at the expense of the philosophy department, in the company of a fairly eminent French thinker (as a clue to his identity, we can say that a dumbass nouveau philosophe might call our man a 'deckhand on the ship of fools').
During his talk, he spoke about Masoch, and how Deleuze, in breaking up the sadist-masochist unity, articulates an account of masochism which is deeply subversive. At dinner, he distinguished himself as uncompromising, yet warm. He returned the wine, and left most of his meat untouched; delicate french tastebuds recoiling from Coventry cuisine.

Unfortunately I was a little too overwhelmed to have anything interesting to say to him. I felt less like an interlocutor and more like an anthropologist (see this rare species! a genuine thinker! what books does he read? what films interest him?)
When I did talk, I expressed an interest in attending a module based on his current research, rather than him regurgitating old Mademoiselle Plateaux material - a remark which seemed to impress him. I, in turn, was impressed when he explained why he teaches in England ('it is a question of deterritorializing...', 'they let me do what I like...') .

Otherwise, there was department gossip, but I refuse to report it here, since I am trying to kick the habit. I have something of an antipathy towards forming a 'continental bloc' - I would rather simply commit a grievous bodily harm offence against the person in question. Of course, my concern is that, once in prison, I will be compared less to causes célèbres Negri and Genet, than to Schlick's mad student murderer...