From the Archives: Christopher Hitchens (Full Interview)

Overview

• Speaker: Christopher Hitchens
• Channel: C-SPAN's Book TV
• Main topic: An in-depth career and worldview interview with author and journalist Christopher Hitchens discussing religion, politics, history, and his books.
• Purpose: To provide an expansive biographical and intellectual interview with Christopher Hitchens covering his major published works and ideological transitions. Author and journalist Christopher Hitchens is interviewed on C-SPAN's Book TV in 2007 by Peter Slen, discussing his extensive body of work, his fierce opposition to religion, his views on political figures like Thomas Paine and Thomas Jefferson, the Iraq War, and his literary influences.

Christopher Hitchens discusses his extensive body of writing, favorite authors and books, his views on religion, political figures, and journalism during a C-SPAN Book TV In Depth interview. He responds to viewer calls and emails covering topics from George Orwell, Thomas Jefferson, Mother Teresa, Henry Kissinger, and the nature of belief and skepticism.

Christopher Hitchens discusses his writing career, political views, and views on religion, literature, and international relations during an in-depth C-SPAN Book TV interview featuring questions from viewers across the United States.

Topic Map

Religion and Theism

• Explanation: Hitchens discusses his book 'God Is Not Great' and explains his view that religion poisons everything and is based on a mistaken and dangerous desire for supernatural authority.
• Key claims:
  • Religion is a form of theocracy and theology that poisons public life.
  • Human beings are evolved creatures, not created by a divine plan.
• Examples:
  • Mother Teresa's missionary position and her teachings on suffering.
• Terminology:
  • theocracy
  • theology
  • theodicy
  • deism
• Why it matters: Forms the core of Hitchens' late-career critique of organized religion and superstition.

Historical Figures: Thomas Paine and Thomas Jefferson

• Explanation: Hitchens examines the religious and political beliefs of Thomas Paine and Thomas Jefferson, clarifying that neither were orthodox Christians or atheists, but proponents of deism and freedom from superstition.
• Key claims:
  • Jefferson and Paine advocated for freedom of conscience and liberation from superstition.
  • Both professed deism, viewing the universe as having a first cause without divine intervention in human affairs.
• Examples:
  • Thomas Paine's 'The Rights of Man' and Thomas Jefferson's authorship of American foundational documents.
• Terminology:
  • deism
  • first cause
  • superstition
  • religious freedom
• Why it matters: Demonstrates Hitchens' grounding in Enlightenment values and intellectual history.

Family Background and Childhood

• Explanation: Hitchens reflects on his upbringing, his strict Baptist father who was a Royal Navy officer, and his mother's background.
• Key claims:
  • His father was a naval officer and a Calvinist.
  • He attended boarding school from age eight where scripture and biblical education were compulsory.
• Examples:
  • Boarding school experiences in Devonshire learning scripture.
• Terminology:
  • calvinist
  • boarding school
  • religious instruction
• Why it matters: Provides personal context for Hitchens' early engagement with and subsequent rejection of religious dogma.

The Iraq War and Foreign Policy

• Explanation: Hitchens defends his support for the Iraq War and critiques critics of intervention, arguing that the removal of Saddam Hussein was justified despite subsequent failures.
• Key claims:
  • Saddam Hussein's regime represented a totalitarian fascist threat that justified liberation.
  • Regretted not arguing earlier and more forcefully against the brutal dictatorship of Saddam Hussein.
• Examples:
  • The removal of Saddam Hussein's statue in Baghdad.
• Terminology:
  • regime change
  • intervention
  • sanctions
  • pro-consul
• Why it matters: Explains Hitchens' controversial break with the traditional left on foreign policy and military intervention.

The Clintons and 'No One Left to Lie To'

• Explanation: Hitchens discusses his book on Bill and Hillary Clinton, detailing his criticisms of their political triangulation and personal conduct.
• Key claims:
  • The Clinton administration engaged in cynical political maneuvers and triangulation.
  • Addressed the serious allegations and questions surrounding Bill Clinton.
• Examples:
  • The expanded paperback edition of 'No One Left to Lie To'.
• Terminology:
  • triangulation
  • political scandal
  • first lady
• Why it matters: Illustrates Hitchens' willingness to challenge powerful political figures across the ideological spectrum.

Plagiarism and Literary Ethics

• Explanation: Hitchens discusses his essay 'In Defence of Plagiarism', arguing that borrowing words is inevitable and universal, but proper acknowledgment and attribution distinguish honest writers from lazy ones.
• Key claims:
  • Everyone uses other people's words.
  • The respectable thing to do is return what you borrowed with interest and acknowledgment.
  • True plagiarism involves stealing chunks of text without attribution, driven by neurotic compulsion.
• Examples:
  • Citing Taki Theodoracopulos and William St Clair.
• Terminology:
  • Plagiarism
  • Kleptomania
  • Attribution
• Why it matters: Examines the boundary between homage, influence, and intellectual theft in professional writing.

Henry Kissinger and War Crimes

• Explanation: Hitchens discusses his book 'The Trial of Henry Kissinger', detailing legal summonses and allegations of human rights violations against Kissinger in various countries.
• Key claims:
  • Kissinger has been summoned by judges in Chile, Argentina, and France.
  • Kissinger's evasion of summonses demonstrates a certain legal inconvenience.
• Examples:
  • Judge Roger Le Loire in Paris trying to question Kissinger about Chile.
• Terminology:
  • Indictment
  • Summons
  • War crimes
• Why it matters: Highlights accountability for political leaders and foreign policy architects.

Religion, Secularism, and the Golden Rule

• Explanation: Hitchens defends secularism and critiques religious institutions, arguing that morality exists independently of religion and that religious doctrines often lead to totalitarianism.
• Key claims:
  • Religion is man-made and promotes totalitarian dogmas.
  • The Golden Rule is a reasonable, non-historical moral guideline accessible to all.
  • Secular societies are superior to theocracies.
• Examples:
  • References to Robert G. Ingersoll, Chapman Cohen, and religious hypocrisy.
• Terminology:
  • Secularism
  • Theocracy
  • Totalitarianism
  • Golden Rule
• Why it matters: Explores the philosophical foundations of ethics and the critique of faith-based authority.

George Orwell and Political Writing

• Explanation: Hitchens reflects on George Orwell's enduring relevance, his ability to diagnose fascism, communism, and imperialism accurately, and his integrity as a writer.
• Key claims:
  • Orwell was the only 20th-century writer to accurately analyze fascism, communism, and imperialism.
  • Orwell lived in poverty but never sold out.
  • Orwell's work serves as an exemplary model for political journalism.
• Examples:
  • Orwell's service in the Spanish Civil War and his essay 'Politics and the English Language'.
• Terminology:
  • Imperialism
  • Totalitarianism
  • English language
• Why it matters: Demonstrates the standard of intellectual honesty and clarity in political commentary.

Mother Teresa and Philanthropic Critique

• Explanation: Hitchens defends his critical stance on Mother Teresa, arguing that her fundraising went to ideological convents and hospices rather than effective medical care.
• Key claims:
  • Mother Teresa's work institutionalized poverty rather than alleviating it.
  • Her opposition to birth control and divorce stems from dogmatic rigidity.
  • Critical examination of public icons is essential for journalists.
• Examples:
  • George Sim Johnston's review in National Review and Hitchens's book 'The Missionary Position'.
• Terminology:
  • Hospice
  • Dogma
  • Charity
• Why it matters: Challenges the uncritical veneration of religious figures in public discourse.

Thomas Jefferson and the Founders

• Explanation: Hitchens evaluates Thomas Jefferson's extraordinary talents in law, architecture, and writing, contrasted with his flaws regarding slavery.
• Key claims:
  • Jefferson was a polymath with extraordinary intellectual gifts.
  • His greatest failure was deepening and prolonging the institution of slavery.
  • Jefferson's personal contradictions reflect the compromises of the founding era.
• Examples:
  • Jefferson's agricultural life and his authorship of the Declaration of Independence.
• Terminology:
  • Polymath
  • Slavery
  • Founding fathers
• Why it matters: Examines the complex legacy of American founders in relation to human rights.

Global Warming and Human Activity

• Explanation: Hitchens discusses anthropogenic global warming, comparing it to other historical scientific debates and emphasizing the ethical stance of treating threats as if human activity is responsible.
• Key claims:
  • Human activity is a major driver of potential global warming.
  • We should act as if anthropogenic climate change is real because we lack a second planet to test on.
• Examples:
  • Comparison with CFCs and the ozone layer.
• Terminology:
  • biosphere
  • global warming
  • ozone layer
• Why it matters: Addresses how scientific consensus and environmental policy impact long-term human survival.

English Accents and Social Status

• Explanation: Exploration of how speech and accents function as markers of social class in England.
• Key claims:
  • Language and accent remain immediate indicators of social class and regional background in England.
• Examples:
  • George Orwell's observations on English class distinctions through speech.
• Terminology:
  • accent
  • social class
• Why it matters: Demonstrates the persistence of class stratification in language and culture.

Theocracy and Religious Fundamentalism

• Explanation: Hitchens argues against the rise of religious fundamentalism and the danger of theocratic governance.
• Key claims:
  • Religious fundamentalism poses a continuous threat to secular, democratic society.
  • Belief systems often demand uncritical submission that undermines rational inquiry.
• Examples:
  • Christian fundamentalism and Islamic jihadism.
• Terminology:
  • theocracy
  • fundamentalism
  • secularism
• Why it matters: Highlights the tension between religious dogmatism and enlightenment values.

Literary and Intellectual Influences

• Explanation: Discussion of prominent intellectuals, including Noam Chomsky, George Orwell, and Thomas Paine.
• Key claims:
  • George Orwell remains a vital model for political honesty and clarity.
  • Chomsky's analysis of US foreign policy represents a significant intellectual current that Hitchens critiques on certain interventions.
• Examples:
  • Orwell's essays on politics and the English language.
• Terminology:
  • intellectual
  • essayist
  • polemic
• Why it matters: Provides insight into the intellectual lineage shaping Hitchens's own worldview.

Key Points

The Danger of Religious Dogma

• Explanation: Organized religion demands uncritical obedience and claims access to divine authority, leading to intolerance and violence.
• Evidence: Historical conflicts and totalitarian religious states discussed in 'God Is Not Great'.
• Practical implication: Society must defend secularism and free inquiry against religious encroachment.

Enlightenment Values and Skepticism

• Explanation: Intellectual freedom requires liberating the mind from superstition and irrational dogmas.
• Evidence: The writings of Thomas Paine, Thomas Jefferson, and George Orwell.
• Practical implication: Individuals must think for themselves and challenge authority.

Writing as a Way of Life

• Explanation: Hitchens views writing not merely as a career, but as an encompassing identity rooted in reading, questioning, and public engagement.
• Evidence: His lifelong commitment to reading Orwell, Koestler, and Wodehouse, and maintaining a constant output of essays.
• Practical implication: Writers must immerse themselves in literature and test their ideas against the best minds.

The Necessity of Intellectual Independence

• Explanation: True intellectuals must resist party lines, religious dogma, and tribal loyalties.
• Evidence: Hitchens's transition from left-wing radicalism to independent interventionist commentary.
• Practical implication: Maintain skepticism toward all forms of institutional power and revealed truth.

The Danger of Dogma

• Explanation: Dogmatic belief systems discourage critical thinking and independent skepticism.
• Evidence: Historical examples of religious and ideological conformity.
• Practical implication: Maintain intellectual independence and question established authorities.

Foreign Policy Interventions

• Explanation: Complex geopolitical interventions require rigorous evaluation of local realities rather than simplistic ideological assumptions.
• Evidence: Hitchens's reflections on Iraq and the Balkans.
• Practical implication: Analyze foreign conflicts with attention to civil society and human rights.

Frameworks, Models & Processes

Enlightenment Rationalism

• How it works: Evaluating claims based on reason, evidence, and empirical observation rather than faith or superstition.
• Components:
  • Skepticism toward authority
  • Freedom of conscience
  • Scientific inquiry
• When to use: When examining political systems, religious claims, and historical narratives.

Orwellian Standard of Political Honesty

• How it works: Evaluate political systems and leaders by examining whether their language clarifies or obscures reality, and whether they maintain consistency in opposing tyranny regardless of ideology.
• Components:
  • Clarity of prose
  • Opposition to totalitarianism from any source
  • Personal financial and intellectual integrity
• When to use: When analyzing political propaganda, totalitarian regimes, and intellectual integrity.

Secular Rationalist Critique

• How it works: Applying rational skepticism, historical context, and empirical evidence to evaluate political and religious claims.
• Components:
  • Empirical evidence
  • Skepticism toward authority
  • Defense of free expression
• When to use: When evaluating religious dogmas, state power, and ideological orthodoxies.

Examples & Case Studies

Hitchens' upbringing at an English boarding school where Bible study was compulsory.

• Illustrates: Early exposure to mandatory religious instruction that sparked his lifelong skepticism.
• Lesson: Compulsory religious education often breeds intellectual rebellion in independent thinkers.

Hitchens wrote 'The Trial of Henry Kissinger' and faced legal summonses in Europe.

• Illustrates: The application of international law and journalistic investigation to high-ranking state officials.
• Lesson: No statesman should be immune from scrutiny regarding war crimes and human rights violations.

Hitchens reflects on his changing perspective on Noam Chomsky and the Balkans conflict.

• Illustrates: How political alignments shift in the face of humanitarian crises.
• Lesson: Moral clarity must take precedence over rigid ideological consistency.

Actionable Takeaways

• Immediate:
  • Read 'God Is Not Great' for Hitchens' comprehensive critique of religion.
  • Examine the writings of Thomas Paine and Thomas Jefferson regarding liberty.
  • Read George Orwell's essays and political works.
  • Maintain rigorous skepticism toward unverified religious and political claims.
  • Value rigorous debate and intellectual honesty.
  • Question institutional authority and religious dogma.
• Strategic:
  • Maintain intellectual independence and refuse to align unconditionally with dogmatic political factions.
  • Cultivate a broad literary foundation across fiction and non-fiction.
  • Engage in public debate without ideological blinders.
  • Recognize the fragility of secular, open societies.
  • Appreciate the role of literature and history in shaping political consciousness.
• Questions to investigate:
  • How do Enlightenment principles apply to modern geopolitical conflicts?
  • How do secular societies maintain ethical cohesion without religious authority?
  • What is the proper balance between statecraft and international humanitarian law?
  • How do societies balance freedom of expression with religious sensitivities?
  • What are the limits of military intervention in humanitarian crises?

Claims Worth Verifying

• Thomas Jefferson and Thomas Paine were deists rather than orthodox Christians. (historical)
• Henry Kissinger was summoned by Judge Roger Le Loire in Paris. (historical fact)
• George Orwell died in January 1950 shortly after completing 1984. (biographical fact)
• The Elgin Marbles should be returned to Athens. (cultural/political)
• Religious fundamentalism leads inherently to theocratic tendencies. (sociological)

Notable Quotes

"Well, I think it's well, at the moment, it's certainly religion in one form or another, theocracy, theology, theodicy, as some people like to call it." (at 0:08) "The New Testament exceeds the evil of the Old One." (at 15:37) "How well I remember the sweetness of it. I was sitting on a plane, reading a copy of The Spectator." (at 126:58) "Once again I found myself writing (and once again, revolvingly, without any suggestion of payment) a letter to the editor of this irresponsible magazine." (at 128:41) "You pride yourself in being well informed, historically and have accumulated vast quantities of arguments of religion as dysfunctional." (at 147:25) "Mr. Hitchens is made uneasy by the thought that somebody somewhere is doing a good deed motivated by personal charity rather than statist ideology." (at 179:12) "Look as I might, it's yet to be found that you've explicitly renounced your once-famous adoration for communism and its adherents." (at 185:04) "How do you explain your about-face: from courageous left-winger to obsequious neocon?" (at 186:47) "The bombers of Manhattan represent fascism with an Islamic face, and there's no point in any euphemism about it." (at 192:14) "Religion makes the false promise that if you join the right group or make the right prayers or obeisances or propitiations, an exception to this unbreakable rule will be made in your own case." (at 2851:09)

Compressed Summary

• Hitchens critiques organized religion as toxic and irrational.
• He defends Enlightenment thinkers like Paine and Jefferson.
• He explains his controversial support for the Iraq War.
• He analyzes the political behavior of the Clinton family.
• Christopher Hitchens reflects on his literary influences including George Orwell, P.G. Wodehouse, and Arthur Koestler.
• Discusses the ethics of plagiarism, distinguishing between honest citation and intellectual theft.
• Critiques religious dogmatism, Mother Teresa's charitable foundations, and totalitarian ideologies.
• Defends his political evolution and his critical books on Henry Kissinger and Thomas Jefferson.
• Discusses global warming and environmental responsibility.
• Examines English accents as indicators of social class.
• Analyzes religious fundamentalism and the threat of theocracy.
• Reviews literary figures including Orwell, Chomsky, and Paine.
• Keywords: religion, deism, politics, history, secularism, journalism, orwell, literature, intervention
• Core insight: Christopher Hitchens advocates for unwavering intellectual independence, secularism, and rational skepticism against both religious dogma and political hypocrisy.

Intellectual independence requires a rigorous commitment to truth, literary literacy, and uncompromising skepticism toward all forms of ideological and religious dogmatism.

Intellectual integrity requires constant skepticism toward dogma, whether religious or political.