Author, filmmaker and distributor Martin Rumsby examines two videos by Gary Hill. Rumsby problematizes the videos for their relation to ideas of European theorists such as Jacques Derrida.

Incidence of Catastrophe explores language, equating the loss of innocence to the acquisition of literacy, or socializiation. The video is inspired by Hill's daughter as an infant learning language, as well as a book, Thomas the Obscure, by Maurice Blanchot. Rumsby gives a detailed synopsis of the video and critically analyzes Derrida's idea that "art is better than life" as applied to Incidence of Catastrophe. Connections are made between this video and its ideas around language and Lewis Caroll's Alice in Wonderland.

In Why Do Things Get In a Muddle? (Come on Petunia) language is the prevailing theme as well. Rumsby argues that the structure of our language determines our thoughts and actions. The subjects of the video are filmed speaking and moving backwards. The tape played backwards then appears as strangely unnatural forward speech and movement. Rumbsy suggests language as a technology of oppression and cites George Orwell's ideas of language as power in Animal Farm.