META: Surface Deconstruction vs. Actual Deconstruction

[Andrew Perron]

So I realized a very simple, very basic example of what I think of as
surface deconstruction: The black box joke.

It's a cliche of stand-up, right next to airline food. "If this black box
that records flight data when a plane crashes is so indestructible, why
don't they just make the whole *plane* out of the black box?" It's funny
until you realize there's a very good reason they don't do that; a plane
made of the same material would never take off!  So it's a joke based on
ignorance of what you're joking about.

Thus, surface deconstruction lacks an understanding of what it's
deconstructing; it says that things are a bad idea without realizing there
is a purpose behind them, and mocks the writer's reasons without knowing
what they are.

Andrew "NO .SIG MAN" "Juan" Perron, but seriously, airline food sucks.