I think it important to note here that the postmodern posturing and the serious ethical inquiries Appiah describes do not exactly belong to the same 'academy'. The ethical philosophy discussed here belongs largely to the Analytic tradition in philosophy, whereas the postmodern posturing is more related to the Continental tradition, which is not generally practiced in Anglophone philosophy departments, but rather in departments of English, Cultural Studies, Social/Cultural Anthropology. Often, Analytic philosophers disregard Continental philosophy as barely coherent babble: there was a famous witch-hunt against Derrida when we was considered for an honorary degree at Cambridge University.

It is thinkers in the Continental tradition who generally receive the more attention, as Appiah points out: Derrida and Zizek have both been lionsed in feature documentaries! Continental philosophy is certainly more exciting-looking than Analytic philosophy: its ideas are bolder and more metaphysically extravagant; its proponents are generally more exotic and colourful. Perhaps what is needed is really an effort to make Analytic moral and political philosophy a bit sexier...Lord only knows what one could do to tart up John Rawls...