Christopher Hitchens has left us

[Christiern]

Here is more. Edited December 16, 2011 by Christiern

[GA Russell]

I wonder what he thinks of atheism and Mother Teresa now.

[papsrus]

Knew he was diagnosed a while ago, but had kind of forgotten about it. He was a rascal, an agent provocateur and in the end a tragic figure who always came across as someone more interested in stirring the pot than worrying too much about the ingredients.

But ... always stopped to listen to what he had to say and it seemed like there were enough kernels of truth sprinkled throughout the bombast to make it all worth while.

RIP

[ejp626]

I wonder what he thinks of atheism and Mother Teresa now.

Most likely it isn't an issue.

[kinuta]

That's terribly sad news.

His views were always incisive, whether you agreed or not his is a sad loss

[king ubu]

r.i.p.

[Dan Gould]

GA, one way or another, he's found the answer to the big mystery ...

Highly ironic that the last article he published was about the falsity of the statement "that which does not kill me makes me stronger". I guess that was the writing on the wall.

I'll miss his writings, even the 20-30% I disagreed with.

[Big Wheel]

Eh. The whole Orwell obsession aside, I thought he was a dick mostly for the sake of being a dick. Let's not forget that the guy was at the vanguard of people who said "if you don't think Baghdad should have the living shit bombed out of it, it's because you're pro-Baathist dictatorship and pro-Salafist terrorism". I get that he was strong in his convictions, but this ultimately meant that he had so little respect for those who disagreed with him that it's hard for me to find a reason not to reciprocate.

Edited December 16, 2011 by Big Wheel

[Guy Berger]

Knew he was diagnosed a while ago, but had kind of forgotten about it. He was a rascal, an agent provocateur and in the end a tragic figure who always came across as someone more interested in stirring the pot than worrying too much about the ingredients.

Yes. He was a gifted writer, but often lightweight on content and logic.

[Guy Berger]

Eh. The whole Orwell obsession aside, I thought he was a dick mostly for the sake of being a dick. Let's not forget that the guy was at the vanguard of people who said "if you don't think Baghdad should have the living shit bombed out of it, it's because you're pro-Baathist dictatorship and pro-Salafist terrorism". I get that he was strong in his convictions, but this ultimately meant that he had so little respect for those who disagreed with him that it's hard for me to find a reason not to reciprocate.

I think this specific issue pretty much encapsulates Hitchens's weaknesses and strengths. He offered withering (sometimes also witty and/or hilarious) criticisms of those he disagreed with. His writing was also infused with a strong moral (almost religious!) fervor. But when you actually think hard about the logical arguments made in the articles Hitchens wrote around this time, much less how the policy he endorsed play out, it doesn't seem like he added much substance to the debate.

[Leeway]

I think Hitchens was profoundly wrong about Iraq, but I always enjoyed his witty, incisive manner of discussion, which was satisfyingly free of cliches, PC, and the sort of inarticulateness that is the lingua franca of American public discussion. He followed the Brit tradition of the curmudgeon, but always it seemed with a bit of a wink. Anyway, I am sorry to see him go.

[thedwork]

I think Hitchens was profoundly wrong about Iraq, but I always enjoyed his witty, incisive manner of discussion, which was satisfyingly free of cliches, PC, and the sort of inarticulateness that is the lingua franca of American public discussion. He followed the Brit tradition of the curmudgeon, but always it seemed with a bit of a wink. Anyway, I am sorry to see him go.

this is about exactly how i feel about Hitch. he made me laugh out loud in agreement as often as he made me recoil in disgust - but very often w/ genuine wit. whether i agreed w/ him or not, i seemed to always have been glad to listen to/read him. he'll be missed...

[Pete C]

I wonder what he thinks of atheism and Mother Teresa now.

Nothing.

[Tim McG]

"Hitchens was known for his heroic intake of alcohol and cigarettes. He wrote in 2003 that his daily intake of alcohol was enough to 'stun the average mule'".

Hm.

[medjuck]

Ironically during his Clinton hating period he wrote something to the effect that he hoped Hillary Clinton and Al Gore died of a flesh eating disease. As to what he thought of God while he was dying: he made a point of saying that he was still an atheist.

[Noj]

Just to be a stickler, if the atheists are right about things, in dying one essentially stops finding anything out. In which case one doesn't actually rest in peace, so much as peacefully cease living.

RIP Mr. Hitchens.

[Pete C]

Yes, I should have said decompose gracefully.

[RDK]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/culture-obituaries/books-obituaries/8960233/Christopher-Hitchens-in-quotes.html

[JSngry]

I found him a bit windy myself. Smart, but windy.

[Chuck Nessa]

He was the Pope of the Church of Atheism.

[Chalupa]

Eh. The whole Orwell obsession aside, I thought he was a dick mostly for the sake of being a dick. Let's not forget that the guy was at the vanguard of people who said "if you don't think Baghdad should have the living shit bombed out of it, it's because you're pro-Baathist dictatorship and pro-Salafist terrorism". I get that he was strong in his convictions, but this ultimately meant that he had so little respect for those who disagreed with him that it's hard for me to find a reason not to reciprocate.

Agreed.

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

[thedwork]

Agreed.

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

good article.

[Head Man]

This item in one of his obituaries made me laugh out loud:

"After graduating with an inevitable Third, Hitchens launched his career in journalism as "social sciences correspondent" at The Times, a "Gogol-like ghost job which I held for six months before the editor said something to me that made it impossible to continue to go on working for him".

In a footnote, Hitchens noted that the exact words were: "You're fired".

[thedwork]

This item in one of his obituaries made me laugh out loud:

"After graduating with an inevitable Third, Hitchens launched his career in journalism as "social sciences correspondent" at The Times, a "Gogol-like ghost job which I held for six months before the editor said something to me that made it impossible to continue to go on working for him".

In a footnote, Hitchens noted that the exact words were: "You're fired".

now that is a perfect example of why, despite all the problems, Hitchens was worth reading. it made me laugh out loud as well head man absolutely hilarious

Edited December 17, 2011 by thedwork

[gmonahan]

Yeah, dead wrong on Iraq, but right about a lot of other things, and just damned FUN to read.

gregmo