I can't think of a time in my life when I've experienced such a profound feeling of loss at the passing of someone I've never met. I have an immeasurably deep respect for this man. If he never said or wrote anything else, this speech would suffice. Simply brilliant. Thank you for sharing.
This is one of my favorite Hitchens moments. You can tell that in speaking to an audience of young people he wanted to briefly set aside his usual biting wit and jabs at his debate opponent and just speak from his heart. Don't get me wrong, I love a good Hitch-slap! But all the good Hitch-slaps just make this moment that much more special to me.
I have gained so much personally from these words, and all the other works you produced. Thank you Hitch, I will never be able to repay you, but you will always be in my core. You always said you didn't want to be a role model. But post-morderm, he has no choice. Thank you so much for what you have given me. I write this with tears streaming down my face. We can only hope there will ever be another one like you...
"in other words that the discussion about what is good, what is beautiful, what is noble and what is pure and what is true can always go on. Why is that important, why would I like to do that? Because that is the only conversation worth having." I like that part alot. I'm one of the few serious Christians that actually kinda like this guy. Don't agree with his views on religion, but he's definitely brilliant and charming. Amazing orator as well.
He is speaking for his life, packing a decade's worth of contribution into the span of his remaining days. No doubt he inspired so many young people in that room that day.
As much as I love this guy, I think if there was a totalitarian supreme ruler that Was perfect and all loving (never mind the fact that their is suffering in reality) I would love to be completely ruled by such a god. If only it existed in real life.
"Why don't you accept this wonderful offer, why wouldn't you like to meet Shakespeare for example? I mean I don't know if you really think that when you die you can be corporeally reassembled and have conversations with authors from previous epochs ,its not necessary that you believe that in christian theology and I have to say it sounds like a complete fairy tale to me. The only reason I'd want to meet Shakespeare or might even want to is 'cause I can meet him anytime because he is immortal in the works he's left behind, if you've read those meeting the author would almost certainly be a disappointment. But when Socrates was sentenced to death for his philosophical investigations and for blasphemy, for challenging the gods of the city and he accepted his death he did say 'well if we are lucky perhaps I'll be able to hold conversation with other great thinkers and philosophers and doubters too'. In other words that the discussion about what is good, what is beautiful, what is noble, what is pure, and what is true could always go on. Why is that important, why would I like to do that? Because that's the only conversation worth having, and whether it goes on or not after I die I don't know, but I do know that it's the conversation I want to have while I'm still alive. Which means that to me the offer of certainty, the offer of complete security, the offer of an impermeable faith that can't give way is an offer of something not worth having. I want to live my life taking the risk all the time that I don't know anything like enough yet, that I haven't understood enough, that I can't know enough, that I'm always hungrily operating on the margins of a potentially great harvest of future knowledge and wisdom, I wouldn't have it any other way. And I'd urge you too look at those of you who tell you, those people who tell you at your age[!] that you're dead till you believe as they do, what a terrible thing to be telling to children, and that you can only live [cheering and applause from audience's youth] and that you can only live by accepting an absolute authority. Don't think of that as a gift, think of it as a poison chalice, push it aside however tempting it is, take the risk of thinking for yourself, much more happiness, truth, beauty, and wisdom will come to you that way, thank you." -Christopher Hitchens
I can't think of a time in my life when I've experienced such a profound feeling of loss at the passing of someone I've never met. I have an immeasurably deep respect for this man. If he never said or wrote anything else, this speech would suffice. Simply brilliant. Thank you for sharing.
This is one of my favorite Hitchens moments. You can tell that in speaking to an audience of young people he wanted to briefly set aside his usual biting wit and jabs at his debate opponent and just speak from his heart.
Don't get me wrong, I love a good Hitch-slap! But all the good Hitch-slaps just make this moment that much more special to me.
Simply the best.
"Take the risk of thinking for yourself, much more happiness, truth, beauty, and wisdom will come to you that way" Beautiful, absolutely beautiful.
I have gained so much personally from these words, and all the other works you produced. Thank you Hitch, I will never be able to repay you, but you will always be in my core. You always said you didn't want to be a role model. But post-morderm, he has no choice. Thank you so much for what you have given me. I write this with tears streaming down my face. We can only hope there will ever be another one like you...
One of his best summations.
I think this will remain Hitchens "Pale Blue Dot". Different from Carl Sagan, but great minds in both cases.
"in other words that the discussion about what is good, what is beautiful, what is noble and what is pure and what is true can always go on. Why is that important, why would I like to do that? Because that is the only conversation worth having."
I like that part alot. I'm one of the few serious Christians that actually kinda like this guy. Don't agree with his views on religion, but he's definitely brilliant and charming. Amazing orator as well.
This is the best Hitch-moment for me. I got nothing more to say...
He is speaking for his life, packing a decade's worth of contribution into the span of his remaining days. No doubt he inspired so many young people in that room that day.
Wow! This video represented the message very well! :)
this is so powerful! miss you hitch.
wow, thanks Hitch
I get a lump in my throat just by thinking about it.
what speech/debate is this from?
Words to live by
Yes, it was monumental, even for Hitch.
As much as I love this guy, I think if there was a totalitarian supreme ruler that Was perfect and all loving (never mind the fact that their is suffering in reality) I would love to be completely ruled by such a god. If only it existed in real life.
"Why don't you accept this wonderful offer, why wouldn't you like to meet Shakespeare for example? I mean I don't know if you really think that when you die you can be corporeally reassembled and have conversations with authors from previous epochs ,its not necessary that you believe that in christian theology and I have to say it sounds like a complete fairy tale to me. The only reason I'd want to meet Shakespeare or might even want to is 'cause I can meet him anytime because he is immortal in the works he's left behind, if you've read those meeting the author would almost certainly be a disappointment. But when Socrates was sentenced to death for his philosophical investigations and for blasphemy, for challenging the gods of the city and he accepted his death he did say 'well if we are lucky perhaps I'll be able to hold conversation with other great thinkers and philosophers and doubters too'. In other words that the discussion about what is good, what is beautiful, what is noble, what is pure, and what is true could always go on. Why is that important, why would I like to do that? Because that's the only conversation worth having, and whether it goes on or not after I die I don't know, but I do know that it's the conversation I want to have while I'm still alive. Which means that to me the offer of certainty, the offer of complete security, the offer of an impermeable faith that can't give way is an offer of something not worth having. I want to live my life taking the risk all the time that I don't know anything like enough yet, that I haven't understood enough, that I can't know enough, that I'm always hungrily operating on the margins of a potentially great harvest of future knowledge and wisdom, I wouldn't have it any other way. And I'd urge you too look at those of you who tell you, those people who tell you at your age[!] that you're dead till you believe as they do, what a terrible thing to be telling to children, and that you can only live [cheering and applause from audience's youth] and that you can only live by accepting an absolute authority. Don't think of that as a gift, think of it as a poison chalice, push it aside however tempting it is, take the risk of thinking for yourself, much more happiness, truth, beauty, and wisdom will come to you that way, thank you."
-Christopher Hitchens
Hitchens is the best antidepressant
@SvendsenAtheist Hitchens vs Debmski debate
Truuuuuuuueeeee