Christopher Hitchens on Books & Ideas (3 of 3)

Christopher Hitchens sits down with PlumTV's Jage Toba for a casual half-hour interview. Hitchens speaks on a variety of topics ranging from religion and politics to Monty Python and Orwell.
Credit:
PlumTV
www.plumtv.com/

[@andrewhodgeson8006]

Still miss this man so much. The world is a lesser place without him.

[@AlcibiadesMD]

“Take the time to think for yourself, much more happiness, beauty, love and wisdom will come to you that way.” - Christopher Hitchens

[@Rantandreason]

It's almost depressing listening to him at times, and realizing how tiny my grasp and understanding of the English language really is. But he does give me something to aspire to ;)

[@richwaight]

He is awesome!! I love hearing him speak.

[@StickMan575]

Why is the first one blocked yet parts 2 and 3 aren't and it's blocked because it's content from Plum TV who appears to no longer exist? They have a channel, why don't they just upload them?

[@GBart]

I understand what he's saying about Orwell, because I had the same with Douglas Adams. He died the very moment I finished reading Hitchhiker's Guide the first time.

[@MrBenl87]

Looks like these three videos have been hit with a dislike bot, the ratio has dropped quite a bit since I last watched them.

[@opptynox]

Don't forget to add Sam Harris to the list of the enlightened, and a capable speaker on the ridiculous nature of faith as a reason for belief.

[@JoJeck]

Brillaint interview shedding much light on one of the most interesting people alive today. Thanks for posting this.

[@henryporter101]

I hope his students are aware of how fortunate they are to have him as a teacher.Perhaps in a decade or so,one of them will emerge as a force against theism.Great video-now I'm going to find out about James Wood.

[@tomz5704]

So far it seems it didn't happen, 11 years later

[@SleepyPenguin-8og]

Yeah right.

[@AuShawster]

Bump Thanks for posting. Hitchens is a great spokesperson for reason.

[@kat1989]

theres something about this chap, ive never heard anyone talk like him and i cannot see any logicall flaws in what he says despite the fact that i inexplicably flinch inwardly at some of it. ive just spent the last 3 hours watching/reading anything i can about him and am totally invigorated to find out more...praise be to internet. peace

[@AlcibiadesMD]

Just read your sentiment Kat, and although 15 years later, second that 100% I had the same feeling when I discovered this immense intellectual while scrolling through channels on c-span in the mid 80s I do not idolize anyone or anything, but I must confess Hitchens had a profound positive effect on my life when I started listening and reading his works, no one else has had that before or after, love this erudite and I sorely miss him, no one will ever take his place in my opinion. His legacy ensures his immortality. 💐

[@sun2515]

Kat, welcome to the Hitchens fan club. of all the people in the world that I could have dinner with, it would be Hitchens by far. I would even pick up the tab! LOL He is the most intellectually honest person I know of, and my what a intellect!

[@DeletedDelusion]

That was excellent. Thank you for posting.

[@hamekasia]

Hitchens is a wonderful speaker. very sharp and witty.

[@matereymate]

Thanks for posting the vids.

[@EGarrett01]

To say that Orwell wasn't a genius is nuts. I almost believed Hitchens for a second, then I double-checked the contents of "1984" and remembered the overwhelming rush of multi-dimensional, fleshed out ideas that are in that book. Doublethink, Room 101, betrayal. Oceania's constant war. That book is fucking amazing. As science fiction, as political commentary, as ridiculous display of one man's brainstorming potential. It's the greatest novel of the 20th century possibly ever. Sorry Christopher.

[@NemoUtopian]

trying to find a way to live after my death makes as much sense to me as trying to come up with a scheme that will let me live before i was born.if it is nothing but a matter of luck that i am alive,then i feel that much more lucky to be here.

[@NemoUtopian]

evolution is not a "philosophy of the beginning of life"it is a theory for how existing life got to it's current form,and it is a theory backed up by a great deal of evidence.abiogenesis is a separate field of study.

[@dt9650]

great interview...and what a great setting! where were they, frickin' morocco? the red wine, the light breeze, the cars skidding in the background...maybe that's why he is so candid here.

[@phwaap]

I think you should listen again. Though he says Orwell wasn't a genius and didn't go to school, he disproved Imperialism, Stalinism, and Fascism. Hitch has a deep respect for the man and he isn't one to waste time on mediocrity.

[@NemoUtopian]

imagine that there is really a creator,but everything we ever wrote about him was still just our mythology and not something he inspired in us.now imagine that this god made us with this one life alone,no after life.now imagine that he feels himself to be very generous for this gift,and rightfully so i think.then one day he notices that folks keep praying for eternal life,feeling rather unsatisfied with the gift he gave them.why give more when what has been given kindly is not valued.

[@19995700]

I'm curious to explore this idea that I hear religious people talk about concerning 'purpose'. What do you mean by that? Do you mean that your creator has a specific purpose for you personally - are you talking about the human species - and why would you think someone without god has none? What is your purpose?

[@NemoUtopian]

and it puzzles me how anyone would need the promise of immortality to make something as amazing as life seem like it has worth,it seems the same to me as if you needed the promise of Aphrodite's love in the future to make Anjolina Jolie's affection bearable in the here and now.

[@lesliecolonello9320]

"So, um, Orwell. You're a fan." Brilliantly weak Jage.

[@Tretas.]

So, um, Jage. You're not a fan.

[@smalltownatheist]

awesome vids, thanks!

[@jeffbrown8]

"falling into oblivion" is used to prove a point..currently I see as ridiculous how anyone at their death bed if they are aware of passing away to not call out in their mind at least or try to grab onto the hope of keeping their conscious eternal..that's why when I read about David Hume's passing in the Portable Atheist by Hitchens,I found it one of the boldest things a human being would do..die like that.. i'm not in this room for evangelism.. i'm trying to understand how atheists can be so ...

[@NemoUtopian]

better by far to live a life where every day is a improbable wonder,one in which you have won the cosmic lotto.a life where you and your fellow humans are the rarest blooms in a universe of fire and ice.live a life trying to treat life and humanity as a pearl beyond price,then if there turns out to be a god that gave you this gift,then you will have honored his gift to you far more admirably then a life of singing praises and yearning for more

[@jeffbrown8]

i just feel this worship of a skeptical reality has a bankrupt void behind it

[@farbot]

very nice

[@BrimStone1st]

5 Stars Say what you want about this man's appearance, vices and attitudes. This is an example of the heights human intelligence can soar within. Arrogant? He simply wants to be happy, and share his ideas aloud, where they can be thought about and discussed. Free thought is a fantastic thing that no living being should be denied.

[@AlcibiadesMD]

15 years later thumbs up 👍 and you said it best, thank you.

[@Volatile-Tortoise]

Oooh, sorry, I thought you were referring to "cunt" - because as I remember Hitchens says it somewhere in the video. I certainly have no problem with you switching off when you hear Chomsky, he's a loon.

[@jeffbrown8]

nemo, but thats what makes Jesus' claims so attractive is that to the Western mind there is no one else in history that died and resurrected and guaranteed eternal life and forgiveness of sins.. and eternal life is a gift, not a wage, like a rare diamond.. so that's why it's hard to give up as pure fantasy.. it's a juggernaut.. especially if you look at the unique claims of Jesus saying his authority

[@chip8989]

Great interview.

[@NemoUtopian]

to the remaining 10% a major disruption in either the political stability of the region,or a massive supernatural display,would have been well worth writing about.

[@jeffbrown8]

because no matter how brutal the old testament was, allegorical, or simply untrue, there's a hope inside of my brain that there is an invisible good Creator that rejoices in the search of truth, human rights, and discovery, who created this massive universe, and wants to be discovered

[@TheLogicalGod]

You know what I like about Hitch? I can disagree with him on some points and still respect him immensely.

[@whirlpoolzend]

Those last few words say it all.

[@jeffbrown8]

the desire for immortality is there and this hope that those who live exceptional lives will be rewarded eternal life.. yeah, you're right about the tendency to take for granted daily life with the concept "eternal life"

[@mattb521]

No, they do not depict him walking with people, they do tell of his birth, of his interventions, and divine things of the such. I don't see how the accounts of Jesus walking with people verifies the presumption of him being more than human. The most unlikely theory of the resurrection is that it is a true story.

[@jeffbrown8]

i don't classify all atheists as morose.. i just went to a jref conference.. there were people who just seemed like their natural state of mind was not believing.. even when they described their near death experiences.. they didn't feel the need, close to death, to reach out mentally for a God who would continue their conscience from falling into oblivion.. it still baffles me how one wont try to reach out for the possibility of ultimate origin or creator of all or an eternal compassion

[@StarfuryFlames]

God is a product of neurology/linguistics, a by-product of consciousness and self-awareness and of its confrontation with the daunting undiscovered world. It, like all our ideas about our world, are mere place-holders, to always be recognized as such, they shouldn't be granted sanctity solely by virtue of age. tbc.........

[@NemoUtopian]

personally i find that the concept of eternal life cheapens the idea of life its self.part of the reason that life is precious is that it is rare in the cosmos,and we only get a limited amount of it.how could a day have value to you when there is an endless number to come?and how could you feel that you had wasted one of there is an infinite supply of them?

[@kat1989]

what a champ, love this guy

[@benthejrporter]

@oxygenownz Me too. He's the most charismatic, interesting and intelligent man in the media today!

[@HenryArthurPhillips]

@LobsterPotsticker I hate to be overly pedantic about this... but yes, novel = fiction ... Look in a dictionary. I've read most of his books.. none of them are novels.

[@StarfuryFlames]

Ideas[=memes], a microcosm of life itself, should be subjected to constant refinement, mutation, extinction in the light of new evidence, reason and powers of computation. This is progress, this is evolution, this is what we're here for..... peace

[@LovingKimiKatkar]

To meet Hitch: Try the public bath-house or a Texaco's men's room.

[@stevebritgimp]

This is a great interview, and a pleasure to listen to. I'm thinking - there's various things there I could look into, find out about, read - and in subjects I wouldn't normally. Thank you for posting this!! (Meanwhile I may have to reexamine my sexuality given my crush on Hitch.)

[@closedmouth]

It's funny he pronounced Albert Camus correctly but not Proust.

[@NemoUtopian]

there are no external historians that speak of jesus within his lifetime.achilles and paris have pretty close to the possibility of being historical figures as jesus,but that does not make the limited accounts of them any more credible.i would not be supprised if a historic jesus bore as much in common with bible jesus as the book"i am legend"shared with the movie"the omega man"

[@TheHangedMan]

Saddest damn celebrity death EVER. Douglas Adams... my heart broke into a million pieces.

[@PHOSPH3R]

If one is depressed or an alcoholic, yet brilliant, I really don't give a damn - and you shouldn't either.

[@Superphilipp]

He keeps referring to "my students". Does Hitchens have a teaching post? I thought he was a freelance writer and nothing much else.

[@NemoUtopian]

mind you the democracy the founding fathers gave us only originally applied to white land owners,and it was a vast improvement over the abrahamic faiths that all fully endorse slavery and sexism in all three holy books.i find it interesting that what you define as progress is a path that has led directly away from religions roots.

[@19995700]

Not my purpose but yes you are prejudice and morose toward unbelief and unbelievers. I do have a purpose though which despite what the religious think is without faith and deeply rewarding. The point I was making here is its MY purpose. Internal locus of control and not dictated to me by an outside force, which wouldn't really be mine.

[@robertosixninesix]

what we need is to get constitutional protection for atheism, as a religion

[@NemoUtopian]

mind you evolution has no "purpose",it is just a word for the process.while the universe may be devoid of purpose and compassion,that just seems like a wonderful opratunity to bring compassion and purpose to it.considering that the purpose presented in the bible for us is praising god,i find the idea of trying to find my own purpose far better then the one of brown nose for a being that a god one would think would be more self assured.

[@jeffbrown8]

matt, i understand your point.. but alot of men have tried to come up with alternative theories of the resurrecton and my point is that they seem very unlikely--like the swoon theory ..afterwards the injured Jesus convinces everyone he's the Prince of Life.. about Zeus, I'm curious because i'm not familiar with the stories.. do they describe him as walking with human beings-being born, attending wedding feasts etc..having disciples walking with him town to town? i'm not being sarcastic-curious

[@jeffbrown8]

absolutely i am striving for purpose.. i applied to an awesome divinity school to study evidence for the resurrection and discern with the latest discoveries in science how faith can or can't be applied.. wherever that may lead.. and i'm seeking the ultimate legacy of affecting the world in the best way possible..i won't get into the "spiritual" experiences or awesome ideas that have "inspired me"

[@NemoUtopian]

dawkins does not assume any such thing,he only acknowledges the possibility of such a thing.and your use of the term "superpowers"is a loaded one.

[@19995700]

Easy. Its real. People die. The search for survival will go on, just not while resorting to fairies. I could wish that I was taller - but that won't make it so and vesting my emotions and time into such a thing is wasteful. Use what we have and make the absolute most of it while you can. Agonizing over death only brings the day closer.

[@lesscunning9651]

dis video iz da BOMB!!!

[@kelmakov]

@robertosixninesix We already have it. American government was clearly established as a secular one and we have freedom of religion (which includes having no religion). No religion is officially endorsed by the state and cannot be, despite how many "religious" people there may seem to be.

[@chrish12345]

he's kind of cute in a way that he is *so* egotistical that its , in a way, innocent

[@1001orpheus]

I don't give a damn! And I don't think Hitchens was depressed or an alcoholic. I'm a fan of Hitchens, of course, I like that he was one of the rare authors who actually spoke in favor of alcohol, that it can be a stimulus, not a diversion, when used in a strictly master to servant relationship, the drinker being ostensibly the master. X "ostensibly" out, "being the master." Personally, I'm not a big fan of depression or alcoholism even when brilliant. I'm a fan of brilliance, simply.

[@mattb521]

You don't have to be knowledgeable about the universe to lack a belief in a god anymore than you do to believe in him. There is no evidence or reason to think a creator was involved. We just haven't constructed a complete explanation though natural processes, and may never.

[@arryhuk]

Do you think that both of these well meaning people had sexually deviant thoughts,Orwell was a genius and probably had more than one off the wrist.

[@EGarrett01]

He certainly had interesting life experiences, but he's hardly the only author who went to war and lived through that. He took those ideas, understood them, and strengthened and translated them into a perfect and sickeningly believable nightmare. There is such a thing as thin, implausible and poor metaphor. BTW, genius is relative, so of course it exists. Just like extremely tall people don't exist. But our understanding of genius is indeed flawed (effortless genius doesn't exist.)

[@MrFloW104]

Hitchens was made to have to write by George Orwell, the person that would be up whenever he looked that way. It is the same for me, only with I looking up to him, and now knowing that I have to write.

[@TheEyesOfNye]

Christopher Hitchens is fucking awesome!

[@stevao]

'Intelligent faith' oxymoron if ever i heard one

[@samwh.9611]

Nice. Greetings from 2021 lol

[@LeFARaJ]

@@samwh.9611 hhhh I thought I'm thr only one roaming around here, nice to see people still watching these great videos

[@NemoUtopian]

the desire for immortality always seemed like ego in it's purest form to me.the complete inability to get over ones self.

[@FA8T]

I don't dispute he was a brilliant writer, I just particularly know what the word genius means or really think it exists. I would argue that Huxleys' book Brave New World is as good. It's about understanding where great works come from. I think 1984 was sickeningly believable because it was based on Orwells experience of totalatarianism. This no doubt combined with his unique talents. x

[@jeffbrown8]

well good point.. jefferson was a deist and did us the most good...out of all the founding fathers... there's in our mind this desire for immortality...

[@NemoUtopian]

it seems amazing to me that life,something so rare in the universe that it may even be unique to our planet,could ever be considered a consolation prize.there could well be enough gold and diamond in this universe to craft entire solar systems out of it,but beings that thing and reason?we might be the rarest of all things in this universe.if you found a diamond the size of a car buried under your home,would you be disapointed that it was not 10 times bigger?

[@mattb521]

Well, there's no reason to doubt the possibility of alien life. There are reasons to doubt Christianity, Islam, Judaism, etc. We don't have any more historical writings of jesus christ than we do of any other self-proclaimed messiah of his time period.

[@cutes22]

What a privilege it would be to be a student of his.

[@mattb521]

Actually, I just discovered that they do have anecdotes of Zeus amongst the people. Chris Angel is an example of how even today, people can be convinced that he is walking on water. He even admits that it is all illusion. Yet people believe, and if they were to write it down and the account is discovered in the year 2,250, does this mean that he may or may not have walked on water? No, just that some people believe he did. Apply this to ancient times when most people were as smart as a 10 y.o.

[@jeffbrown8]

I don't want to dissuade myself with doubt if God has a purpose for me , not to have faith and waste my life on skepticism and denying the possibility of a Creator. anyway, good talking to you, haha.. I hope you were entertained at least.. good night to all..

[@Galakyllz]

I used to think the same thing... but then he wouldn't be the same person if he couldn't be as free as he used to be. I'd rather just go back in time and cure cancer.

[@Masenko]

Ha, Hitchens is great.

[@jeffbrown8]

dogmatic and resigned from going against their life's desire -perpetual survival and replication

[@gvdan8]

Why are the curse words silenced?

[@donluchitti]

ahh, your comment makes me nostalgic.

[@mattb521]

We have the same (if not more) historical writings and external historians for Zeus. And all the fights over who's side of the war Zeus was on, etc. Those who claim he lived atop Mt. Olympus and those who claimed he was not the true god of gods. Dynamics of an anecdote do not qualify as a reason for existence, see my Zeus point. It would be like me saying. "Then you have the killing of Zeus's father, I haven't found any alternative theory that gives a better explanation of what happened there.

[@SleepyPenguin-8og]

Rip abe didnt even think bout that had to fix it messed up needed replacing

[@HenryArthurPhillips]

@LobsterPotsticker Sadly not.. he wrote a lot of non-fiction but he never wrote a novel.

[@19995700]

"if i thought i had a purpose i wouldn't tell you anyway". Man you are prejudiced badly. Your not blowing out a birthday cake and making a wish! I think you are missing the point. OK easy question, non-intrusive - do you have a purpose for your life?

[@19995700]

I think your imbuing natural order with your own moroseness here. Hitchens 'calling' was exactly that. Its like having a spiritual experience I suppose - the problem is religion is too quick to claim it when it can be quite natural. We all have these epiphanies - there super and natural - just not supernatural.

[@QwidgyboMan]

Nonsense. What we need is to remove the arrogated power and protection that faith without evidence affords one - Both in the public and political arenas.

[@jeffbrown8]

Is your purpose, not divine, to correct my prejudices here? If i'm prejudiced or morose I want to know about those things so I can correct them.. so I can increase my survival and replication ability-s & r value..to fulfill evolution's blind imperative upon me, but what's happening to me right now is a transition from faith to unbelief..and i'm not sure unbelief will be an optimal state of mind

[@Mjhavok]

He is quite the character.

[@karaokejam]

JB - It's moving and fascinating as myth and history, but it's not the story of life on Earth, nor the only path to forming morality. You do well to find inspiration from the Jesus story, but your salvation and humanity aren't related to it.

[@jeffbrown8]

that was a response to mattb... on a lighter note.. I absolutely love the Portable Atheist book and HItchens' other bestseller.. I am just not sold on the concept of going beyond an agnostic and giving up the hope of life extending beyond this one.. or being an anti-theist.. i don't think i'm smart enough about the universe to completely deny there is a Creator

[@NemoUtopian]

it is still a different field,important to science no doubt,but it no more effects the observations and theory of evolution then the theory of relativity.evolution deals only with the development of existing life.

[@shaitan66]

a true genius, i have found my hero.

[@jeffbrown8]

i'm just not convinced yet that the skeptical mindset (remember i just went o jref which was great experience) is the the most optimal mindset our brains should engage in or it has evolved to .. and the same goes for atheism.. is it healthy for all...

[@jeffbrown8]

i understand you're argument mattb.. i'm meditating on it... i'm not too quick to give up the REsurrection if there's one person in the history of the world who guaranteed eternal life and forgiveness of sins and supposedly proved it by resurrecting from the dead-- and then his followers "supposedly" went to death claiming they saw him..and in the presence of losing their lives never recounted it as a prank... this is worthy of study until i just can't believe or i must

[@FA8T]

That isn't genius, Orwell lived through all the major totalatarianisms of the 20th century. Imperialism, fascism and stalinism. He fought in the spanish revolution and saw it destroyed by the Stalinists and it was this which made him become anti-totalatarian rather than just leftwing. It wasn't genius, just brilliant metaphor for the things he had seen and experienced. Then again I don't think there is such a thing as genius.