Christopher Hitchens on Books & Ideas (1 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/

[@JRibs]

Does anybody else get drunk and listen to Hitchens? It's a cathartic experience for those surrounded by people who care about very little that is actually important (everybody).

[@BadMannerKorea]

Nah. I don't really drink. To each their own I suppose. And Hitchens wouldn't have been Hitchens if he didn't smoke and drink, as he did much of his great works under the influence.

[@JRibs]

@@BadMannerKorea I don’t drink anymore either lol

[@BadMannerKorea]

@@JRibs Well, that's good lol.

[@ILCJ1]

The year is 2024, I sir am drink and watching this video

[@JRibs]

@@ILCJ1 A true gentleman. Cheers 🥂

[@aspirezakura]

I seriously love this guy.

[@hoasjhdfiadsf]

I love how casual this conversation is.

[@Shilpusuresh]

Just love Hitchens, he's awesome! And he's a great guy besides. I would love to have just an evening talking to him. The world needs more people like him.

[@DRnab1983]

This video has long be in my favorites .., one of the best hitchens interviews so natural I envy the interview lunch drinks with the hitch ... Legendary

[@39Hool]

I never grow tired of reading and listening to Christopher Hitchens. If nothing else, I have at least improved my objective thinking and doubled my vocabulary by doing so.

[@phlarmf]

Many thanks for finding and posting this.

[@kat1989]

ditto, i now try to squeeze in the words solipsism, canonical, masochistic, pluralism, recrudescence and enema in all conversations. i am making new friends.

[@planetjanet3845]

What a great interview. Thanks for the upload!

[@phinny5608]

Thanks for uploading this.

[@Linguiphile]

Hitchens is such a hero of mine! Whether he's discussing religion or politics, I hang on every word.

[@Rhonda9]

Thank you for posting this vid.

[@DRnab1983]

does anyone know where we can get a hold of the debate he speaks of at the start.... grayling dawkins and hitchens... the a team indeed

[@storeo]

Thanks for uploading!

[@RegressLess]

Thank you for that, friend.

[@NemoUtopian]

just to pick a nit,but hitchens is an American now.he may not have been born here,but he decided that he loved what was good about this country enough to become a citizen.and i am happy he did.

[@kill_screen]

his Life Of Brian quotes always bring a smile to my face

[@kmaglion]

Interesting that so many people seem to dislike this video. It's definitely one of Hitchens' less controversial recorded conversations. And perhaps one of his more interestng.

[@mcsachsenhausen]

Miss him

[@xJediHowieX]

Your channel icon is badass!! :D Thx Pironiro.

[@soulinite]

I love you Christopher Hitchens!

[@dinguswad452]

Love Hitchens, thanks for the upload.

[@skwozkid]

His debates are great, but it's really nice to see him in these environments.

[@andersemil]

This guy's a fucking hero! You may not like all he says, but he says whatever he likes and accepts the consequences. A literary rockstar.

[@RaggedM88]

Hitch should be a role model for young people everywhere.

[@HeadExplodeSports]

His matter-of-fact delivery on "We left them for dead" makes him even more awesome.

[@Scofield0085]

The interviewer asked Hitch about "comfort" that comes with belief in the supernatural...which is actually not just genuine comfort, but comfort mixed with fear of an absolute dictator.

[@2edsajdmsa]

I'd give up my home, every dime I've ever earned and all my pets to sit down for a half hour with Mr Hitchens.

[@murfy22]

Hitch is one of the great thinkers of our time. More power to him in his battle with the 'faithful'.

[@SaraDecember]

That quote hung in the air with me, too. Beautiful.

[@2LegHumanist]

Very cool. Thanks.

[@aharper12]

He is a very brave and brilliant man.

[@newalbion]

"We massacred them..." I would have loved to see that discussion. Hitchens is great.

[@paddyfin]

Greatly missed. A light has gone out and his like will not be seen again.

[@bornforbanning]

Damn you Hitchens and that cigarette in your hand. This is the time the world needed you most.

[@chrisraes7489]

A well articulate man who is well read enough that knows that knowledge is something you shouldnt throw away because it is a gift that natural selection has give us

[@RegressLess]

Oh, more information I didn't know. It's great to learn.

[@kadene2]

One thing I've learned from Hitchens just from watching all the videos, is the value of skepticism and independent thinking. So I feel free to criticize him or challenge hi every word. It's not about exchanging one shepherd for another, for there's no way I'll be called a sheep again!

[@Undech01]

Name them sir. As for India I suggest you look up the university of Nalanda. It is the oldest University in known history, and it was the first proper university, i.e. it had full dormitories for students and a massive library complex which was made up of three separate buildings, each nine stories tall, it rivaled the library of Alexandria in size and scope of knowledge. Buddhism contributed to learning for the world for centuries.

[@kzearo]

"We massacred them by the way... Left them for dead" Brilliant.

[@joebot1]

Awesome, where is this debate he was talking about?

[@fastballonly]

What a man of insight. Hitchens is such a brilliant thinker. Don't die yet! You need to stay along for awhile.

[@J0W1]

I love Hitch's take on the 'Life of Brian' at 2:22.

[@Ghostrider616]

Is there video of the debate Christopher speaks of at the beginning of this video?

[@thinfilmboy]

"The beauty of science hugely outranks the charms of superstition." Wish I could say so much with so few words.

[@SkepticalChris]

Chris Hitchens is arrogant, snobby, self-rightous, hostile, opinionated, cynical and insulting to all theists. And that's why we love him :)

[@sidDkid87]

"Splitters!!!" --- Love the Python reference. I was raised Catholic but can't help but agree with most of Mr Hitchens opinions. I'd love to see him debate Hannity. He'd destroy that Faux News blowhard. Hitchens speaks his mind while bums like Hannity say what Murdoch tells them to say.

[@YellowNumberFive]

I love this man. He has balls and wit larger than all. And he knows a thing or two about what makes a decent cocktail. Were there EVER a man you wanted at your next party, THIS is the man. Love him or hate him, you still want to have a drink with him. I'm priviledged to say, I've had several drinks with him, and enjoy the ones I remember the most.

[@Anab10sis]

Proof that noone can resist a Python quotefest.

[@pdogtreefrog]

Someone just put that part on a ten minute loop. What a gangster.

[@smithhedgehog]

what a great man!

[@thepinkstink1]

LEGENDARY!!!!!!

[@WizardJim]

Amen, I lol'd hard at that.

[@PiroNiro]

No problem. I had a feeling that you might like this set of videos. :)

[@LittleMoths94]

i love Hitchen's little smile at 3:55

[@AvangionQ]

"People are just generally fed up with being lectured by clerical bullies - I've had enough of it" - Christopher Hitches ... yeah, that about sums up my viewpoint on what's happened to the Republican party, and how they've been taken over by Christian Evangelicals -- no longer the party of small government, constitution and states rights, and I'm glad the elections bear out this point ...

[@1001orpheus]

Yes, he had a way with words. I admire him for that, and for his honesty and courage; not for being a mere atheist. He took on both Bill Clinton and Mother Theresa. He fought the good fight.

[@RegressLess]

To me, despite his britishness and his authoring of books, Hitchens seems like a very normal guy. For that reason, on top of his rationality, I value his opinion. It would be nice for an American to speak up like Dawkins and Hitchens have because we all need someone we can relate to. I realize it's shallow, but I'm just being honest. Where is our atheist American hero? Perhaps that's you, PiroNiro. ;)

[@AuShawster]

I really do wish he would quit smoking. There is not a strong enough voice of reason In the US. It would be a real shame to loose him to cancer. He is a brilliant man.

[@Simonmarg1976]

This comment makes me sad in 2024

[@robertosixninesix]

Christopher hitchens is such an icon for atheists everywhere, and one of my favorite authors by far. He's way better than Jesus, or any other religion could ever be so it creates a paradox for people to want to worship him, yet it would be oxymoronic to do so. Interesting, studies show there is part of the human brain that wants to worship something whether it be earthly or supernatural and make believe. I am a life long anti-theist and i believe we need a revolution of secular arts nd culture

[@msginca]

Thanks Piro!

[@nadeau]

If you believe that you have a love affair with an invisible man in the sky and when you die you will party with him forever, it's hard to call you rational.

[@AdamOuissellat]

Hitchens Is My Hero.

[@kentamitchell]

Hitchens is the man!

[@Hottides]

Dawkins is like a Oxford Wrangler,i.e. a refined, sterling-tongued orator, whereas Hitchens is a heavyweight prizefighter. Dawkins wields Occam's Razor with surgical precision, while Hitchens throws knockout blows. Dawkins is Socrates in the Athenian Agora; Hitchens is Muhammad Ali in the Ring in Kinshasa.

[@kennmoe]

I have never ever smoked anything in my life, and still, I consider being an anti-theist a good reason to be a smoker. It all depends on your priorities in life. If he wanted to be healthy, athletic, ascetic, spiritually calm--then yes, smoking would be stupid. If he wants to lay back, read some books, fuck around, drink, eat shitloads of candy or--yes--smoke, then what the hell business is it of mine, or yours?

[@LovingKimiKatkar]

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

[@somakr]

Not to mention (again) that democracy, as a word, concept, political practice etc, has emerged EXACTLY from the bronze age (see, Theseus era, Athens) polytheistic Greece and flourished of course after or in parallel with the genesis of great philosophical movements as during Socrates and Platos times. It is always the critical thinking the major factor which drives people to establish more sophisticated and civilized ways of governance and/or actions in general.

[@CubStudio]

what a legend. hes awesome.

[@ghates]

Always will miss Christopher..long live the Hitch

[@Falloutmoon]

It's refreshing to know that someone out there is so much on the same page as you can be...Eventhough I completely disagree with his take on the intervention of the US in iraq...

[@Skavar4000]

So... what do you have to do, to have the audio sync with the video? Is this a supernatural mystery?

[@t0kt0k]

Cool video. But what the hell is the camera doing!?

[@mrw21]

Hitchens rules. Check out the creeper in the window at 2:30.

[@Undech01]

I never disagreed with your position on the origin of the word "democracy", simply because a different culture has a different word, many words or no words at all to describe a concept, does not mean that concept does not exist in said culture. The Buddhist Pali Nikayas contain the oldest historical account of democracies in ancient India, well before this form of governance arose in Greece. And they existed without the word "democracy" to describe them.

[@ClumsyRoot]

Perhaps I need to clarify a bit. What I mean is, people's self-interest tends to cloud their view of reality. In other words, human beings are more likely to believe something if they have a vested interest in its being true; their preferences will almost always trump the evidence. This is a generalization, of course, but it's true nonetheless. The ego is a powerful thing.

[@gpokriff2]

"We massacred them by the way... left them for dead" ROFL ROFL LOL LMFAO

[@winterstellar]

sosiopat. Yeah..I,m an anti-theist, too. And I really don't want to catch lung cancer and be told I only have a few months left to live, let me tell you! How smart would I feel then.."err..I knew this probably would happen, and now it has..and I also know this is it, no more life, no anything..and I also know I would probably have a loong time left to live if I hadn't smoked those stupid things,do I feel very smart now? No!" And many people will take him less seriously too, if they see him smoke

[@tyendanega]

The comments we post are read by ALL of the people who watch this video, not just you, or PiroNiro. My comments were meant to be slightly funny....it seems to you, they weren't even slightly funny, and in your case, I apologize!

[@withfootnotes]

has hitchens ever debated rc sproul? i tried to find it on youtube and found nothing. i would think these two giants would WANT to have a debate...........are they afraid of each other?

[@PiroNiro]

"and how they've been taken over by Christian Evangelicals" If they want to inject their beliefs into public policy... we need to marginalize these people, just like the creationists.

[@AsFewFalseThingsAsPossible]

Where can we see this debate ?

[@closedmouth]

I think the camera operator was having an epileptic fit during this interview. Either that or he's blind. Good interview though, thanks.

[@scintilearly]

I don't think the person filming has used a camera before.

[@diekerze]

"we massacred them. we let them for dead" epic

[@SurelyYewJest]

Right here on YT. I don't recall the exact title of it but it was CH, RD, and I think Stephen Fry against a Rabbi, an Imam, and a priest. RD really got into it with a Muslim in the audience about killing "infidels".

[@Count0Reilly]

The meaning of life is 42 "Monty Python"

[@AllySmells001]

Actually, I was thinking the same thing. Cigarettes should be legal, as long as we disallow nicotine from being put in them. Is it right to lace Doritoes w/ Nicotine? No!

[@darkonyx6508]

Clearly a very, very intelligent man every bit as outspoken as the most devoutly religious. His message is pretty clear "people are tired of being lectured by clerical bullies." The interesting thing about being nontheistic is that I believe that a person is free to believe what they want. If they want to worship a squirrel's testicle FINE. The catch is that they fell the need to enforce such nonsense on the rest of us.

[@Hamdad]

Religious liberty is never preserved for long if at all under theocracies. It has only ever been safe in the longterm under secular governments. This is one of the main messages in the writings of our founding fathers.

[@Undech01]

Southern Europe had bibles in dusty monasteries, The Muslim world, India, China and Japan had universities.

[@edwardhodgskin-brown7543]

I love this clip. But it's made even better by Jesus himself peering out the window at Hitch, at 2:27!

[@Hottides]

The definition of Evil must exclude harm done WITH consent. For instance, harm inflicted during BDSM and rough sex among consenting adults doesn't render these activities evil. Further, sometimes it's acceptable to derive pleasure from another's pain without their consent. I wouldn't consider deriving satisfaction from torturing Hitler evil. The definition of "Evil" must be fluid and subtle enough to account for the numerous contingencies of life. Evil's context-based, not absolute.

[@Filthyevil]

movie is Monty pythons - Life of brian

[@danielrep]

The super character Mr. Hitchens!!!

[@respirimusica]

I love him! If there is a hero that I have it is either him or Dawkins

[@Flirmy]

thx piro!

[@halflifeproductionz]

haha beginning was awesome. "Massacred them, left them for dead!" on the question of a rational world. we actually live in one. no matter how rational and intelligent people are, shit will still be fucked up. greed, lust and power will still dominate evil!

[@QwidgyboMan]

Did Hitchens actually just say "douchebag"? This man is even more of a fucking legend than I thought.

[@diogeron]

Say what?? I despise smoking and haven't smoked for 30 years, but whether or not someone smokes (or drinks) has nothing whatsoever to do with the soundness of one's argument. It's like someone saying they hate Beethoven's 9th because Beethoven was rude to small children.