Never be a spectator of unfairness or stupidity. Seek out argument and disputation for their own sake; the grave will supply plenty of time for silence. Christopher Hitchens More Quotes by Christopher Hitchens More Quotes From Christopher Hitchens The prostitute journalist is a familiar and well-understood figure in the Middle East, and Saddam Hussein's regime made lavish use of the buyability of the regional press. Now we, too, have hired that clapped-out old floozy, Miss Rosie Scenario, and sent her whoring through the streets. Christopher Hitchens middle-east use missing We know how to think. We know how to laugh. We know we're going to die, which gives us a lot to think about, and we have a need for, what I would call, "the transcendent" or "the numinous" or even "the ecstatic" that comes out in love and music, poetry, and landscape. I wouldn't trust anyone who didn't respond to things of that sort. Christopher Hitchens giving laughing thinking Most of the utopian community ideas actually are religious. They're based more on the idea of the monastery than the commune. Christopher Hitchens community religious ideas I don't think souls or bodies can be changed by incantation. Or anything else by the way. Christopher Hitchens body soul thinking For me, the life of the angler is an almost flawless example of how not to have a good time. Christopher Hitchens flawless good-times example I've noticed that the more flooding there is, the more bullshit gets talked. I mean it was very noticeable in the Asian tsumai. It happened around Christmas-New Year. The Muslims of Sri Lanka said 'We knew this would happen because the Christians were using alcohol for their Christmas celebrations.' The Buddhists said 'We knew this would happen because of the horrible Muslim slaughter practices.' It's amazing to see how apocalypse or catastrophe makes people behave primitively. Christopher Hitchens buddhist new-year christian My political life has been informed by the view that if there was any truth to religion there wouldn't really be any need for politics. Christopher Hitchens political views needs If you've led a rather bohemian and rackety life, as I have, it's precisely the cancer that you'd expect to get. That's a bit of a yawn. Christopher Hitchens bohemian bits cancer I don't think the soul is immortal, or at least not immortal in individuals, but it may be immortal as an aspect of the human personality because when I talk about what literature nourishes, it would be silly of me or reductionist to say that it nourishes the brain. Christopher Hitchens personality silly thinking There are many, many discrepant views within the Shia theology about what's the proper role of religion in society or in the State, should it rule now, should it claim to govern people in the here and now, or should it wait until the Messiah, the 12th Imam, comes back and would it only be then appropriate for religious rule to bring about a world of universal justice and vindication. Christopher Hitchens religious views people The trade-off between freedom and security, so often proposed so seductively, very often leads to the loss of both. Christopher Hitchens eternal-vigilance trade loss The first thing I can remember I ever wanted was to go to the United States. And for reasons that are as conventional as you can imagine: I wanted to know if it was really true that it was the land of opportunity, of democracy, and individual liberty. Christopher Hitchens democracy land opportunity I've been writing a lot about a new form of Russian imperialism. Actually, Russian Orthodox imperialism. It's very little remarked that the cement, the political, ideological cement of the Russian regime now, communism having collapsed and imploded, is increasingly a confessional one. Christopher Hitchens political writing littles I have a strong constitution which has served me quite well, though if I hadn't had such a strong one I might have led a more healthy life perhaps. Christopher Hitchens healthy strong might It's amazing how relaxing it is not to claim you know more than you do. I'm surprised that those who claim to speak in the name of god don't take more advantage of this relief. Christopher Hitchens relief speak names Everyone in Iran is perceived to be a child with a paternal authority vested in the Guardian Council and the Sufi elders. They're supposed to be grateful. They can never for a moment not be afforded this wonderful protection. The father who will never go away. The father who will never quit caring for them. Christopher Hitchens grateful father children If people I've never met or don't know say that what I've written or done or said means anything to them, then I'm happy to take it at face value, for once. It cheers me up. Christopher Hitchens cheer mean people Even the most humane and compassionate of the monotheisms and polytheisms are complicit in this quiet and irrational authoritarianism: they proclaim us, in Fulke Greville's unforgettable line, "Created sick Commanded to be well." And there are totalitarian insinuations to back this up if its appeal should fail. Christopher Hitchens lines sick quiet We know that our life is essentially tragic. I'm absolutely not for handing over that very important department of our psyche to those who say, "Why didn't you say so before? God has a plan for you in mind." Christopher Hitchens god-has-a-plan important mind Authors who moan with praise for their editors always seem to reek slightly of the Stockholm syndrome. Christopher Hitchens editors praise writing
