My apologies in advance for what may be a somewhat inchoate ramble here, but I just read of ‘The Hitche’s’ passing, and am writing rapidly and doubtlessly without the required discipline or editing I would otherwise.
There have been a few people in my life who I have both enjoyed and been inspired by, yet at times, not liked much. They have usually been public figures who you are want to love or loathe for a variety of reasons. The now rather late Christopher Hitchens, has long been on that list. (The cancer that had plagued him since it was diagnosed in the spring of 2010, ended his run at the age of 62)
I recall not what first brought me to his writing, no doubt someone or some web site recommended I read his book ‘Letters To A Young Contrarian’. I devoured it, enjoyed the ideas and opinions, and his challenging writing style. But I really knew little of him.
I of course learned. Secured other works, and primarily, devoured the vast library of videos of his public speaking engagements that lines the internet.
As your basic issue agnostic, I was rapidly lured in to loving him for his fierce polemics against religion, and his well reasoned arguments against the existence of a supreme being, some overseeing CEO of all creation. He made my arguments much better than I could have ever, and gave me hi-test fuel for mine.
I watched many of his debates. Regardless of the ‘competition’, his oratorical skills allowed him to kill, I mean generally KILL the opposition. I always felt he could, like a good lawyer, take any side of an issue, and argue it so convincingly that even if you disagreed fulgently with him, you would find yourself thinking, ‘Well, he does have a point there’.
He allowed me to question many of the beliefs I thought I was quite secure in. That takes some doing and he did so because in part, well, I knew he was a ‘public intellectual’. (Now there’s some baggage, how do you take on a world class intellectual, and how must he have felt being presented as such… as many people would then look upon you as some type of role model of thought, and just for being the smart guy in the room… and in his case, often athe smart ass too, but I found that to be one of his enduring charms).
Even when he seemed unnecessarily cruel, or insensitive to the ideas and beliefs of others, it was tough for me to dislike him.
Yeah, he was a heck of a writer, and helped me add lots of new words to my vocabulary, as his was vast, and that, along with his knowledge of many things, which were generally center earth deep, and his most enviable memory made him a delight. He entertained and informed, and as that is what my radio play has been all about, how could I not like him?
And while I walked pretty much in lockstep with him on all things religious and Godly, I often disagreed and strongly, regarding his positions on politics and foreign affairs (particularly our little Middle Eastern affairs which he generally supported without equivocation), and that was never easy.
It always left me somewhat uncomfortable, and questioning of self, as in ‘You idiot how can you disagree with this learned man, how can you not see his point and realize, you are an asshole, he is ultra-informed, get in line, acquiesce and agree already. His invariably struck me as ‘principled positions’, making them acceptable if not right.
But I could not agree with him, or find his logic substansive, particularly when it came to his endorsement of our endless war, and some of those responsible for it. As someone who was originally from the far left, to see him adapt as his own, beliefs of those on the war hungry right, did indeed leave me conflicted.
He lost many a friend from his Marxist days, in the wake of 9/11 for his rightward turn. Too bad for them. Are political disagreements ever enough reason to abandon someone, in particular someone so right and morally secure in many other respects?
I think not. Particularly as he generally struck me as a truly decent and principled man, a true friend to his friends, a man whose probity and rectitude were seemingly beyond reproach.
Of course the very reason I loved him, his rigid stance against faith and how it neuters our free will and ‘poisons everything’, made him somewhat of a champion. I rarely felt he was dishonest. Sure, I believe he would indeed say things for their effect, to garner press attention, but was not being dishonest, even when he went over the top, however the heck you would define that.
His beliefs were strong, and skill at at argumentativeness allowed me to step back and question mine beliefs often. I appreciated that.
Even though I never came close to joining him as a champion of the neo-con men’s general thinking about the war, he always delivered his arguments in a manner that allowed me to see his point, and even respect it… although I could not share it and make it my own.
I enjoyed most of his writing, only flagging on that I could not easily digest, or if I was absorbing his essays on topics of no great interest to me. But I sure got me some schoolin’ from Mr. Hitchens. His skill in public speechifying helped me to learn how to better master mine.
Certainly I’ll miss watching him disable and dismember opponents, especially on all things religious, and I already miss his skill at making the written word resonate in a way that I think, has made me a better writer.
I’ve always been attracted to those writers and speakers who can put together words in an interesting, amusing, and enjoyable fashion. He most surely was gifted at doing so. In that way alone, he surely touched my life.
Perhaps more importantly, he made me think! He made me think and think more critically. I shall always owe him a debt for having done so, as those people who have moved me to do so, have been relatively few.
And despite his hyperbole, rather necessary for one in the public eye who makes a living by public speaking and writing, I came away from my time spent with his work believing… believing that this was a man who refused to have a platonic relationship with the truth.
He wrote and said what he felt, even if I thought it was execrable. He left us with a YouTube full of ‘Hitch Slap’ videos showing his canny, often crude and cruel but generally on the mark put downs and sprightly responses to those who took him on, and generally lost (even when they may have been right… now that’s skill pal!)
I could go on at length, but those better poised and equipped to eulogize and reflect on his life, will surely deliver much more cogent and better written text, so I shall conclude.
I have no true heroes, but numerous influences. Imperfect and flawed as the next man was ‘The Hitch’, but I am glad to say he influenced me, I believe for the better. It is a sad day for all thinking men.
A Good Overview of Hitchens for those unfamilar with him at all: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-12-16/hitchens-s-greatest-legacy-is-his-clarity-stephen-l-carter.html
And in the ‘No Love Lost’ Dept: http://nomoremister.blogspot.com/2011/12/dry-eyed-about-hitchens-yes-youre-not.html
On being spit upon by Christopher Hitchens: http://www.thenation.com/blog/165194/one-being-spit-upon-literally-christopher-hitchens
Chris Hedges on Christopher Hitchens (audio): http://www.cbc.ca/day6/2011/12/16/chris-hedges-on-christopher-hitchens/
And on a less serious note: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DAwSVgjBej4
