Christopher Hitchens

To lighten up this thread....

http://www.theonion....how-losi,26890/

  On 12/16/2011 at 7:58 PM, Awepittance said:

  On 12/16/2011 at 3:50 PM, joshuatxuk said:

True, and I was particularly annoyed when his editorial term "Islamofascism"

 

  On 12/16/2011 at 3:50 PM, joshuatxuk said:

His opinions were of his own intellectual judgement and considerations, he was never to be easily swayed by peers or public opinion.

 

i find this personally hard to believe based on his islam writings, but i'll leave this thread to not beat a dead horse (or more specifically dead man)

His positions in regards to Iraq prompted him to leave his post The Nation. He stood steadfast by his relentless critiques of Christianity, Islam, and Judaism while also finding himself coming to conclusions about foreign policy that isolated him from his liberal peers. That was my point.

As for ruing the hope for new atheism, I'd blame the snarky arrogance of Sam Harris and Dawkins over Hitchen's debate style any day.

celebrating the quasi intellectual ramblings of closet neocon Christopher Hitchens http://www.inconveni...his_critics.php

while you say he made relentless critiques against all religions, he went much deeper and into some very unsavory and anti intellectual places in regards to Islam.

Sorry i didn't know what point you were trying to make, i just have a vehement dislike for the 'legend'

Hitchens had a hatred of Islam that went beyond his hatred of Christianity or any other religion for that matter, it was really personal for him and I think that led to a lot of his less-than-righteous positions on certain things

it's sad that this hatred dominated the last part of his life and that this is what most people will remember him for because he really was a gifted writer. but he kind of deserves it.

yeah it is sad, oh well

Awepittance - of course he was known for other things - otherwise his opinions on Iraq wouldn't matter, nor would they have been given public voice.

i was being kind of sarcastic. i'm sure he is.

the pre-2001 HItchens is the witty writer and thinker that should be remembered.

  On 12/16/2011 at 9:51 PM, chenGOD said:

the pre-2001 HItchens is the witty writer and thinker that should be remembered.

Awepittance and Joseph, I hear you on the criticism about his more visceral commentary on Islam, especially coupled with his support for the 2003 Invasion. I find it remarkable that he could make more rational (but still wrong in my opinion as well) arguments for positions that would normally be only endorsed by the religious right and spineless liberal career politicians.

Also, I was introduced to him via his writings on atheism and religion, which might explain my reaction better. I'm not an apologist, just a fan of much of his work.

totally understandable, clearly we are each coming from completely different Mr. Hitchens eras. I personally have only really known of him for his contrarianish attitude regarding the war on terror, etc, his misogynistic writings, things like that.

someone's gotta be an asshole and try to louder and more shrill in order to be heard. Someone's gotta just take it that step further to be noticed. Does it work and do I agree with it? ehh.....

But let's not shit on a guy who just died. RIP

The media has no balls to cover his death. God forbid one the Kardashians dies .. it will be front page news for months.

I did not agree with his aggressive atheist doctrine,but he was a free thinker and tried to help the human race progress.

  On 12/16/2011 at 9:33 PM, joshuatxuk said:

To lighten up this thread....

 

http://www.theonion....how-losi,26890/

ah uh, i don't know what to say. ye, it's the onion and all, but. gulp.

a notable public writer has conflicted views and less-than-perfect character? well i never-

i think it goes a bit deeper than that, the guy has been actively awful for the last 10 years

gawker got it right imo

http://gawker.com/5868761/christopher-hitchens-unforgivable-mistake

  Quote

He did immense good in his life, and unforgivable harm.

much like any other important political/intellectual/social figure in history.

not gonna disagree, but the demographic that is tearfully blubbing about his death is quite a bit different.

Id like to remember him for his talks on religion that I believe he did a service with, rather than the horrible things (sexism, warhawk).

much like I celebrate Malcolm X for his structural critiques of capitalist society and not for his involvement in the Nation of Islam.

  On 12/17/2011 at 12:40 AM, disparaissant said:

i think it goes a bit deeper than that, the guy has been actively awful for the last 10 years

I really don't want to pick a fight here, but what exactly about him was actively awful? as someone who grew up in a fundamentalist christian environment, for me he's one of the most inspirational speakers I've ever heard. watching his speeches and debates on youtube makes me feel optimistic.

just read that gawker obit i think it covers all the points id cover except his blatant misogyny

http://gawker.com/5868761/christopher-hitchens-unforgivable-mistake

i grew up in a fundamentalist household too and i agree that some of his earlier stuff can be inspiring, but ever since he went all weird post-9/11 i haven't been able to hold anything but disdain for him.

  On 12/17/2011 at 1:12 AM, disparaissant said:

just read that gawker obit i think it covers all the points id cover except his blatant misogyny

http://gawker.com/58...givable-mistake

so in a word, iraq.

:]

  On 12/17/2011 at 1:19 AM, nene multiple assgasms said:

so in a word, iraq.

yeah but you have to repeat that word for ten years as things get progressively worse and refuse to stop repeating it in the face of incontrovertible proof that the entire reason you started saying it in the first place was utterly and completely wrong

  On 12/17/2011 at 1:26 AM, futuregirlfriend said:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9cxqxFNXjyU

Harry Potter is such an emo nowadays