http://www.nypost.com./p/news/national/author_christopher_hitchens_dead_I2CJFjBRTGQGhDkbeKPSSL/0
Christopher Hitchens died last night at age 62. He was ferociously intelligent, and a real free thinker. The NY Post obituary, above, gives a sense of him.
You can't possibly be any more iconoclastic than to write an expose on Mother Teresa and call it The Missionary Position.
Addendum, next day: Just read Steve Sailer's dissenting obituary; he does make some telling points about Hitchens' conversion to neocon.
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This was the guy who exposed to me the scam that was the work of Mother Teresa and her evil ways. i.e., disallowing contraception and then getting all the glory for having babies die in the comfort of her arms. Plus, getting sympathy money/donations for the Catholic church and sending it to the Pope. Here's a case of something that's definitely "Just Not Said". Thanks for letting me vent this! Brian
Brian --
Thank you.
Type "Mother Teresa" in the search bar towards the top of the blog and the post I wrote about her in July 2010 will come up. I'd always had my suspicions about her, and Hitchens' book confirmed them.
Hi John,
I just perused the July 2010 posts--well done...and, speaking of sociopaths, this woman is a classic. She seems more like a deluded psychopath than anything else. I suppose that "Mass Psychology" is very powerful, as she illustrates. Thanks--Brian
Thanks Brian.
Yes, she struck me as a sociopath.
Are you aware of his brother Peter, polar opposite in his views but just as strong and compelling? I don't always agree with him but he's always interesting and entertaining.
Here's a clip:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQY4BuYW&t=18m2s
On the justice system:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gVwVXD7X3As
This one from January, before annexation of Crimea:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KiRoeo7THiw=2m12s
Steven --
I was vaguely aware of him; remembered him being conservative, but little else.
The first video would not come up, I watched the second, and am listening to the third right now. He makes some interesting points about the moral aspects of the legal system. I don't disagree, but I've always felt that laws were mostly made for the poorly behaved (often, the sociopathic), as they are basically unnecessary for the majority of people, most of whom more or less have a do unto others morality. So, yes, the law does have a moral dimension, but is in fact a substitute for morals for those who have one.
I'm listening to the third video right now. (It's a big chunk of pavement, one and a half hours, I'm not going to listen to the whole thing.) OK, he just finished his speech. I agree with him completely about intervening in some countries and not in others and how that implies a lack of guiding convictions. And I agree that the reason the world elites hate Putin is because he is a nationalist. Peter Hitchens is very good. Uncanny how much he sounds like his brother, although I suppose that shouldn't be surprising.
Hey, I didn't expect you to listen to the whole thing! I just thought the anecdote at the start was interesting and wanted to give you a flavour of him. Here's that again if you want to watch it. Obviously your comments are welcome but don't feel obliged. He's at his most compelling when he's being strong in front of a hostile audience and sticking it to liberals.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mnD98hNq6ZY&t=23m20s
In regard to your point, lets assume that its true that it is the sociopathic individuals who commit most of the crime. Since such people will likely see leniency as weakness and not be deterred by soft measures or respond to attempts to encourage compassion and remorse, perhaps it is especially important to give them a strong self interest based deterrent. What else is left? Hitchens contends that 'the wicked' need to be 'disciplined and afraid'.
I'm not a Christian by the way and I don't wholesale subscribe to his philosophy but I like the guy. He's very good in some ways.
Steven --
Just took a look. I admire Hitchens' courage in facing down the Left, though I actually disagree about gay marriage (I think it should be allowed).
I wouldn't say that the laws are only meant for sociopaths, though they're the ones the laws are MOST needed for (to prevent murders etc.). There are plenty of laws which non-sociopaths would flout if they thought they could get away with it. If I thought I could get away scot free, I'd be hard pressed to turn down a compelling insider trading tip, or cheat on my taxes. But those aren't really sociopathic crimes. However, because i'm not a sociopath, I wouldn't go around murdering people I didn't like, and raping without compunction, even if there were no laws against it.
I've always had a pretty live and let live attitude to gays.
Steven --
Agreed, that's really the only sane attitude. Anyone who doesn't is either a religious nut or working their own issues out.
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