Christopher HitchensThinkers

The Academic (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠today, no longer the unworldly innocuous scholar wrapped up in the arcane, but is instead, a wised-up, ambitious person, more interested in deals and endowments, and the invention of lucrative new subdisciplines.

Agnosticism (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠used as a halfway house by those who cannot make a profession of faith but are unwilling to repudiate either religion or God absolutely.

America (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠miraculously founded on a document as a work in progress that can be tested by each generation.

The America (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠a place which, schooled in the national dream of promise and abundance and opportunity, it's citizens are condemned to experience life as a disappointment and to wonder if the fault is in themselves or in their stars that they are perpetual underlings.

Animal rights (n.) are ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠often accused of sentimentalism, but in point of fact, it is actually quite rare to find a humanitarian who is indifferent to animals and surprisingly common to find that those who belittle animal rights are the same ones who find the pain of humans easy to bear.

Antisemitism (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠not a mere prejudice like any other regional hatred. It, unlike the others, involves the accusation of trying to bring off a secret world government based on the occult control of finance.

Antisemitism (n.) involves ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠the paradox whereby great power is attributed to the powerless.

Apology (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠the place (along with excuses) where one often finds the real offense.

The Argument's (n.) test ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠is not its ability to convert or to persuade. It lies in its capacity to refine or to redefine the positions of the other side.

Argument (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠best conducted following this cardinal rule; that one be able to give a proper account of the opposing position(s).

The Award (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠today an unstoppably inflating business which exists to reward sponsors, to pacify egos, to generate sales, and to puff reputations.

The Cat (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠an animal that, in contrast to the dog (which responds to your providing him with food, water, shelter and affection by drawing the conclusion that you are a God), looks at the same circumstances and draws the conclusion that he himself is a God.