Christopher Hitchens on Gore Vidal and William F. Buckley Jr.

Interview for the documentary Best Of Enemies

[@lawrencegreenwood4002]

Almost weekly I wonder what Hitchens would have thought about the world we now live in.

[@johnottr]

I do the same myself all the time.

[@vishnudestroyer]

Are you mostly attracted to his British accent, the mere sound of which causes many Americans to attribute a full standard deviation of IQ points to the speaker? Or do you mostly miss his full throated defense of the Iraq war which killed over 1 million people, the Afghanistan war which killed tens of thousands of people, of any of the other 6-7 other countries America is intermittently attacking (Pakistan, Yemen, Syria, Somalia, Libya, etc). Or do you fantasize about Hitchens telling all who would listen why the US should attack Iran? I for one am quite glad he is no more.

[@johnottr]

@@vishnudestroyer I never did understand his defense of the Iraq war, on that issue I did not agree with him. I did however agree with him on many other issues. I am quite sad he is gone.

[@lawrencegreenwood4002]

@@vishnudestroyer No, as a non American, and someone with a fine accent myself, I recognise that he was a person with whom I didn't 100% agree with on every issue. You see, you and I must be different like that. I can disagree with someone's various views without being acidic. I understand, for example that his advocation of the neoconservative opinions surrounding Iraq were only neoconservative in a coincidental sense. They were a product of his deep appreciation for Orwell, and his anti-authoritarian absolutism that grew from it. I share that opinion, but I disagree in the case of Iraq because I don't agree that foreign military intervention is a good thing at all in the immense majority of cases. I'm sure that your lambasting of Christopher has good intentions where you come off as though you're sticking up for the oppressed, but you actually come off sounding a little myopic and fanatical. His whole point is that involvement in Afghanistan, for example, was the lesser of two evils. Google 'Taliban Treatment Of Women' if you think that the Taliban aren't objectively evil and detestable. Again, I'm not in favour of foreign wars, but I'm also not in favour of attacking those who can't turn a blind eye to the harder truths in issues. Ask the families of the gassed Kurds if intervention in Iraq was a good idea. Ask the women who were not stoned to death as a result of US intervention in Afghanistan if that said intervention was a good thing for them. It's more complex than you're portraying it. Your whole effort is cheap.

[@vishnudestroyer]

He was unapologetic for the mass slaughter of 1 million Iraqis because of “Orwell”. He continued to support the mass killing and colonization of Afghanistan until the day he died because of the “lesser of two evils”. Hitchens is an unintelligent person’s idea of what an intelligent person sounds like. Not a serious person.

[@poundshopcicero3089]

I miss Mr Hitchins very much. He was an example to us all. Reasoned thought and debate are to be cherished as it saves a whole lot of heartache and misery.

[@ronaldnixon8226]

Trump would demolish this loser Hitchen's in a debate.

[@davidantonsavage6207]

Really sad to have Hitchens gone far too soon, and to know that here in May of 2023, Kissinger will reach his 100th birthday on the 27th.

[@Padybu]

I take solace in the fact that Kissinger has been dead inside for decades and Hitchens lives on

[@hughjass8430]

No one will eulogize Kissinger in youtube comments when he's gone. In this way, Hitch will live on and inspire new generations

[@donaldobrien9171]

Many reptiles live a long time

[@infinitejest441]

@@donaldobrien9171 wonder if Kissinger can still lick his eyeballs

[@Ma1q444]

Kissinger is the goat, hitchens didn’t accomplish much

[@TheRealBozz]

His mastery of the English language meant that even in brevity, Hitch could paint vast mental landscapes. What a wordsmith. Miss you man.

[@MrJamberee]

Hitchens is obsessed with religion and his hatred for it. He’s tiresome

[@TheRealBozz]

@@MrJamberee Yep. And that part of him intrigued me for a while, but militant atheism soon wore me out as well. He was correct about religion, but the incessant attacks seemed forced. You cant deny that he could turn a phrase though.

[@jamiesharp152]

@@MrJamberee Why do we cringe when the church is challenged? He is an explorer showing us a new path...with no divine light to guide us.

[@TheRealBozz]

@Jamil Ebdeen His eloquence is unassailable. I will be kind and not call your sanity into question.

[@roughhabit9085]

When you start preaching atheism then you are kind of missing the point and there is not one shred of civility in mocking other peoples beliefs.

[@codent]

"the narcissism of small differences" .

[@johndowns3839]

It's doubtful whether they were small differences.

[@wellesradio]

John Downs He means that the similarities were more numerous than the differences. Imagine a twin in green and a twin in red. One fat, one thin. We tend to enlarge the differences. That's the narcissism part.

[@bearlytraincot4131]

Lol. In either mind there can be only one left standing.

[@johnnycook2384]

John Downs I completely agree. As Hitchens observers, “ Their differences may have been narrow in scope but they were very deeply rooted,” and therefore they weren’t small. Their differences on religion alone were enough to define them as completely different and antagonistic.

[@wellesradio]

Johnny Cook The idea Hitchens Freud and Hitchens are trying to make is that they ARE small differences, but our own narcissism enlarges them because they form a part of our self-made identity which is very vulnerable. If it weren’t for our narcissism we would realize how trite it ultimately all is.

[@notreallydavid]

Good to be granted a glimpse of Mr Hitchens' current reading pile.

[@bovnycccoperalover3579]

Brilliant man. It's A tragedy he's gone. You don't have to completely agree with someone to admire their intellect and depth of knowledge.

[@johnmolina3284]

The problem was his intellectual dishonesty.

[@jeffforsythe9514]

Everyone has a feeling of emptiness that they try to fill by thousands of different means. Some of us cannot fill this emptiness which turns into despair and those unfortunate people, when the despair never ends, commit suicide. The others use, food, sports, sex, porno, I Phones, shopping, alcohol, drugs, "legal and illegal", wealth and fame, the list is endless. The ones who use wealth really prove my point by never being satisfied and keep trying by becoming ridiculously wealthy, 200 billion, for example, nothing seems to work. Others become morbidly obese and others sometimes own a hundred cars. Still unable to rid themselves of that feeling of emptiness. The evil CCP has eliminated even the word God in all levels of education and admit to over 1000 suicides a day meaning that there could easily be 10 times that number, no faith, despair flourishes. This is because that feeling of emptiness comes from missing their connection to the Divine, they all have lost their faith in God. Faith is it's own reward.............falundafa

[@richwiedeman3128]

@@jeffforsythe9514 and what of those who try to fill the emptiness by copy-pasting weak attempts at character assassination on you tube comment threads of people who have been gone more than a decade? Does that fill your emptiness? It seems to undercut the very drivel you pasted by revealing a huge yawning chasm in your own being, most obviously your lack of character.

[@jeffforsythe9514]

@@richwiedeman3128 You want to go to Hell, follow your alcoholic hero, truth hurts, sorry, I do not pull punches when the stakes are so high, your soul. So easy to criticize everything, how about the good things, like faith in God.

[@jeffforsythe9514]

@@richwiedeman3128 So, what is it that you want me to do? Pretend I respected him, tell you how wise both of you are, that I go to bed every night with his video on Tv? Sorry, just because he had a lot of lost sheep following him, so did Hitler. But I can sort of tell that my words are falling on deaf ears, you have all ready become convinced that evil is good, poor you.

[@stoniewake125]

Every year around my birthday I circle back around to all the Hitch videos. Almost like renewing my ideals, the truths, the hurtful facts and the joy to be a resident of earth. Thanks Christopher

[@BillMorganChannel]

Hello Stonie. Do you think the eye, optic never and visual cortex are the result of design or chance? What about the cells that make up the eye, optic nerve and visula cortex? Thank you!

[@PissyKnish]

@@BillMorganChannel Go shit in your golden undies! Thanks!

[@jayt8532]

@@BillMorganChannel They were designed. By natural selection. Which is the opposite of random chance.

[@BillMorganChannel]

@@jayt8532 Greetings. I know very well what natural selection is. Are you saying natural selection "designs" or does it only select?

[@trevisonclark7135]

I do the same thing with Buckley.

[@cygnusx-1318]

I've come late to Hitchens. I like his interviews and ideas. Worth listening to.

[@Padybu]

Better late than never

[@tigertiger1699]

I feel intelligent just listening to him…., can’t get enough of his intellect…, but then it’s probably more that he did the hard work, the reading n thinking…. What a blessing and privilege he was for us…, I’m married to a PhD… so lucky to have those around us that study

[@Elvisism]

Blessed are those that have those who Labour intellectually around them, although forgive the irony of saying this in the comments of a Hitchens video aha.

[@Rezn8d0utlaw]

I still miss his insight, humor, and commitment to truth. Thank you Christopher for being a light in the sky that burned bright but way too fast.

[@dustinf49]

Truth.. my keyword right now

[@samludu5916]

I'd give anything to hear Christopher Hitchens discuss the American calamities we're enduring on so many fronts - politically, culturally, technically, environmentally ...

[@jamescarr4662]

Have you heard of Noam Chomsky?

[@pkaye5876]

All that time dedicated to intellectual knowledge and he still didn’t get it right.

[@HenryChinaski614]

Always a fan. One of the most important intellects of our time. RIP Christopher.

[@marcusonesimus3400]

David Wier Do you claim something approaching omniscience? Remarkable. But by all means let God, Who possesses the greatest intellect of all, be Judge of that matter. 'The fool says in his heart, "There is no God." '

[@HenryChinaski614]

@@marcusonesimus3400Hello and thanks for the note. My comment is the opinion of one man, myself. My comment is based on the totality of his work during his life. My focus was not on his position of atheism but on the man as a whole. I would hope that we will all be judged by this as opposed to a single point. Thanks again and take care.

[@randyjohnson6073]

so missed. so needed.

[@NagoyaHouseHead]

We don't have public intellectuals of this caliber anymore. He was the last of a dying breed. A giant of a man.

[@briangregory8223]

Agreed, they are out there but what I think has changed is the public. Society no longer has an appetite for complexity.

[@HansLiu23]

He sounds drunk and he rambles.

[@NagoyaHouseHead]

@@HansLiu23 He does not such thing. He was the most incisive and eloquent speaker of the last fifty years

[@HansLiu23]

He literally sounds drunk. @@NagoyaHouseHead

[@NagoyaHouseHead]

@@HansLiu23 He could be drunk. I said he most certainly does not ramble. He's the most concise speaker of the last 50 years.

[@matthewvalentinas]

Miss this dude. Would have loved his opinion on matters during this uncivil time.

[@not2tees]

Yes, you can't help but feel his absence these days.

[@gouldney1]

Matthew Valentinas As a distant foreigner, there does seem plenty in the clip that paints a backdrop to today’s US.

[@frederickdahl2780]

Hitchens would no doubt rail against the progressive assholes trying to destroy this country with their socialist bullshit.Hed hate their destruction of free speech.

[@BillMorganChannel]

I agree with you that he would see the need of love and Jesus Christ in the world today.

[@icemachine79]

@@frederickdahl2780 He would rail against them. But not because they're socialists.

[@pianobanter]

Charles Lindbergh... “a lot of people found him sexually charismatic, possibly not excluding Gore ... or Bill” and with a wry smile Hitchens says what many others were thinking.

[@chrisn7259]

Actually, I always found Hitchens sexually charismatic.

[@nuqwestr]

Vidal and Buckley were both born in 1925 and were young boys during the time of America First and Lindberg's political speeches of the late 1930's. Context is always important.

[@pianobanter]

nuqwestr Yes indeed they were contemporaries, infact they were born within a few weeks of each other. I think Hitchens already pointed out the context but it is worth noting the rumours of Buckley’s suppressed feelings regarding his sexuality. I think That was the point.

[@nuqwestr]

@@pianobanter Yes, and I agree, but believe Hitchens was unnecessarily cryptic and disingenuous, with the affect being acidic, not acerbic. More's the pity.

[@pianobanter]

nuqwestr Yes, that is a valid point.

[@brianfinnegan664]

Hitchens stuffed his whole supply of that weeks reading material into the shot.

[@rogerparis]

😂

[@michaelerickson985]

That is probably not true. Given the large amount of books in the background, I doubt that a man even as prodigious in reading as Mr. Hitchens could have read entirely all those books within a week. This is especially likely given he probably did more tasks in a given week than only reading.

[@brianfinnegan664]

@@michaelerickson985 😂😂😂😂😂

[@mellowtron214]

Your joke is bad, Hitchens was famously illiterate. Furthermore, those “books” are actually printed wall paper titled “Trotskyist Nook”.

[@vegaobscurax23]

Lmao quite possibly

[@crosscountrycrusader]

I rarely listen to someone speak who combines plain speech, a relatable tone and intense intellect all in one.

[@jeffforsythe9514]

Everyone has a feeling of emptiness that they try to fill by thousands of different means. Some of us cannot fill this emptiness which turns into despair and those unfortunate people, when the despair never ends, commit suicide. The others use, food, sports, sex, porno, I Phones, shopping, alcohol, drugs, "legal and illegal", wealth and fame, the list is endless. The ones who use wealth really prove my point by never being satisfied and keep trying by becoming ridiculously wealthy, 200 billion, for example, nothing seems to work. Others become morbidly obese and others sometimes own a hundred cars. Still unable to rid themselves of that feeling of emptiness. The evil CCP has eliminated even the word God in all levels of education and admit to over 1000 suicides a day meaning that there could easily be 10 times that number, no faith, despair flourishes. This is because that feeling of emptiness comes from missing their connection to the Divine, they all have lost their faith in God. Faith is it's own reward.............falundafa

[@redskinStu]

Such a hypnotic speaker, and unlike most hypnotic speakers, his comments had substance

[@smotnick]

Too much vitriol for hypnotism.

[@richwiedeman3128]

@@smotnick what you're calling vitriol, is what was already addressed, as substance. Hypnotic cadence often carries an empty speech meant to sound good but convey nothing of meaning from a talented but uninformed speaker. Yet in Hitchen's case, he always had a point to convey, and often erudite knowledge to promulgate along the way inside of the disarming smooth delivery. That said, sometimes he knew when to break the spell to lob a bomb for extra impact, but he was able to deliver his vitriol just as smoothly.

[@MCPetruk]

Amazing he was so articulate while plastered.

[@abc456f]

Other than a bit of slurring here, which gives it away, he's still quite lucid and so articulate.

[@sobriquet5016]

Hahahahah

[@charlespowell571]

Very plastered!!

[@NagoyaHouseHead]

He's so deeply and profoundly literate that he becomes more eloquent the more he drinks.

[@johndaugherty7465]

Practice, practice, practice... ;-)

[@kristinpfanku3927]

Great commentary by Hitchens. I learned more about Gore Vidal watching this upload.

[@lesleytodd3586]

Miss Hitch and his wonderfully articulate mind.

[@Zeldarw104]

thanks for sharing this insight, it's very interesting!🤔

[@graysonhoward1562]

As a hardcore Catholic, I've always respected Hitchens' respectful demeanor in discourse. I disagree with a lot he says, but he's for sure a quality debater.

[@chasetaylor2280]

Eh, he was a better essayist.

[@graysonhoward1562]

Chase Taylor ok fair enough, but you get what I’m trying to say

[@flemingcourt]

Why fall for someone else's belief system? Why not THINK for yourself? Religion is so random, so fake, so evil.

[@graysonhoward1562]

steve hansen to be fair I’m still learning for myself, but I choose not to deal with absolutes at this point in my life.

[@thatcooperfellow]

Well... was... sadly

[@user-jt5ot4hy9q]

I often didn't even agree with Hitch, but God I miss him now.

[@MalteseKat]

He's an atheist and couldn't care less about your feelings toward God.

[@user-jt5ot4hy9q]

Well, maybe he knows better now.

[@Waltiswicked]

You don't often agree with Hitch? You're a fool and often wrong.

[@user-jt5ot4hy9q]

@Waltiswicked. No, I mean little things--like he liked to drink wine in the morning and I prefer to get stoned.

[@edmundmcgrath213]

@@user-jt5ot4hy9q He knows as much now as he knew before he was born.

[@embisonjones4996]

I got to know of this after his death. I miss him as much as I would miss a family member. How crazy is that.

[@BillMorganChannel]

Kinda crazy. Focus on the greatness of God, not a deceased hater of God. Poor Christopher, great mind lacking wisdom.....

[@fnaffun6921]

Bill Moron?

[@BillMorganChannel]

@@fnaffun6921 I am not stupid enough to think the human digestive system happened by chance, and I KNOW you don't either but your emotions might cause you to say so....am I correct?

[@alekz112]

@@BillMorganChannel I'll go out on a limb and say you're wrong.

[@MrLJT1]

@@alekz112 that is not much of a limb. Let me state that I know the human digestive system evolved.

[@spiritualfreedom5372]

It always made me sick to watch people neglect the beautiful mind of this wonderful man

[@vanguard4065]

hardly anyone neglected Christopher. He was admired and adored by many even Catholics like myself who saw his intellectual honesty a fierce attraction apart from his vehement hatred for religion

[@spiritualfreedom5372]

I always thought his points weren't properly addressed by the religious tools that interviewed him

[@Dabhach1]

Oooohh, spit on me, Christopher.

[@stephenbartlett1167]

@Jamil Ebdeen Good point. That’s where Hitchens made the wrong turn

[@jeffforsythe9514]

Everyone has a feeling of emptiness that they try to fill by thousands of different means. Some of us cannot fill this emptiness which turns into despair and those unfortunate people, when the despair never ends, commit suicide. The others use, food, sports, sex, porno, I Phones, shopping, alcohol, drugs, "legal and illegal", wealth and fame, the list is endless. The ones who use wealth really prove my point by never being satisfied and keep trying by becoming ridiculously wealthy, 200 billion, for example, nothing seems to work. Others become morbidly obese and others sometimes own a hundred cars. Still unable to rid themselves of that feeling of emptiness. The evil CCP has eliminated even the word God in all levels of education and admit to over 1000 suicides a day meaning that there could easily be 10 times that number, no faith, despair flourishes. This is because that feeling of emptiness comes from missing their connection to the Divine, they all have lost their faith in God. Faith is it's own reward.............falundafa

[@vynleshmynle7372]

Weather you agree with Hitchens or disagree with his views, He so f’ing brilliant and impossible not to admire.

[@fromsurrey9538]

Do we just now admire people who probably read English or classics but all their well formed prose turned out to be fluff.

[@davidjohnson518]

Whether

[@titusmccarthy]

He's crap.

[@DanielBoonelight]

@@titusmccarthy meaningless personal interjection backed up by nothing

[@sourabhtripathi0986]

I'm proud of you

[@dattieo]

Hitch was great on his feet, speaking extempore, his erudition beyond compare. I love how he casually uses the "law of enantiodromia" to make a point. He sailed over the word so quickly I thought he was mumbling; I replayed the tape with the captions to see what I'd missed. Enantiodromia is a ten dollar word, bit Hitch could make it sound colloquial.

[@jeffforsythe9514]

Everyone has a feeling of emptiness that they try to fill by thousands of different means. Some of us cannot fill this emptiness which turns into despair and those unfortunate people, when the despair never ends, commit suicide. The others use, food, sports, sex, porno, I Phones, shopping, alcohol, drugs, "legal and illegal", wealth and fame, the list is endless. The ones who use wealth really prove my point by never being satisfied and keep trying by becoming ridiculously wealthy, 200 billion, for example, nothing seems to work. Others become morbidly obese and others sometimes own a hundred cars. Still unable to rid themselves of that feeling of emptiness. The evil CCP has eliminated even the word God in all levels of education and admit to over 1000 suicides a day meaning that there could easily be 10 times that number, no faith, despair flourishes. This is because that feeling of emptiness comes from missing their connection to the Divine, they all have lost their faith in God. Faith is it's own reward.............falundafa

[@philcawser]

I am at a loss as to the relevance of this post in response to the light-hearted appreciation of the rare word enantiodromia? The post suggests a link to suicide rates in a communist country which is without foundation. The top ten suicide rates in the world are mostly countries with very high religious believer percentages. Religion will certainly provide a comfort blanket of certainty, and a promise of life after death, in exchange for servility and unquestioning faith, based on zero evidence and laughably inconsistent medieval (and in some cases modern) gospel. This is an unwholesome package, even though life is difficult and a stressful process, and human awareness of mortality an unavoidable destination.

[@sisekomarwai1367]

I miss Christopher Hitchens.

[@ivancarlson953]

You could be like him too if you read as much as he did.

[@smotnick]

@@ivancarlson953 And drink hard liquor and eat a lot.

[@jamesa2482]

@@smotnick and chainsmoke.

[@callumkohekade5396]

Damn son, Christopher was right about Buckley being afraid of not working constantly, he was found in his study dead over his writing...

[@jeffforsythe9514]

Everyone has a feeling of emptiness that they try to fill by thousands of different means. Some of us cannot fill this emptiness which turns into despair and those unfortunate people, when the despair never ends, commit suicide. The others use, food, sports, sex, porno, I Phones, shopping, alcohol, drugs, "legal and illegal", wealth and fame, the list is endless. The ones who use wealth really prove my point by never being satisfied and keep trying by becoming ridiculously wealthy, 200 billion, for example, nothing seems to work. Others become morbidly obese and others sometimes own a hundred cars. Still unable to rid themselves of that feeling of emptiness. The evil CCP has eliminated even the word God in all levels of education and admit to over 1000 suicides a day meaning that there could easily be 10 times that number, no faith, despair flourishes. This is because that feeling of emptiness comes from missing their connection to the Divine, they all have lost their faith in God. Faith is it's own reward.............falundafa

[@brando7266]

@@jeffforsythe9514 so even if God is not real, it's still good to be religious?

[@jeffforsythe9514]

@@brando7266 Depends on the religion you choose, the only righteous one today is Falun Dafa.

[@williamevans9426]

Highly insightful analyses!

[@VesicantMorgues]

With all the covid interviews taking place at the moment it makes me laugh how people setup up a small bookcase behind them with an even smaller amount of books to show the world how well read they are. Christopher Hitchens read so much that bookcases were useless.

[@samdavepollard]

Yes, it's fun to see all those books in all those backgrounds these days. I don't know if they exactly set them up but they for sure know what they're doing when they just happen to pick that room in their house for the interview. I read the other day that's there now a company (here in the UK) that will sell you books by the yard so you can get your Zoom background looking just right; maybe there have been such firms for a while but they're certainly having a good pandemic :-)

[@habibtalukter5895]

this is so fucking true, I was saying this to my wife earlier. its so transparent, just makes them look insecure

[@kh23797]

@@samdavepollard Amazon sells "Faux Books for Bookshelf", amazingly. We were told the Kindle, etc. would mark the end of the book era but when you're at the beach, that dog-eared old paperback in your jeans pocket is tough as old boots and won't run out of juice. Mind you, I also find having a good novel on the smartphone very handy on a train ride.

[@samdavepollard]

@@kh23797 yes, i like my kindle - read far more since i got one, for some reason, and at my age, being able to ramp up the font size is handy - but after reading ebooks for a while there's undeniably a pleasure in fondling a 'real' book once more; faux books - i imagine it won't be long before someone offers a drop down menu, listing any number of different personas you might wish to project and they'll ship you a bunch of appropriate books (well, the spines, anyway ... )

[@brianfinnegan664]

Just what he read that day

[@kellyharper8072]

Vidal ❤️ Buckley ❤️ and Hitchens ❤️

[@johnmolina3284]

three very different men.

[@RileyRampant]

i believe Hitchens had Vidal wrong on the left-right issue. GV was anti-interventionist, anti-MIC, pro public healthcare, pro public education, populist, anti-corporate power - there is no way I see that you could have parsed him as other than left, in at least the Social Democratic sense.

[@Grimenoughtomaketherobotcry]

An example of not very well-veiled sour grapes on H's part. Vidal rejected him after H publicly declared his support for the Iraq war. I also think that H was much more chummy with Buckley than he's admitting to in this interview, probably because it was filmed around the time he was promoting his book God Is Not Great, and doing the Atheist Roadshow with Dawkins, Harris et al., so admitting to a close friendship with Buckley might not have been good for business, which is what Hitch was really all about. Hitch did deign to enter a Roman Catholic church to attend Buckley's funeral, which suggests to me a closer relationship than is admitted to here.

[@fromsurrey9538]

You're right. Mr Hitchens only said that about GV in order to discredit him with the liberals. Hitchens lost his way, not just that, he wasted his intellect. Tell me what substantive legacy he left? Hitchens now only exists on the fringe on KZbin.

[@MattSingh1]

@@Grimenoughtomaketherobotcry Vidal asked Hitchens to be his successor. Vidal then lied about it and claimed he didn't, when he did. You also make the now-boring, predictable slight against Hitchens that he was 'all about business', or that he somehow sold-out for gobs of money, which only serves to make you look infantile-minded.

[@Grimenoughtomaketherobotcry]

@@MattSingh1 My comment about Hitchens having sold out for, as you so eloquently put it, "gobs of money" striking you as "boring" or "predictable" in no way detracts from the truth of it. Boredom is a feeling, and neither I nor the world give a damn about how you feel about this or any other issue. You might consider growing up enough to accept that. However, if you are really desperate to deal with your boredom, I'm sure I could prove to be a font of helpful suggestions.

[@BladeRunner-td8be]

Agree.

[@italianGOD86]

I wish my brain worked liked his. One of the greatest orators I have ever read, heard or seen.

[@darrellcriswell9919]

But he was a nut, it is much easier to talk when you don't have to be coherent. His talent was absolute righteous indignation, everyone who disagreed with him was scum.

[@italianGOD86]

@@darrellcriswell9919 Are you coherent? I don't know too many nuts who had that many best sellers on NYT list......

[@darrellcriswell9919]

@@italianGOD86 Yes I am coherent. Remember he was supposedly a very liberal person who became one of the biggest defenders of George W Bush and the invasion of Iraq, if that doesn't qualify as being a nut what does? He made numerous criticisms of people who questioned Bush's intelligence. What more evidence do you need? Selling books just means you are a good writer and can write things that are interesting, not sane or logical.

[@darrellcriswell9919]

@@italianGOD86 Anybody who was a huge supported of GWB and the Iraq War is not a coherent thinker. I know it includes a lot of people. All kinds of idiots are on the NYT best sellers list, like Barum said "a sucker is born every minute", sales are not rational metrics.

[@sendnoodles5437]

@@darrellcriswell9919 He had tenable reasons for supporting the war on terror; though I don't share his stance, I respect that it wasn't a reactionary one. He's possibly the most coherent person who's ever lived.

[@jaewok5G]

i've never heard anyone elaborate on vidal … fascinating

[@robertrichard6107]

He's pretty accurate about where Gore actually was on the pendulum. But the isolationist label was just easy to use I think. Gore Vidal never fit into an Ivy League category of old boys thinking about Foreign Policy. He knew what a White Russian was, but I doubt some one like Jimmy Carter does. He never went to a four year college. And Harry Truman, GV hated him with a vengance just like my republican maternal grandfather from Kansas. Of course, I couldn't say FDR's name in my paternal grandfathers' house. I knew FDR got Pearl Harbor to happen before I ever knew about GV. But GV was the first outspoken author/ historian who I've ever seen could say that on the air and they'd let him get away with it. Yet he could respect FDR like I do, of course the Bush' resented FDR dearly. I've found Buckley a simplistic Republican snob, but was occasionally surprised by his forays. Gore never diappointed me, and I like to think it's from my maternal Kansas Republican side. You could respect Buckleys' tea-totaling, but you could tell Hitch was a lush. Lindbergh, nor Patton, nor Buckley, nor Vidal could talk about the elephant in the room that came to rest in Israel, only beat the bush around it.

[@kiwitrainguy]

Buckleys' tea-totaling ?

[@ProNorden]

I do miss all three of them.✌

[@Vingul]

Wouldn't guess it from someone as based as you seem judging by your screen name. But I do as well.

[@marysalisbury9270]

Me too!

[@karenkaren3189]

Hitch where are you....we NEED you !

[@kennethbiebighauser7984]

At last....Christopher Hitchens...almost 8 minutes of listening pleasure

[@charlestaylor8624]

Just because Vidal and Buckley are reluctant to see young people killed in foreign wars that cannot be won does not make the two authors isolationist.

[@kevinjoseph517]

go isolationism

[@kevinronske9894]

Communism being foisted on the European people by that certain minority caused misery and death and needed to be dealt with.America fought in 2 wars in Europe that made the world safer for Communism and to kill off the best of European Man.

[@kiwitrainguy]

Coronavirus has turned me into an Isolationist.

[@linshanhsiang]

Actually, it does.

[@maxmeier532]

I dont know about Buckley but Vidal even quoted Washington and Adams to justify isolationism. In an interview Vidal called WWII with the connotation of sarcasm "the just war", or something to that effect, I cant recall the exact word he used, but the intention was there. Vidal also implied that Pearl Harbor was not only induced by cornering them but also gratefully used to join the Allied Forces and join WWII. Vidal imho made no secret of his opinion that the US should not have been in WWII, which could have led to basically Hitler conquering all of Europe. Where would that have led to? Certainly Vidal would not have had his mansion in Italy.

[@krisscanlon4051]

Hitchens was the perfect guide to these two powerhouses...he knew em well.

[@mjm5081]

🙏❤🌹 Christopher 🌹❤🙏

[@jgeorge2465]

I miss this guy truly.

[@jeffforsythe9514]

Everyone has a feeling of emptiness that they try to fill by thousands of different means. Some of us cannot fill this emptiness which turns into despair and those unfortunate people, when the despair never ends, commit suicide. The others use, food, sports, sex, porno, I Phones, shopping, alcohol, drugs, "legal and illegal", wealth and fame, the list is endless. The ones who use wealth really prove my point by never being satisfied and keep trying by becoming ridiculously wealthy, 200 billion, for example, nothing seems to work. Others become morbidly obese and others sometimes own a hundred cars. Still unable to rid themselves of that feeling of emptiness. The evil CCP has eliminated even the word God in all levels of education and admit to over 1000 suicides a day meaning that there could easily be 10 times that number, no faith, despair flourishes. This is because that feeling of emptiness comes from missing their connection to the Divine, they all have lost their faith in God. Faith is it's own reward.............falundafa

[@bruhdon4748]

The world we live in right now needs Christopher Hitchens so badly, so sad he’s gone

[@marcusonesimus3400]

Bruhdon If his presence were truly necessary, have no fear, God would have arranged for it. Why this retrospective nostalgia on account of a 'progressive' thinker?

[@bruhdon4748]

@@marcusonesimus3400 what do you mean?

[@marcusonesimus3400]

@@bruhdon4748 No one 'needs' messed-up atheist thinkers messing up other messed-up minds all the more.

[@bruhdon4748]

@@marcusonesimus3400 and we need more religion to do the same?

[@marcusonesimus3400]

@@bruhdon4748 Did I advocate religion per se? Certainly not. Most religion IS noxious rubbish, including atheistic religion. (Yes, some atheists do proselytize zealously, presenting their worldview as an alternative route of human salvation, albeit in a this-worldly sense.) What does the Bible say? (James 1:26) 'If anyone thinks himself to be religious, yet does not bridle his own tongue but deceives his own heart, this man's religion is worthless.' In Jesus' words: (John 4:24) 'God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.' That last word is critical.

[@julianmarsh8384]

Hitchens hits on some significant points but I would like to add what I found in an interview (and so many years ago I forget where I came upon it) where someone said: "To Vidal, Buckley represents all the traits he, Vidal, has tried to purge himself of for many years: so for Gore, Buckley WAS Gore, but the Gore Vidal the 'real Vidal' found appalling....

[@Immperc]

I miss all three of them.

[@jeffforsythe9514]

Everyone has a feeling of emptiness that they try to fill by thousands of different means. Some of us cannot fill this emptiness which turns into despair and those unfortunate people, when the despair never ends, commit suicide. The others use, food, sports, sex, porno, I Phones, shopping, alcohol, drugs, "legal and illegal", wealth and fame, the list is endless. The ones who use wealth really prove my point by never being satisfied and keep trying by becoming ridiculously wealthy, 200 billion, for example, nothing seems to work. Others become morbidly obese and others sometimes own a hundred cars. Still unable to rid themselves of that feeling of emptiness. The evil CCP has eliminated even the word God in all levels of education and admit to over 1000 suicides a day meaning that there could easily be 10 times that number, no faith, despair flourishes. This is because that feeling of emptiness comes from missing their connection to the Divine, they all have lost their faith in God. Faith is it's own reward.............falundafa

[@marysalisbury9270]

So do I.😢

[@kellyharper8072]

A true thinker who also could change his opinions based upon his own personal growth. Wow, what a brain!

[@fromsurrey9538]

really? Mr Hitchens is a pseudo intellectual 's idea of an intellectual.

[@hd-xc2lz]

I agree, he was the rare public intellectual who could think while a camera was pointed at him.

[@hd-xc2lz]

@@fromsurrey9538 And "pseudo intellectual" is THE favorite slur for anti-intellectuals and populists everywhere.

[@fromsurrey9538]

@@hd-xc2lz What you said doesn't make sense. So the person calling other people Pseudo and doesn't think Hitchens is all that bright is Anti-intellectual? Pls go on and take your medicine.

[@hd-xc2lz]

@@fromsurrey9538 No, only that anti-intellectuals over-use the term.

[@ShikataGaNai100]

The genius of Hitchens is all-encompassing.

[@Triumph2024.]

How and why? What does that mean?

[@jeffforsythe9514]

All encompassing a bottle of scotch. Everyone has a feeling of emptiness that they try to fill by thousands of different means. Some of us cannot fill this emptiness which turns into despair and those unfortunate people, when the despair never ends, commit suicide. The others use, food, sports, sex, porno, I Phones, shopping, alcohol, drugs, "legal and illegal", wealth and fame, the list is endless. The ones who use wealth really prove my point by never being satisfied and keep trying by becoming ridiculously wealthy, 200 billion, for example, nothing seems to work. Others become morbidly obese and others sometimes own a hundred cars. Still unable to rid themselves of that feeling of emptiness. The evil CCP has eliminated even the word God in all levels of education and admit to over 1000 suicides a day meaning that there could easily be 10 times that number, no faith, despair flourishes. This is because that feeling of emptiness comes from missing their connection to the Divine, they all have lost their faith in God. Faith is it's own reward.............falundafa

[@MalteseKat]

Hitchens drank two bottles of wine with each meal. I can't imagine he is sober at any time.

[@DieFlabbergast]

The fact that he produced an enormous amount of work while drinking so much proves beyond doubt that alcohol affected him very little. Ergo, he was usually sober.

[@josha1407]

@@DieFlabbergast you don't need to be sober to write.

[@HalfB]

His extreme high tolerance level by his 30’s would make drinking two bottles of wine with food effectively negligible. Wine having 11-13% alcohol and it reasonably answers the question why people graduate to hard liquor since the weaker drink like wine and beer becomes as ineffective as water. The tolerance that daily big drinkers have is hard to wrap your head around. I’m surprised he didn’t die of cirrhosis of the liver but would have but throat cancer from smoking got him first. Be well Carmen. R.I.P. dear Hitch

[@dukadarodear2176]

@@HalfB Yep, the noxious tobacco weed that had no good side to it (unlike the hippy weed) got him. It's a pity there's no hell to take the tobacco magnates.

[@kiwitrainguy]

Christopher Hitchens died from Oesophageal Cancer, not brought on by either his smoking or drinking (alcohol). That form of cancer runs in his family, apparently.

[@paulconnelly4050]

This was fascinating.

[@user-zk1rk3mp9p]

A great anglo-american thinker of our time,rip Hitch

[@MitzvosGolem1]

His mother was Jewish..

[@MitzvosGolem1]

@Ken Hudson lol...he would have been to honest with patients.

[@kingsman428]

@@MitzvosGolem1 Hitchens was English.

[@MitzvosGolem1]

@@kingsman428 Actually became and American citizen. From UK originally. I miss his wit and lectures.

[@MitzvosGolem1]

@@kingsman428 His mother was Jewish he speaks about this several times.

[@yomilalgro]

The late great Hitch, sorely missed and beloved by many😓😢 The world it's less without you!!!

[@mellowtron214]

Oh how I wish Hitchens was alive not only for Trump and the cultural rise of the regressive left, *but especially for Jordan Peterson.* Hitchens was such a perfect mind, wit, and wealth of knowledge to so beautiful put these figures and their concepts, in their place.

[@roughhabit9085]

It’s a wonder he couldn’t put Buckley in his place then, when he went on his show

[@iddhisbing8092]

Excellent slice from a documentary I wasn't aware of. Thank you.

[@u7angbe]

You can tell he is very well read not indoctrinated That's what is wrong with the education system of today There is no space for thinking

[@lizvill73]

Hitch....not well read. You're trolling, right?

[@connorbyers4542]

@@lizvill73 reread it

[@polara01]

Liz, read his comment again you must have misunderstood

[@vishnudestroyer]

You can tell someone is well read by watching a 10 minute video clip? Please write an e-book about your magical savant like abilities, Id buy it for a monthly recurring payment of $9.99. Can I hazard that your magical ability to divine from a video clip whether someone is well read turns on whether the accent of the speaker is British which arouses you?

[@DiogenesOfDelaware]

Attending oxford will do that

[@NSResponder]

Very diplomatic. He completely evades the fact that Vidal was a depraved misanthrope.

[@farqsideways5679]

What a mind

[@NeoConNET7]

RIP Hitchens.

[@fromsurrey9538]

I used to like Hitchens, until i read most of what he often talks about and i came to believe that he was quite intellectually disingenuous.

[@MattSingh1]

@@fromsurrey9538 Example? Seems like babbling nonsense.

[@jenkins7459]

Ditto

[@oncall21]

I so miss this man.

[@zyxmyk]

It would be interesting to hear his thoughts on the Vietnam War.

[@davidcallsen5204]

I like to watch his videos on Sunday mornings. Still contemporary, though I wish he was here.

[@markyoung7278]

What a tragedy that such an insightful man who raised the quality of dialogue is gone.

[@jeffforsythe9514]

Wit and wisdom have nothing in common. Everyone has a feeling of emptiness that they try to fill by thousands of different means. Some of us cannot fill this emptiness which turns into despair and those unfortunate people, when the despair never ends, commit suicide. The others use, food, sports, sex, porno, I Phones, shopping, alcohol, drugs, "legal and illegal", wealth and fame, the list is endless. The ones who use wealth really prove my point by never being satisfied and keep trying by becoming ridiculously wealthy, 200 billion, for example, nothing seems to work. Others become morbidly obese and others sometimes own a hundred cars. Still unable to rid themselves of that feeling of emptiness. The evil CCP has eliminated even the word God in all levels of education and admit to over 1000 suicides a day meaning that there could easily be 10 times that number, no faith, despair flourishes. This is because that feeling of emptiness comes from missing their connection to the Divine, they all have lost their faith in God. Faith is it's own reward.............falundafa

[@AtlantisStarseed8]

Before he started talking. Look. At the books behind him. Brilliant mind. Brilliant orator. Sadly missed.

[@WillN2Go1]

I've always sided with Vidal, but there are two things not covered here. First of all this seemed like a battle between two old queens, one out and one still in the closet. (And of course if Buckley would refute this I'd accept his position. It's his right.) Second, a lot of what Vidal would say that seemed reasonable I would often later think wasn't really a relevant position. The isolationism is the clearest example. And Buckley seemed to staunchly insist on the most ridiculous positions about racism and personal freedom. At some point I would wonder what they were going on about. Take the way Baldwin destroys Buckley at the Oxford debate. This adds contrast to the Vidal/Buckley show. I remember being very young and watching Baldwin on the late night shows. My memory is that he was on them all the time. But I rarely ever stayed up that late. What it was was that this near contemporary of both Buckley and Vidal was so cogent, his thinking so vital to American history, our hopes and our future that they left a permanent impact on me. His words are still relevant today. Vidal's American history novels still have that value. Buckley? He's missed his legacy siding with the side that could produce illiterate presidents.

[@dr.barrycohn5461]

Excellence at work.

[@kirkwilson1401]

miss his insights and views greatly

[@leomiller2291]

Hitchens drops Freud and Jung in a conversation about Buckley vs Vidal. Goddamn, what an absolute fucking legend.

[@karenmoody1879]

Just thinking the same thing.

[@Dabhach1]

Yeah. That or he's just a shit-stirrer.

[@roughhabit9085]

I wish I was as easily impressed as that.

[@__loafy__]

Daily reminder Gore Vidal publicly admitted several times that he was attracted to little boys.

[@stevenkarras3490]

I miss this guy immeasurably

[@Grimenoughtomaketherobotcry]

My understanding is that Buckley did his drinking while sailing his yacht. Sounds about right for a control freak.

[@Grimenoughtomaketherobotcry]

@Ken HudsonA piss tank is a piss tank, Ken.

[@smotnick]

And pot-smoking. He favored legalization.

[@jamesanthony5681]

Who doesn't drink on a boat?

[@Grimenoughtomaketherobotcry]

@@jamesanthony5681 Do you drink in your car? That's how the law looks at it in most jurisdictions. You don't have to be impaired; an open beer is all it takes. As for Buckley, he did his serious drinking at sea back when it far less likely to get caught.

[@jamesanthony5681]

@@Grimenoughtomaketherobotcry Never have and never will drink in my car. In a boat, yes, I have had an occasional a beer or two, but I was never operating the boat. Buckley drank *AND* smoked dope in his boat, saying to Johnny Carson years ago (about potentially violating US law), "Yes, but it was outside the US maritime jurisdiction." LOL.

[@hvalenti]

He often says in one sentence than many do in several paragraphs.

[@zaynaabdel-rahim2035]

a skill that I, and presumably all of his admirers, wish to acquire

[@jeffforsythe9514]

Everyone has a feeling of emptiness that they try to fill by thousands of different means. Some of us cannot fill this emptiness which turns into despair and those unfortunate people, when the despair never ends, commit suicide. The others use, food, sports, sex, porno, I Phones, shopping, alcohol, drugs, "legal and illegal", wealth and fame, the list is endless. The ones who use wealth really prove my point by never being satisfied and keep trying by becoming ridiculously wealthy, 200 billion, for example, nothing seems to work. Others become morbidly obese and others sometimes own a hundred cars. Still unable to rid themselves of that feeling of emptiness. The evil CCP has eliminated even the word God in all levels of education and admit to over 1000 suicides a day meaning that there could easily be 10 times that number, no faith, despair flourishes. This is because that feeling of emptiness comes from missing their connection to the Divine, they all have lost their faith in God. Faith is it's own reward.............falundafa

[@richwiedeman3128]

@@jeffforsythe9514 lol, the unintentional irony is amazing. I wish there were pearly gates just for the humor of witnessing your epiphany as you're disabused of your lack of self awareness.

[@jeffforsythe9514]

@@richwiedeman3128 Look who's talking, you have made a demon your hero. Gee, I think we disagree, Happy New Year.

[@richwiedeman3128]

@@jeffforsythe9514 So you think the late Christopher Hitchens is a demon? And here I thought he was just a mortal trying to fill the hole in his soul. It turns out your demon, is an all powerful all knowing totalitarian who wants to punish those who he created instead of taking responsibility himself, because they don't humor his followers who are allergic to rational independent thought. Punish yourself for your own sins, and leave us out of it. We are admiring the works of a lost talent.

[@carlodave9]

Hitches is a sexy mother and rightfully in love with his own powerful mind. Head & shoulders above any intellectuals I’ve known.

[@thisoldman7142]

My dad was born the same day Lindbergh landed in Paris, 5/21/27.

[@davidtidswell8374]

This is a good reminder that it is still worthwhile to try to figure things out, even during these days of absurdity manufactured by us all.

[@dionusos2]

Buckley is an isolationist? The man who was the most avid intellectual backer of the Vietnam War, whereas Hitchens regarded it all as imperialism? I'm a liberal, but I've always regarded Hitchens as nothing more than a controversialist. The moment you disagree is the moment he wins for style.

[@starsareangels]

He was a better speaker than thinker but still a genius regardless.

[@owlofminerva2564]

I try and try not to idolise/apotheosise Christopher Hitchens' approach to discourse (rather than the man himself, which would be a mistake) but he's knowledgeable, deliberately provocative and polemicist, happy to lay himself open to a comeback in order that - usually - he can hit a winning backhand down the line. Now, I'm aware that because I agree with his perspective I'll be complimentary in a way that people who disagree with him would not be, but - and because he was acute enough to say that the left/right conflict is a canard in some places (especially USA), a distraction from argument and debate - I find "right-wing" commentators online tend to address their own constituencies, rather than try and persuade the likes of me that there's something to their arguments. CH took his opinions to the (haha, joke word coming) 'enemy' and was delighted to engage. He wanted to persuade, and went about it in the proper way. So even if you don't agree with his opinions, his commitment to debate, analysis, his very approach is the one thing that modern society should (hopefully) agree upon. Except that I don't really have much hope that it will. What we have online now is a type of war, sadly - everyone building trenches and hunkering down, but never really fighting against the opposition but just sending propaganda to everyone on your own side of the line. And I'm not sure this war is going to ever end because no-one really gets hurt. Nothing's going to change. I miss debate. It moved us forward, albeit slowly. But now we just have (self-appointed) 'commentators.' Who don't.

[@linshanhsiang]

What a mind, what a writer. Who compares to him?

[@jimmyolsen5897]

Nobody

[@lobstered_blue-lobster]

Whoever who has that claim, has to fill in some large shoes....R.I.P Hitchens.

[@roughhabit9085]

Even his close friends Amis and Rushdie and Co agreed he was not an overly gifted writer . Where are you coming from?

[@linshanhsiang]

@@roughhabit9085 Please give your evidence. What exactly did these "friends" say and what was the context. Personally I think Martin Amis is greatly overrated.

[@roughhabit6496]

Charlie Rose tribute to Hitchens

[@tonywords6713]

hes bang on about Buckleys insecurity. you can see it clear as day in the Chomsky one where he was hopelessly outmatched

[@ricardocantoral7672]

Nobody wants to think that they are in the wrong.

[@shauryadivya1736]

The domino theory was personally proven by the leaders of Viet cong, i.e their hope to bring communism to laos, cambodia and on and on. Furthermore, the vicious atrocities of the communist regime in Vietnam post 1975 are also undeniably self evident now. Re-education camps, exile to new economic zones, political suppression, Chinese minorities left to die on weak boats, famines and on and on. Also they were rather fond of stalin, as indicated by their comment on stalin's birthday. So the fact that communist rule in the so called 'serene and innocent' third world, was neither serene, nor innocent. And chomsky tried desperately to defend them, along with the obvious khmer rouge.

[@tonywords6713]

@@shauryadivya1736 two debunked arguments for the price of one nice. Buckley was a fucking CIA stooge from an oil family which is the real reason these guys hate "commies". Its all MONEY ideology and human collateral damage doesnt even factor into the thinking. Nice try tho

[@ShikataGaNai100]

@@shauryadivya1736 ...and, I am sure you served in the Vietnam War, right? I did, in the USAF intelligence community and I would venture to say that you don't know jack shit about the whole deal.

[@shauryadivya1736]

@@tonywords6713 maybe look up exile of Vietnamese to re-education camps and 'new economic zones', suppression and murder of political dissidents, death of thousands in famines, leaving Chinese minorities to die or at sea in boats, before coming up with the ingenius 'oily money'. Also kindly explain how chomsky did not defend till his last chance, the communist khmer rouge that killed 40% of its population.

[@MariusRiley]

: I do find myself wondering how a panel discussion between Hitch and Jordan Peterson would go.

[@YoungJoone]

Hitch would win out against Jordan Peterson... not because he is more intelligent, but because he was brutally honest when it came to his limitations with different topics. Hitch also never seems to waver from what he feels is direct truth under scrutiny from his "following". Peterson talked frequently some time ago about what people expect of him and I think that to some degree, it makes you inflexible and at times has led to him being bitter or having his foot in his mouth. Hitchens is special in a way, I think... because he's a malleable genius that would eagerly admit he'd throw away his life's work if he were proven wrong and... I'm inclined to believe him. Also, he's dead... and that always earns a few extra points in my book. Be blessed, G.

[@colewood3297]

Hitchens would find Peterson irritating

[@christophergrewe3651]

Dumb question... what was he referring to at the end when he mentioned Chicago and Miami???

[@ata5855]

homosexual enclaves, probably

[@linshanhsiang]

Dem and Republican conventions

[@citizenghosttown]

@@linshanhsiang Yup. 1968.

[@ianmcmath92]

What is this from??

[@giarcnella66]

Too brief. Surely there is a complete version of this interview.

[@joanofarc33]

He's right about Gore Vidal but I don't think his conservatism was a negative quality in the man.

[@nadinejoyce1203]

Me too, Lawrence. Me too.

[@anthonyc7045]

I came to this video because I had thought that Mr. Hitchens was a logical, thoughtful, intelligent thinker but after hearing some of the conclusions he voices in this video, I have more questions than answers about his character and intelligence. Just one example: He declares that W.F. Buckley was "an insecure person who was afraid to be alone with his demons, so he constantly kept busy" And this is based upon Mr. Hitchens SINGLE example that after a taping of Firing Line which Mr. Hitchens was a guest, Hitchens would ask Buckley to go with him to have a cocktail and Buckley would refuse because he had a plane to catch or a column to write. And somehow Hitchens saw through that facade of Buckley's and that it was really that Buckley was afraid to entertain his demons so he constantly kept busy instead. I have followed Mr. Buckley and his career since I was 12. I am 64. I don't give any credence to what Mr. Hitchens thinks of Mr. Buckley because what I've seen of Mr. Hitchens, he is the kind of person that once he comes to a conclusion and has espouses that idea, even when proven wrong, he will defend it to the end. That is not someone, in my mind who's opinion I would welcome on any subject. And more importantly, I cannot possibly think of Mr. Buckley as someone who would say something as equally Stupid about Mr. Hitchens' character as what Mr. Hitchens said about him. Mr. Buckley was a world traveler who spent most every winter with his family in Switzerland, writing and recreating. He hosted countless dinner parties where I am sure there was plenty of drinking. That doesn't sound at all like someone keeping busy with work so that he wouldn't be alone with his demons. Mr. Buckley was a gentleman. How many Hosts would invite so many guests who were diametrically opposed to his views and allow them to speak freely ? Muhammed Ali, George McGovern, Ed Koch, Mark Green, Alan Ginsberg, Noam Chomsky. . . just to name a few. Yet, the jealous world, led by Mr. Hutchens cannot let Mr. Buckley forget the one time he lost his cool with Mr. Vidal. Did Mr. Hutchins Host a tv program ? Who were his guests ? This is who Mr. Buckley really was. . . en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Firing_Line_(TV_program)

[@roughhabit9085]

If he wasn’t the most connected person in America then I’d like to know who was. Hitchens had no hope of socialising with him . In fairness to Hitchens he was drunk here , and he did say a lot of nice things about Buckley on occasions.

[@anthonyc7045]

@@roughhabit9085 You know for a fact that Hitchens was drunk during this interview ?

[@smotnick]

He's right though, about why Vidal was anti Judeo-Christian.

[@readmelancholystrumpetmaster]

Buckley's demon: Never had an original idea and knows it. Vidal's demon: Never had an original idea and doesn't know it.

[@martonradkai9115]

Very few people have had an original idea. But I know what you mean.

[@iddhisbing8092]

Too facile. And your idea is ?

[@marcusonesimus3400]

Weldon Mix Who among us has ever had an original idea? As the Biblical writer put it, 'there is nothing new under the sun'.

[@marcusonesimus3400]

@@readmelancholystrumpetmaster I could go either way. I don't see why the two need to be considered in isolation from one another. How does one divide the universe so neatly into separate compartments?

[@marcusonesimus3400]

@@readmelancholystrumpetmaster Yes, massa. But you have misread my intent. No surprise; people of your class and 'dignity' can't be expected to understand us humble folk.

[@deaddropholiday]

How deep is the divide between Vidal and Buckley? Let's start with CUSA, Mexico City, E. Howard Hunt and Dallas, Texas - November 22nd 1963.

[@roughhabit9085]

Weirdo

[@triluna0]

I miss intelligent debate on popular media!

[@c.a.savage5689]

Fascinating. There is a quote, "les extrêmes se rejoignent" which can be translated roughly as "extremist positions (politics, people) connect". Sounds fairly true of Buckley and Vidal.

[@photo161]

Very insightful as always, but distinguished most by his introducing into the discussion the heretofore unmentioned but vitally important issue of homosexuality... The attitude of the two men towards this question and the philosophical-cun religious views each adhered to could not be mosr starkly different nor more determinedly at odds. ...in today's terms; a gay man and proponent of, vs an advocate for homophobic attitudes and perhaps, just perhaps some policies.

[@skyeric9186]

TO ALL HITCHENS FOLLOWERS, WHO HE ASKS QUESTION ABOUT MORALITY. “Moral and ethical statement that a believer can make, That unbeliever can’t..... My ANSWER: Growing in faith is something one who doesn’t know hope can’t do.....” -sgtstraps If you don’t believe, u have no faith in the hope of a better life than the one we know.. this will leave someone morally stagnant, because there is no hope for all things being pure. The drive for righteousness is left behind

[@user-qt4wh8mr3k]

😍😍😍😍😍

[@WintersWar]

Buckley worked very hard and probably just wanted to get home or get the next task over with is my guess. doubt he was avoiding anyone on purpose.

[@roughhabit9085]

One of Audrey Hepburns characters once said I’m sorry I have too many friends and couldn’t possibly meet any more until some of them die . Buckley could have used that one . Demons! Pfff . What an elaborate tale to disguise rejection.

[@jamesanthony5681]

He was a businessman, having founded the National Review, and as its editor, I'm sure that took a great deal of his time. He may have simply not wanted to be friends or friendly with Hitchens on a personal level.

[@crowwatcher172]

Possibly to avoid questions about his sexuality?

[@WintersWar]

@@crowwatcher172 Keeping the Vidal lie alive.

[@jamesdrynan]

Hitchens would be apoplectic regarding today's political shenanigans. Although some think he was a sesquipedalian, I believe the English language we use to convey ideas is inadequate at best. Agree or not with Hitchen's opinions, there was always a firm point of view to his analyses.

[@Garrett1240]

“Sesquipedalian”. Bud, put down the thesaurus.

[@thehouseofcm]

Loved seeing on Charlie Rose. Hitches had such a sharp mind, I wonder what he would've thought of Trump?

[@vectoranvil]

Vidal was en elitist, an American self-styled patrician of the old republic. He wrote smart books for smart people, in the way that the Roman author Celsus would write about the first Christians, his contemporaries. And Stephan King wrote for and about the common people. So Vidal had good sales, and was bitter and a gadfly for not being widely understood (how could he be?). And King had the bigger sales. Yet I can't imagine Vidal engaging in a twitter war with Trump the same way King did. Hitchens is somewhere in the middle for me. I had almost all books by all three authors. Now I've kept only their best ones.

[@JSB1882]

I trust everything Hitchens says. I remember watching Buckley as a kid and thinking he was brilliant - later I realized he just had a big vocabulary. I think Gore Vidal grew as he became older. I admired him greatly.

[@jadezee6316]

lol....dont fool yourself..buckley was indeed a brilliant man...even using your own example..which you think is a put down.....it is not possible to use BIG WORDS...unless you understand them and ar using them correctly..buckley didnt fool everyone his whole life...just because he used big words...jeez... but..vidal was certainly his equal and more our finest essayist ever produced in this country..if you read his book...1200 pages..btw....you would understand that....over all...2 great intellects that for my money that when they diverged,,,it was gore vidal...who i identify with.

[@marcusonesimus3400]

Dave La Violetta If you trust everything he says, Hitchens is functionally your 'god'; whether he alone or others as well I do not know. Compare with Psalm 119:128a---------------'therefore I esteem right all Your precepts concerning everything....' '