(1/4) AT LARGE: A Conversation With Christopher Hitchens

[Byron10301]

[R.I.P] (whatever that means to an atheist like me or Hitchens) ... I have not yet read any of his books; but I definitely will ... just judging on what I have heard him say in different interviews and programmes here and there, I can tell his books must be very worthy.

[skormz10]

@Byron10301

rest in peace has no religious connotations

[Supremerob20]

"...[Zimbabwe], Darfur, Burma, North Korea...everywhere human rights are not just denied but literally negated, the superpower China is behind it. And blood for oil is the simplest way of encapsulating it. And one misses the idea that there is an American willingness to resist this." - What an absolutely brilliant surmise.

For all the evils of the US and UK, it has become overly trendy to criticise them. China has the second largest GDP in the world and it's time it became accountable.

[pandirasbox]

He's bald now. WHat happened?

[dizzythegreat]

@pandirasbox Hitchens is bald because he is undergoing chemo and radiation treatments for his esophagus cancer.

[22grena]

I don't agree with everything Mr Hitchins has said on politics and religion but you have to admire his abilities and see the important need that there are intellectuals like him that challenge existing beliefs, even ones you support.

[PaulGilbertIsGod2]

That is a lot of books. I cannot even imagine reading that many books in my entire life!

[SecretTrollAccount1]

What is more Fascist. Mein Kampf or a full spread of Encyclopedia Britannica?

[davexy22]

Does anyone else hear a whimpering dog in a cage?

[ludogogo]

@davexy22 I swear I hear what you hear... I was triyng to figure out what that sound was.

[wormdrink414]

He's looking healthier now. Looks like death here.

[armanika]

Get well comrade

[archiewillmot]

He looks so fragile :'(

[memoryman1984]

Excuse me! Did i hear him correctly? 'everywhere where human rights are not just denied but literally negated the superpower china is behind it.'

How can such an intelligent man say something as erroneous as this. And in the context of defending Americas superpower status.

I would very much like to see a debate between Mr Hitchens and Mr Chomsky on this point. Although i suspect it would not last very long.

[stoprainingonme]

@memoryman1984 In case you're unaware, Chomsky and Hitchens had a literary exchange shortly after 9/11. Chomsky was so unimpressed that I gather he said he would never debate Hitchens. Chomsky used expressions, in his writings, like: 'Hitchens clearly does not take what he's writing seriously' and 'Hitchens can not meant what he's saying'. The full exchange is available on line, just google Hitchens Chomsky Debate.

[SecretTrollAccount1]

@stoprainingonme Kettle calling the pot black, they were both the other side of the 'wall' urging pro Communist ideologies in what one would assume to be hostile territory. Egotism.....

[TheBinary123]

Get well brother...

[jimjimjimjim1234]

interviewer is an idiot

[Nexus974]

That is one well stocked library!

[Pancake505]

what a wonderful library

[Teralek]

I am baffled, as a theist (sort of), why atheists have such coherent and evolved political ideas as Opposed to the general hypocrisy and unrealistic political ideas on the theist field.

[123fk]

oh , how old are u , me 18.

anyways , its times like these ( when hitchens got cancer)

where u feel that a great person amongst the human race whom u respect is going to be gone soon, and yet hasnt, i ve been constantly searching for any debates even in 2011 of hitchens, i mean he's got his memoir out,he's given religious ppl the finger when they said he would convert or go to hell even when dying, i mean ,,, what;s next?

[BelfastAtheist]

That is one fucking impressive library..

[123fk]

lord, he looks more and more sickly. i wish him all the best!

[Nerd042]

@123fk Yes, he does appear to look more sickly but I think it might have to do with the fact that he's lost so much weight so quickly (40 pounds I think he said). I was there live to see him debate with Tony Blair in Toronto last November and I noticed that he's still wearing the same clothes he was when he was 40 pounds heavier. Understandably, he hasn't had time to go shopping for a whole new wardrobe. It adds to the sickly look, though.

[123fk]

@Nerd042 oh wow, damn! wish i was there, man that was a good debate., im from singapore, ASIA, so guess he dont make his round to this part of the globe,

i was at first into dawkins but then a link was to this guy, and ever since i've been checking them out, ( so i can assume ure an atheist?)

one of the better debates was the one with al sharpton.

[Nerd042]

@123fk Yes, I'm an atheist ( you too?). I was into Dawkins for a long time. Out of the four horsemen you could describe him as my first love. I still have a great fondness for him, but now my favorite is Hitchens. I love the debate with Al Sharpton! I also love the debates that Hitchens does with Douglas Wilson.

[123fk]

@Nerd042 yes im an atheist, too im sorry , where ya from?

OH hell yes! the 4 horsemen meeting, DID u see that episode where sam harris dawkins hitchens and dennet were there? wow. that s one for the books. i feel so humbled and inspired by just listening to their views on life , religion , politics and what not.

and yeah, hitchens does seem much more aggressive towards apologist and the religious lot than dawkins.but some how i like the way he debates, he covers all angles !!!

[Nerd042]

@123fk Yeah, I'm from Canada. I love Dawkins and Hitchens, and it's self-evident that Hitchens debates a hundred times better than Dawkins ever could. I did see the Four Horsemen. Watched the whole thing, it's absolutely brilliant. I actually don't like Dennett much though. I love Sam Harris, because no matter how much a person yells at him, he always keeps his cool. But I've never been obsessed with Sam like I was with Dawkins and still am with Hitchens.

[123fk]

@Nerd042 and like many other ppl who died even before i respected / knew them, george carlin, freddy mercury,carl sagan, adn the like..

[michaelchristopherj]

@Nerd042 The only downside to Hitchens is his stubborn support for Iraq war. His refusal to retract his now silly arguments earlier.

[Nerd042]

@michaelchristopherj I'm not very political and so I have no idea what he's even talking about. :S But I would say that I would be very hesitant to disagree with Hitchens as he just knows so much more than I do. Hitchens' is also very proud, so I understand that he might not be eager to expose the fact that he might have had some arguments that were wrong. He used to make a few erronous arguments regarding religion, but after someone pointed it out to him he just stoppped using them.

[michaelchristopherj]

@Nerd042 True, Hitchens is definitely brilliant, and I am one of his biggest fans. but he is wrong about Iraq. Noam Chomsky would destroy him in a debate over it, and I think Noam Chomsky is the smartest political scholar alive. But I like Hitchens' politics in the 90's, 80's, 70's and 60's, when he was a antiimperialist socialist. Now he just considers himself a marxist, because I suppose he got mad when the socialists (or left in general) defended Islam or something.

[Dimy761]

Unfortunately ignorance wins most of the time by sheer numbers

[michaeldavidgantt]

Christopher Hitchens is going to heaven when he dies. 

[123fk]

@michaeldavidgantt lol

[Neanderthalcouzin]

He's more lucid and intelligent than I've ever seen him before.

[MalevolentShockValue]

Holy shit that potatoe can talk.

[GHortaV]

@MalevolentShockValue And evidently better than you.

[fomastephanovitch]

Why would anyone listen to this man? He doesn't have an MBA or even hair! Give me a talk on holistic synergy by Donald Trump anyday!

[GHortaV]

@fomastephanovitch And that's why you are a dumbass.

[TubeTime99]

Many thanks for posting!

[tjchipster]

Brilliant!



[braintnt]

I hope you get what you believe in; May God not be with you, may you not feel his forgivness and love, may you not have eternal life, May you parish from your reality and time.

I think you will be content with my wishes for you.

[ziggy471961]

@braintnt That's very considerate of you. Typical christian elitist.

[braintnt]

@ziggy471961 My pleasure. With pride.

[ziggy471961]

@braintnt Boy......You're not worth my time. Good day.

[braintnt]

@ziggy471961 who cares !

[tylerdurden4495]

@braintnt You are in a sadomasochistic relationship with an imaginary celestial father figure. Grow up.

[braintnt]

@tylerdurden4495 blaaaah blah blah.......what a tired, self centered, old argument !

athiests and muslims are evil tools used for civilization destruction.

[nagaslrac]

@braintnt How very Christian of you. Seriously. Just ask, if you could, the millions killed, imprisoned and tortured by Christians over the centuries.

[braintnt]

@nagaslrac Christianity reduced killing and violence, while democracy and human rights progressed. Just look at the blood shed and cruelty in the history of the ancient civilizations. Power and murder was an honor, kindness was weakness.

Christianity clearly distinguishes  good/right from bad/wrong. But still gives you the freedom to choose. No real christian will kill you for leaving the faith.

Its not by accident that the most democratic nations are built on Christian morality

[ccarr313]

@braintnt Obvious troll is obvious.

[braintnt]

@ccarr313 cop-out response, meaningless reply,....weak and void of logic...

[Ajax102305]

@braintnt No real Christian will kill you for leaving the faith? Are you ignoring your own religion? If we don't join your cult, your religion, your ignorance, you believe we go to hell. You believe that we will burn eternally in a fiery hell. Where is the choice? You may not kill us but you believe we will.

[braintnt]

@Ajax102305 I didn't get your point. But free choices have consequences too.

Since we believe that God is the source of love, goodness, happiness,....

Without God souls are lost, surrounded with evil, sadness, darknss, misery.... conditions that torture souls in this reality and after.

I believe the 10 commandmants are bases for human rights and civil society.

Just compare our western society to muslim or commie societies, the contrast in obvious. Which one would you choose ?

[xtrmsprts]

Notice now that the chemotherapy is eating away Hitchens' fat, the wrinkles have appeared and his skin is paler. In a matter of months, he has drastically aged. If we go by the current trend, he's look like King Tut in no time!

[InitiumNovum]

@xtrmsprts - well of course, chemotherapy is the infliction of a poison upon a person. Hitchens says that he's lost 30lbs as a result. It's sort of obvious really - the sort of thing only a child would really need to point out.

[xtrmsprts]

@InitiumNovum Yes, and children routinely do attribute 30 lbs lost weight to chemo. why else do we send the little brats to school for? Everyone's gotta fulfill his role in society, even a child!

[andreiandrei1]

@xtrmsprts you must be the most insightful man on earth

[xtrmsprts]

@andreiandrei1 You may not know this but I'm the second coming of Joseph Smith.

[DiamondDWable]

@knoose

"No, intelligent people dont bother with the obvious conclusions of obvious factors,

let alone comment on it as if it meant something.

He doesn't want sympathy.

Comment something meaningful."

An intelligent person - at least if fluent in English - would never allow themselves to utter a sentence as clunky and ungraceful as "Comment something meaningful."

They might know that 'don't' needs an apostrophe too.

[SodomyOfYourSavior]

@DiamondDWable Grammar Nazi?

[nickyact1]

@SodomyOfYourSavior Mmmm Almost funny?

[gtalcstories]

Anyone know anything about the debate about Iraq Hitchens claimed to have had a few days ago in London?

I heard nothing about it.

[iamthe3rd]

anyone have a clue where video or a transcript of the debate the england he mentioned might be?

[Dymdez]

I tend to poo-poo as well.

[axl170]

The interviewer is dressed like a dweeb, talks like one, and intrudes with his awkward assumptions and condescending approval at small but sputtering parts of the interview.

I can't believe Hitchens granted an hour long interview to this dork, but I'm always glad for any extended conversation with Hitch. Nice that he had ample chance here to reflect on his long career and on mid 20th century history in this one, since much of his time now is taken up by new events and today's hot topic.

[wendileona]

What happened to the mic at :45 ? After that the whole interview is slightly difficult to listen to.

[BabySatch1]

Those books could learn something from Christopher... lol

[robopoet]

@BabySatch1 You beat me to it!

[thenaj88]

@BabySatch1 HHAha. Agreed.

[BIJMOZ]

@BabySatch1  LMAO!!!!

[matThaHatter]

@BabySatch1 Oh my god; that made me, quite literally, laugh out loud! VERY FUNNY! I know it's dated this month, but I didn't hear anything about this, and I didn't know he was in such rough shape again. IS THIS from this month?(Dec. '10) Anyone?

[drunkenstooge]

Has he read all those books?

[BabySatch1]

@drunkenstooge I wouldnt be suprised...

[Mattinmotion]

@drunkenstooge I don't know if he's read all those books specificaly, but I'd be very suprised if he hadn't read alot more than that number of books in his life. The volumes displayed in the background aren't that many.

[PuroAguacateros]

Hitchens is beyond doubt my hero...he will always live in my mind as well as in the minds of those that admire his intellect and rationality regarding the important aspects of humanity.

[ilieklolcatz]

Jesus, he looks pale as death.

[trexx32]

the man is a hero to intelligence, and an enemy of ignorance

[VitaminJyo]

@trexx32 "if you don't consider me your enemy; you don't know your enemy when you see him."

[KevinVang1000]

True...absolutely true...

I wonder when is he going to be a Christian since Frank Turek prayed for him when he came to my town, Fresno for a discussion about Theism vs Atheism.

[jhohcable]

Hitchens does look like the chemo is aging him, but I gotta say he's still holding up (in public at least) very well, and he can still think and talk just as well as he ever could.

[godfree2canada]

hitch should go with vulcan look

[progress200]

Thank you.

[BeeblesTV]

Is it just me or does he look slightly better in this video?

[daveVT18]

@BeeblesTV

I think it's you.

I was gonna say he looks 10 years older in this video than in his debate with Tony Blair, which was just a few days ago.

[heeh2]

@BeeblesTV

its just you.

[DubGongTuff]

@BeeblesTV I think he looks very well. I thought the same thing with the tony blair debate.

[MaskedMarvyl]

There's something very very annoying about this interviewer....

[ultraviolet99]

@MaskedMarvyl

Definitely agree. Way too smug. Kirchick is friends with Hitch, though. Played his cards right.

[NotAG4yName]

so sad how much hes age in only the past year

[knoose]

@NotAG4yName

Oh shut up, how do you even figure?

Grim sad talk is so annoying.

[NotAG4yName]

@knoose Maybe its because ive seen videos of him earlier in the year before he was diagnosed with cancer and before he started Chemo therapy. If you opened your eyes you would notice but smug assholes like you enjoy keeping theyre eyes closed when then talk dont they

[knoose]

@NotAG4yName  "enjoying keeping their eyes closed while they talk"...

No, intelligent people dont bother with the obvious conclusions of obvious factors,

let alone comment on it as if it meant something.

He doesn't want sympathy.

Comment something meaningful.

[NotAG4yName]

@knoose first of all if my comment was so lame why even waste your time? i mean you pretty much completely discredit your argument by saying that you dont bother with obvious convlusions to obious factors.. well and obvious conclusion to cancer is people mentioning how much thinner and older he looks however you did "bother" with my comment so i suppose your not all that intelligent ( according to your own logic ). And also he obviously dosnt check youtube videos of himself for the comments.

[jeebersjumpincryst]

thanks for uploading.

judging from the amount of this interview on the right, under suggestions, it looks like it goes on for a long time!

good on ya hitch - bloody great effort!

[NiklasKing87]

Hitchens is such a bro.

[papasitoman]

I´m glad to see he is still doing so many interviews. He could just as easily complain about how tired he is and how much rest he needs...I guess doing interviews keeps his morale up! Keep making ´em Hitchens, we are watching them!

[mavs2147]

@papasitoman yeah, I think he said in another interview that he does interviews to keep his mind off the cancer or something to that effect.

[ImposingSumo]

@papasitoman Amazing isn't it. He could easily retire from the public scene, and who would blame him? But no, he still fights the good fight. Inspirational.

[kryptoknightmare]

Wow, this is quite a long interview! Awesome.