Hitch

At risk of sounding churlish I found him wordy, confusing and too clever by half. I will admit to a personal interest in his current location.

Too clever by half, yeah. Intimidating. Blimey, though... I could listen to him talk for hours, which is what he used to do! I'll never forget the debate in Toronto last year. I'd wanted for ages to see Tony Blair demolished, and Hitch gave me that satisfaction.

If he's currently where I don't think he is, I expect there's a bit of a heated chin-wag going on...

Chuck would you rather have had him be too stupid by half instead?

Bless you, Scratch. Too many people walking this earth who are too stupid by half. Or, at least, who are afraid to crowbar their minds open just a little bit more and let in a slightly different light.

The clarification is welcome Chuck. And for what it's worth I agree with your observation of his contrariness.

Regards Chuck.

No of course not scratch. My problem with Hitch is/was that he seemed able to hold two contradictory points of view at the same time. He was in favor of the Iraq invasion for instance but not Tony Blair. I think there was a point where his eloquence became an end in itself. It dazzled people.

But I know he is admired mainly for fearless opinions. In an increasingly bland world where people are afraid to say anything he was one of a kind for sure.

Thanks scratch. I just edited the comment above so it's in the wrong order.

I agree, too. I found contradictions in his opinions. I will still miss his input greatly. There are too few people on this earth who are brave enough to speak out as eloquently (and controversially) as he did.

I find it hard to decide if setting out on a course of self-destruction is the most noble or most stupid thing a person can do.

Maybe it's both. Do I contradict myself? Very well, then... I contradict myself. I am large. I contain multitudes. (actually, I'm not as large as Whitman, but I'm both very fit AND an over-consumer of a certain liquid that is very bad for me).