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Nice to see Genocide Doug run his mouth as usual, what do you think the Hitch would have said about your recent genocidal escapades. Disgrace to Hitchens' memory and name tbh. Speaking as someone who was brought up in a muslim country and is now an athiest, Hitchens was always the voice of reason for me, cuz he always knew right from wrong. Im afraid GENOCIDE DOUG wouldn't know right from wrong even if it slapped him across the face, as the hitch would say 'this disgraceful behavior in 2024 ladies & Gentlemen'. Will always love you Fry !!!!!
An outstanding hagiographic eulogy collection of guests. Now if you want to see how poorly hitchens debates against the competent person you must watch him debate with George Galloway who basically sheered him like a sheep. It's like a top predator Bengal tiger going after a petting cow. And towards the end hitchens completely sold out. Monthly cash flow probably and a life of profligate living spending what assets he had. The man treated the most sacred temple, his body like a sewer. Regardless I recommend his material and I recommend his documentary on Kissinger as a war criminal.
See the trial of Henry Kissinger based on hitchens point of view and research on the mass perpetual criminal whose abilities remain active even though he's long gone.
Dear Lawrence . I am not convinced that you will personally read this comment! But then again? As a 66 year old young man and lifelong follower, antagonist, unconvinced though totally supportive of this remarkable Man and most of his opinions ☺️ i am grateful for your generosity in sharing this event on TH-cam. Sir, i have a minor, though extremely relevant and respectful, concern regarding Christophers friends , colleagues and intellectuals contemporaries. Christopher is a living event in millions of living people on this planet . I will try to reach you directly by mail if possible to explain in detail my thoughts. Dave Ashby Hamburg.
I miss Hitch so much. In fact I started to learn English mainly to understand his books, which were not translated into Czech yet. Hitch and Carl Sagan are the greatest teachers in my life that I have never met. Happy Hitchmas to everyone from Czech republic! :)
I'd say Alex O'Connor is doing a very good job of doing that. A slightly different approach philosophically, but very similar delivery at times. It's uncanny.
. . . A N D . . . Follow Him As One Who Led By E X A M P L E . He T R U L Y Walked The W A L K . So Much Easier Said Than Done . That Was The - Wellspring Of His Authenticity .
@JoshWiniberg - Alex O ' Connor . Yes . That " " k i d " " Is Amazing . " K " Word Used Affectionately In High Praise . That Young Man Is Of Course - - Highly Intelligent . . . Yet He Is Also Wise Beyond His Years . Another Standard Bearer // N O N - Soft // PhD // // Scholar // Staunch ⚛️ A T H E I S T ⚛️ Is Francesca Stavrakopoulou . However . . . She Is Big // Huge On Speaking Logically // Rationally // N O N - Argu - - tentatively . She Finds Such Tones - Needlessly Insulting .
- Francesca Stavrakopoulou . O N E Of Very Few Thoroughly Accredited // Biblical Scholars On The P L A N E T Whom Advocates Her (( Devotion To )) - Atheism .
Free speech is so important, thank u all for defending this so courageously. Bullying is another subject though, maybe the difference of being sharp honest and strong in your way of expressing yourself is sometimes confused with bullying, which it isn't.
"Death is certain, replacing both the siren-song of Paradise and the dread of Hell. Life on this earth, with all its mystery and beauty and pain, is then to be lived far more intensely: we stumble and get up, we are sad, confident, insecure, feel loneliness and joy and love. There is nothing more; but I want nothing more" Thank you, Hitch, for everything you gave and continue to give.
It's amazing to me that so many years after his death, I see so often from people all over the world, from all walks of life (other than perhaps the religious), the thought "What would The Hitch think about this". I can't think of another person that comes up like this so consistently. I envy the people on this stage for having such an opportunity to be close to this inspiring man, even if for too short a time. Charisma, moral integrity, bravery, talent, loyalty........ and joy in his vices. Qualities every man wishes he has. We will never know what The Hitch would think about this, because he would so often surprise us with an insight we didn't perhaps think of. He would sometimes agree with us, and sometimes not, but it would always be a joy to hear what he had to say.
Listening to you men speak about your good friend Christopher made me cry. I never knew him but I loved him. I loved his videos and listen to them over and over and over again. I never get tired of hearing him speak. He was such a strong courageous person and so witty and brilliant! I wish he was with us today. We need his wisdom, guts to speak up and his sense of humor. He was such an inspiration and a joy to hear him speak. What a genuine man and so humble. I miss you Christopher Hitchens. ❤️ Now I need to go dry my eyes. Thank you for this wonderful tribute. Christopher will always live in our hearts. 🥹❤️
You echo what we all think. Great man Hitchens with an extraordinary vocabulary, sarcastic wit, brutally honest and so lovable. I am from india and see his programs over and over again thanks to you tube. Great tribute by equally great man
@@loop1479oh really? ☹️ I dispise Douglas Murray and the scabrous thoughts he _shares_ for money, but the guy's sentiment here was surprisingly touching.
I doubt Hitch saw him as a close friend at all. His so called eulogising here is more about himself, predictably beginning with his exaggerated 'war correspondent' piffle. All he did was stand above Gaza and enjoy the show, just like the Israeli picknickers years previously...and yet he'd have us believe he's as brave/even foolhardy as James Woods in Salvador. And as for the 'hard drinking' with his buddy Hitch swapping Shakespeare quotes.. Yeah whatever Douglas. Can you actually imagine Hitch & 'Dougie' painting the town red? Didn't happen, trust me. At least Fry admits he'd not got the stomach for it.
@@jackjudecame to to say this but you saved me the trouble. How does Stephen Fry's conscience sit with being a billing with the softly spoken gay Nazi?
Some days when I need a Hitch fix I have a couple of days ‘with him’ on TH-cam… How lovely to find this whilst dealing with post Christmas lunch overindulgence …🎄
I met Cristopher Hitchens once on the street in Palo Alto, CA. I said to him, "Mr. Hitchens, I presume...He replied, "Depends on who's asking." He was very cordial during our brief talk.
How marvelous will your memory have of the encounter, wish I met him in person. Thanks to modern technology, he has left us so much footage & books to learn & reflect. How luck all we are……..
Christopher Hitchens has been a constant source of inspiration for me, one of my greatest heroes alongside Richard Dawkins. To me, he epitomized critical thinking and the power of intellect. Though the quote 'knowledge is power' isn’t his, Hitchens embodied it like no one else, with arguments as sharp as lightning strikes. His debates were a masterclass in rhetoric and reasoning. If anyone deserves to be remembered as an 'être de lumière,' it’s Christopher Hitchens. We all miss you deeply, Christopher, and we always looked forward to seeing you deliver those brilliant 'Hitchslaps'-a testament to your unmatched wit and intellect.
It makes my heart warm and happy to see the legends sitting and having a discussion, and inspiring us with their knowledge and wisdom. Without these legends, I would have lost hope for humanity a long time ago.
These three honoring Hitchens are a huge reminder of how rare it is to have perfectly clear thinking and communication that cuts through the thick wall of garbage that seems to encase all media now …So satisfying to watch someone with complete clarity get to the heart of an idea and would be so amazing to have him back to explain to everyone what is happening now in the world.
Our political discourse would be entirely different if Christopher Hitchens were still alive. It's ironic he passed because of cancer of the throat. I think about it a lot. He died of the plight of an organ people accused him of using for blasphemy. But as he put it, "I used many other organs to blaspheme, you know." So much high art in his wit. Not even comparable to all the modern high profile faux polemicists like Ben Shapiro.
Imagine being so amazing that 13 years after you're gone Dawkins, Fry, Murray and Krauss and thousands of complete strangers say they miss you everyday! ❤ Hitch was certainly the best of us. I 'discovered' him in 2008 and since then, almost all my ideas are based on "what would Hitch think". And yes, I'm aware he would find my gushing cringeworthy 😅 Thank you for this, gentlemen! ❤
@@enjoythedreamlife5658😂😂😂😂😂 "And they'll know we are Christians by our love, by our love..." Christianity, the greatest cause of Atheism! LOL, sounds like you aren't living your username! 😂
Well, we don't have him anymore, so the rest of us need to step up our game. I think he would loathe this godlike hero worship of him. He should be emulated but not idolized.
Thank you for sharing this video. Living in Australia means we do not get to attend such events. By the time I became an atheist and discovered Hitchens videos he had passed away so it was lovely to learn things that I never knew about him.
I was early 20's when Dawkins released The God Delusion and the Four Horsemen came to prominence. I vividly remember encountering Hitch for the first time in that famous video made in his Washington appartment. I went onto follow him 'religiously' and bought all his books. His debates were mesmeric. Like a man with a script he had rehearsed for every eventuality of a conversation. A perfectly chosen quotation for every occasion. But of course what made us love him the most was his rapier wit and keen sense of humour. The world was robbed of a powerful voice for reason. How important he would have been in this last tumultuous decade.
Thank you! I'd been feeling bereft until I realised I was slap in the middle of Hitchmas and not the other one that I'm always trying to escape from. So happy to be at this celebration. Love from South Africa 🇿🇦 🎉🎉
Douglas Murray speaks so freely like Christopher Hitchins, without having to read from paper or print. In that way, he is what he speaks of and he believes, unapologetically, in what he says
When you heard C. Hitchens spoke, it was as sleek and pure as the English language could get. Another orator like him is simply not possible in our time. Happy Hitchmas!
@@renevalice3056 come on now, let's not get carried away.He mumbled alot, and some times say 6 sentences without a breath! He not on same league as many i could mention. Infact his speech let him down.
One of the thrills of my life was as a caller to a talk show where Hitchens was a guest. I didn't talk to him much, basically just made a short statement but remember it since
Happy Hitchmas. I never knew Douglas was close to him. Always learning new stuff about Hitch. His ability to bring great minds together even years after death shows the impact he had. Incredible.
He wasn't close to him. Acquaintance is the accurate term. Hitchens wrote a favorable review of a literary biography by Murray in 2000, when Murray was unknown, and Murray inflated the nature of the relationship after Hitchens died. Try to find a mention of Murray in Hitch-22 or Amis's Inside Story, or other such texts. Or locate a photograph of them together. Even Murray stories about Hitchens are as suspect as his zionism. Borrowed.
Sitting in Africa and surrounded by the mountains, I'm listening to this for the second time, after only finding it today. How wonderful! I savored every word of those most eloquent gentlemen. You were all so fortunate to have been in the close circle of the "Hitch"
Thank you for this!! I miss Hitch so much! I listen to a debate, lecture or the deeply loved " HitchSlap" clip every day of my life. Always playing from my playlist in the background. He means so much to me because he brought me to the enlightenment from a life of religious indoctrination thinking! His quick wit and beautiful use of the English language will echo through time, endlessly.
The only man over whose death I ever wept. Like Xiaborok, I miss him so much. When I am foul in my mood, the Hitch always manages to make me feel like I have one friend in this world. Gentlemen, thanks for this!
Yes, Hitch was special. But so are all of you, the peers he left behind. If he could see now what you have been up to, he'd be singing YOUR praises, just as he'd previously done on numerous occasions! Thank you for making your ongoing gifts of wisdom and science available to the general public, and raising our collective intelligence. It's a long process, but it's working! Merry Hitchmas! 🌲🎄🌲⛄️⛄️⛄️⛄️🌲🎄🌲
Never a year passes without a re-read of a Hitch book/review/essay or more and a catch up on a few of his many appearances courtesy of YT. He is still with us in these forms and may it ever be so.
As many others have stated in these comments...I TOO learned of this incredible man only after he had passed. Only by a year or so. After watching every debate, talk and book signing available online I started to read his written works as well. The ONLY books I have EVER read that I needed a dictionary within reach to fully understand. Simply stated...he changed my life. He made me think in ways I never had. That I can miss a man who I never met THIS much makes me slightly (Only slightly!) sympathetic to the "religious" who love and revere "someone" THEY have never met. My consolation is that at least MY "hero" REALLY existed!!!...lol....My GREATEST pride is that my sons who I've ALWAYS encouraged to think critically and do the work of being informed before coming to conclusions have now embraced Mr. Hitchens works and are so much the better for it. Thank you Mr. Krauss for not allowing his light to dim. Not that that would be possible anyway.
I must thank Lawrence Krauss for championing the works and legacy of Christopher Hitchens this winter's solstice season. I feel noticably relieved of the oppressive Abrahamic pall that deadens the faculties of my brothers and sisters each year, without fail. In spite of Christopher's passing, this presentation is a refreshing shot of peaceful, amicable rationalism. I met Dr. Krauss at Gammage, after one of his Origins presentations one evening and it pleases me to no end that that he was personal friends with Mr. Hitchens at that time. Merry Hitchmas!
I'm evidently out of the loop, as I had no idea this event was happening until it was too late. What I would have done to have been at such a wonderful event, celebrating one of the greatest thinkers and polymaths of our times. I'm glad we are able to see the recording, at very least. Thank you for that.
A great shame Martin Amis is no longer with us and able to participate in a get together like this. Being a very close long term friend It would surely have added another dimension to the discussion.
@@voulafisentzidis8830 A very fair point. There really needed to be someone else there like SR with a longer, and I suspect deeper more meaningful, relationship with Hitchens than these other blokes.
Christopher was one of the rare people who could make me want to read a book, learn something and enjoy the warmth, intelligence and wit of his rhetoric. He was an incredible man and I miss him very much.
Douglas Murray's defence of Jordan Peterson in this was yet another display of his admirable bravery. Whatever you might think of JP's ideas, he is a very close friend of Douglas, and Douglas sat politely listening to criticism of his friend until exactly the moment it was taken a little too far. It's one thing to spend your entire career, as Douglas has done, writing and saying things that anger some very nasty and vindictive and dangerous people, but it's another type of bravery entirely to sit on a stage, in front of cameras, and stand up against your friends and peers. Not only that, but he navigated it perfectly, not allowing the atmosphere to turn sour with too hard a response, but also not leaving any doubt that he didn't approve of the way in which the rest of the panel were going about their criticism. Such an impressive man.
@@diwlelomo And I think a great many MORE people think otherwise. I'm not entirely impressed by a lot of J.P's religious takes, but I respect the man for his unique insights and willingness to have honest, amicable debates, despite the amount of baseless vitriol thrown at him.
Thank you so much for showing this, made me realize how much Hitch is missed and how much he did for the world. Legends never really die their memory lasts an eternity , cheers
I'll tell you something. There won't be people like that anymore. It makes me terribly sad. You know - our idols are already of their age and I can't imagine life without them. Young people can't tell stories so beautifully. I want them to live for a thousand years. Richard Dawkins convinced me that science is a wonderful adventure :) and thank you Richard. I'm using an interpreter - forgive me. Well, I love you all. !!!
The worse thing about when Hitchens died wasn’t THAT he died, it was WHEN he died. We needed him. We needed him more over the next few years than we ever needed a person since Einstein.
That last thing that Murray said about how certain people live on in the warmth of their humanity was really quite profound. Very thought provoking and moving.
We're lucky - I hesitate to say blessed - that Hitch did make the time to appear on C-SPAN, and give all those talks, and do all those debates ... and that he lived in the age of video, so we have it all recorded and can experience his wit and wisdom whenever we need a dose. It's immortality of a kind, and you need only look at the comments on those videos to see that new people are still discovering him thanks to that.
Lawrence Krauss needs reminding that both Israeli PM's Barak and Olmert offered the Palestinians a State and both times were turned down. Clinton speaks about this very well and I recommend googling his recent remarks based on his first hand experience in those negotiations.
Paraphrasing "... when we die, we go into the hearts of others and shine our light through that place " .. is the most beautiful idea I've heard in some time ♥️
@@dcassis3051 Martin Amis From his memoir Experience The quote he offered at a cousin's funeral 'This is where we go when we die Into the hearts of all those that love us And all our hearts are bursting with her'
I would like to thank you four for your remembrance.Christopher Hitchens has had such a searching influence on my understanding of the human condition that without him and his legacy and of course your respect for his considerations I would be but a child.
it saddens me every day that I didn't discover his work until after he was gone. I have TH-cam to thank for introducing me to him. I've just started his book "God is not great". I hope I'm patient enough to read it in it's entirety, looking up the words I've never heard along the way!
@VesnaVK Likewise, Ms Vesna. I often think that Jordan Peterson and now, unfortunately, Ayaan Hirsi Ali, benefit greatly from the fact that the only people challenging their rather obvious nonsense are well-meaning peers and friends... I suspect Mr Hitchens would've held no such reservations! 😉
This was truly wonderful! I miss Hitchens, so much still a decade plus after his passing, he taught me so much about everything... Time to re-read some of his books again, life has become so difficult in so many ways, it's like the stupid, the vapid, and the evil are winning.. but, this is only because I have allowed it.. to hell with this.. time to recommit to science evidence and reason.. not that I ever used any other yardstick, but, the grois ignorance that has encroached has dimmed me somewhat.. thanks to all involved for this gathering... It has awakened the quest to stay true and close to what matters.
I miss him(the Hitch) every time I hear important news/events from around the world. How brilliant & original thoughts HE would have on what happens in our days. B t w Great gathering Thank you (Where is Sam Harris?)
Sadly as much as I admire him his argument was weak for the Iraq invasion and the disaster that ensued from that American war crime. I suspect he too would endorse the Pariah State and its ethnic cleansing, war crimes, and atrocities which is why I lost respect for him.
What? Better than Plato, Shakespeare, Homer, Leonardo da Vinci, Jane Austen, Emily Dickinson, Kalidas, Valmiki and Vyas? One could fill ten pages more before one even thought of him
Sadly, Jordon Peterson is getting all the recognition that Hitchens SHOULD have received while he was alive. I am glad knowing he will never be forgotten and hopefully known more posthumously.
Clearly you don't understand all the attention Christopher Hitchens received while he was alive. There was no shortage of attention paid to Hitchens whatsoever. He was the West's most famous public intellectual and his opinion was regularly sought by the media, his writings published and the best journals and magazines.
Third rate "intellectuals" like Peterson and Murray are in vogue these days but I strongly suspect Hitchens would have some choice words for these charlatans were he still with us.
An excellent point made by SF is the way we are always searching for truth within a very limited comprehension of reality, in all its incredible majesty. So knowledge of most things has to be considered within the context of 'what we have learned so far'. That is a humility that far too many intellectuals and academics fail to adopt.
There's a good chance we might guess the side Christopher wouldn't take, but why he took it, how he came it, and his method of making us feel like fools for thinking anything other than his position, we will never be able to summon.
The beauty of this presentation, apart from the memories or Hitch, is that strong theme that we can have discussions with people who have ideas we disagree with, and still be friends. This attitude is what is lacking in current political debate. Debate the idea, don’t attack the person.
Thank you Lawrence. Such a gift to receive during the holiday season - Here's wishing you and yours a happy and healthy (I am 70) 2025. I appreciate your work and interests. Be safe and be well. SteveInVancouver.
Three spectacular choices for the panel, I am familiar with them all but I don't know so much about Christopher Hitchens and I feel like I need to change that immediately after watching this.
What an unparalleled blessing Christopher Hitchens was and is What a courageous, wise friend of/for humanity I loved this discussion so much, as I love and admire each one of them separately 💘 Pretty sure Christopher would relish it.
I listen to him once and knew I’d never agree with him then I saw him debate his brother and even though I still didn’t agree I found myself listening to him because I like the way he spoke. It was nice to hear someone use the English language so good no no vulgarity cussing, swearing just really good English and that’s why I kept listening to him even after his debate with his brother.
I wonder what he would feel about you sitting here talking about him and praising him. Would he approve, would he be flattered, would he chuckle, etc.? It is no wonder that you do, and it is no wonder that we are happy to listen.
Awesome - now if you could just get Sam Harris and the late, great Kurt Vonnegut, you'd have just about all of my favorites! Merry Christmas, and thank you for this great present, Mr. Krauss!
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These "scientism/atheists" are just as demonic as the religionists. And this goof Krauss is a complete pseudoscientist at that !
Nice to see Genocide Doug run his mouth as usual, what do you think the Hitch would have said about your recent genocidal escapades. Disgrace to Hitchens' memory and name tbh. Speaking as someone who was brought up in a muslim country and is now an athiest, Hitchens was always the voice of reason for me, cuz he always knew right from wrong. Im afraid GENOCIDE DOUG wouldn't know right from wrong even if it slapped him across the face, as the hitch would say 'this disgraceful behavior in 2024 ladies & Gentlemen'. Will always love you Fry !!!!!
An outstanding hagiographic eulogy collection of guests.
Now if you want to see how poorly hitchens debates against the competent person you must watch him debate with George Galloway who basically sheered him like a sheep.
It's like a top predator Bengal tiger going after a petting cow.
And towards the end hitchens completely sold out. Monthly cash flow probably and a life of profligate living spending what assets he had.
The man treated the most sacred temple, his body like a sewer.
Regardless I recommend his material and I recommend his documentary on Kissinger as a war criminal.
See the trial of Henry Kissinger based on hitchens point of view and research on the mass perpetual criminal whose abilities remain active even though he's long gone.
Dear Lawrence . I am not convinced that you will personally read this comment! But then again? As a 66 year old young man and lifelong follower, antagonist, unconvinced though totally supportive of this remarkable Man and most of his opinions ☺️ i am grateful for your generosity in sharing this event on TH-cam. Sir, i have a minor, though extremely relevant and respectful, concern regarding Christophers friends , colleagues and intellectuals contemporaries. Christopher is a living event in millions of living people on this planet . I will try to reach you directly by mail if possible to explain in detail my thoughts. Dave Ashby Hamburg.
I miss Hitch so much. In fact I started to learn English mainly to understand his books, which were not translated into Czech yet. Hitch and Carl Sagan are the greatest teachers in my life that I have never met. Happy Hitchmas to everyone from Czech republic! :)
❤
i from Poland :)
Merry Hitchmass. Hail Sagan!
What a beautiful tribute to Hitchens and Sagan.
he was an idiot
When Christopher died, although I never met him, I remember telling my husband, “ I feel like I lost a friend.”
yes me too
I felt the same way....♥
I told the same to my husband.
Lovely words
Never knew him but miss him dearly
Me too 😢
Don't mourn Christopher Hitchens. Channel him. Not just his arguments but his courage and passion.
🎉🎉🎉
I'd say Alex O'Connor is doing a very good job of doing that. A slightly different approach philosophically, but very similar delivery at times. It's uncanny.
. . . A N D . . . Follow Him As One Who
Led By E X A M P L E . He T R U L Y
Walked The W A L K . So Much Easier
Said Than Done . That Was The
- Wellspring Of His Authenticity .
@JoshWiniberg
-
Alex O ' Connor . Yes . That " " k i d " "
Is Amazing . " K " Word Used Affectionately
In High Praise . That Young Man Is Of
Course - - Highly Intelligent . . . Yet He
Is Also Wise Beyond His Years . Another
Standard Bearer // N O N - Soft // PhD //
// Scholar // Staunch ⚛️ A T H E I S T ⚛️
Is Francesca Stavrakopoulou . However
. . . She Is Big // Huge On Speaking
Logically // Rationally // N O N - Argu -
- tentatively . She Finds Such Tones
- Needlessly Insulting .
-
Francesca Stavrakopoulou . O N E
Of Very Few Thoroughly Accredited //
Biblical Scholars On The P L A N E T
Whom Advocates Her (( Devotion To ))
- Atheism .
The Hitch’s bravery in the defence of free speech and against Islam are perennially inspiring.
Everyone should hear or read that.
He was brilliant with massive balls.
Free speech is so important, thank u all for defending this so courageously.
Bullying is another subject though, maybe the difference of being sharp honest and strong in your way of expressing yourself is sometimes confused with bullying, which it isn't.
"Death is certain, replacing both the siren-song of Paradise and the dread of Hell. Life on this earth, with all its mystery and beauty and pain, is then to be lived far more intensely: we stumble and get up, we are sad, confident, insecure, feel loneliness and joy and love. There is nothing more; but I want nothing more"
Thank you, Hitch, for everything you gave and continue to give.
So beautiful. Do you mind me asking where this is from?
@@VillaOfOrmen It's a quote from one of Hitchen's books, "The Portable Atheist: Essential Readings for the Nonbeliever"
Beautiful ♥️
Perfect 💘
Describing God's gifts perfectly 👌
It's amazing to me that so many years after his death, I see so often from people all over the world, from all walks of life (other than perhaps the religious), the thought "What would The Hitch think about this". I can't think of another person that comes up like this so consistently.
I envy the people on this stage for having such an opportunity to be close to this inspiring man, even if for too short a time. Charisma, moral integrity, bravery, talent, loyalty........ and joy in his vices. Qualities every man wishes he has.
We will never know what The Hitch would think about this, because he would so often surprise us with an insight we didn't perhaps think of. He would sometimes agree with us, and sometimes not, but it would always be a joy to hear what he had to say.
Listening to you men speak about your good friend Christopher made me cry. I never knew him but I loved him. I loved his videos and listen to them over and over and over again. I never get tired of hearing him speak. He was such a strong courageous person and so witty and brilliant! I wish he was with us today. We need his wisdom, guts to speak up and his sense of humor. He was such an inspiration and a joy to hear him speak. What a genuine man and so humble. I miss you Christopher Hitchens. ❤️ Now I need to go dry my eyes. Thank you for this wonderful tribute. Christopher will always live in our hearts. 🥹❤️
Well said and ditto.
I came here to write something similar, but you said it all (and better!).
You echo what we all think. Great man Hitchens with an extraordinary vocabulary, sarcastic wit, brutally honest and so lovable. I am from india and see his programs over and over again thanks to you tube. Great tribute by equally great man
I miss Hitch so much. I've devoured his books and wish he was around to cut through all the bollocks we're dealing with now
Me too, thankfully there are a lot of YT vids with him. Such a brilliant mind, so sorely missed.
spot on
Spot on
The likes of hitchens paved the way for this 'bollocks'
They are all like Farage, they say a lot but have never ever improved anyones life.
I love what Douglas Murray said about how certain people that you lose always leave you with the warmth of their memory
And said by a complete and utter c"&t, so it was indeed very touching.
@@jackjude So sad you need to share this thought publicly.
@@loop1479oh really? ☹️ I dispise Douglas Murray and the scabrous thoughts he _shares_ for money, but the guy's sentiment here was surprisingly touching.
I doubt Hitch saw him as a close friend at all. His so called eulogising here is more about himself, predictably beginning with his exaggerated 'war correspondent' piffle. All he did was stand above Gaza and enjoy the show, just like the Israeli picknickers years previously...and yet he'd have us believe he's as brave/even foolhardy as James Woods in Salvador. And as for the 'hard drinking' with his buddy Hitch swapping Shakespeare quotes.. Yeah whatever Douglas. Can you actually imagine Hitch & 'Dougie' painting the town red? Didn't happen, trust me. At least Fry admits he'd not got the stomach for it.
@@jackjudecame to to say this but you saved me the trouble. How does Stephen Fry's conscience sit with being a billing with the softly spoken gay Nazi?
Some days when I need a Hitch fix I have a couple of days ‘with him’ on TH-cam… How lovely to find this whilst dealing with post Christmas lunch overindulgence …🎄
I met Cristopher Hitchens once on the street in Palo Alto, CA. I said to him, "Mr. Hitchens, I presume...He replied, "Depends on who's asking." He was very cordial during our brief talk.
How marvelous will your memory have of the encounter, wish I met him in person. Thanks to modern technology, he has left us so much footage & books to learn & reflect. How luck all we are……..
My envy is unmeasurable 😊
Thank you for keeping Hitchens alive ❤
Christopher Hitchens has been a constant source of inspiration for me, one of my greatest heroes alongside Richard Dawkins. To me, he epitomized critical thinking and the power of intellect. Though the quote 'knowledge is power' isn’t his, Hitchens embodied it like no one else, with arguments as sharp as lightning strikes. His debates were a masterclass in rhetoric and reasoning. If anyone deserves to be remembered as an 'être de lumière,' it’s Christopher Hitchens. We all miss you deeply, Christopher, and we always looked forward to seeing you deliver those brilliant 'Hitchslaps'-a testament to your unmatched wit and intellect.
That was my experience too
Well put. Agreed.
Knowledge isn't power. Power is power. You should watch game of thrones more closely 😊
It makes my heart warm and happy to see the legends sitting and having a discussion, and inspiring us with their knowledge and wisdom. Without these legends, I would have lost hope for humanity a long time ago.
These three honoring Hitchens are a huge reminder of how rare it is to have perfectly clear thinking and communication that cuts through the thick wall of garbage that seems to encase all media now …So satisfying to watch someone with complete clarity get to the heart of an idea and would be so amazing to have him back to explain to everyone what is happening now in the world.
I counted 4.
Our political discourse would be entirely different if Christopher Hitchens were still alive. It's ironic he passed because of cancer of the throat. I think about it a lot. He died of the plight of an organ people accused him of using for blasphemy. But as he put it, "I used many other organs to blaspheme, you know." So much high art in his wit. Not even comparable to all the modern high profile faux polemicists like Ben Shapiro.
Imagine being so amazing that 13 years after you're gone Dawkins, Fry, Murray and Krauss and thousands of complete strangers say they miss you everyday! ❤ Hitch was certainly the best of us. I 'discovered' him in 2008 and since then, almost all my ideas are based on "what would Hitch think".
And yes, I'm aware he would find my gushing cringeworthy 😅 Thank you for this, gentlemen! ❤
The only one of value is Douglas Murray. The others are phoney
Which would no doubt sadden "Hitch" Think for yourself ! Pedestals are for "Gods"
We need Hitch more than ever!!
Ya Hell is not the nicest place to be. everyone will bow to God and confess
@@enjoythedreamlife5658😂😂😂😂😂 "And they'll know we are Christians by our love, by our love..."
Christianity, the greatest cause of Atheism!
LOL, sounds like you aren't living your username! 😂
Hitch - Legend
Well, we don't have him anymore, so the rest of us need to step up our game. I think he would loathe this godlike hero worship of him. He should be emulated but not idolized.
@@enjoythedreamlife5658 There's that "christian love".
Thank you for sharing this video. Living in Australia means we do not get to attend such events. By the time I became an atheist and discovered Hitchens videos he had passed away so it was lovely to learn things that I never knew about him.
Thank you for remembering such a legendary primate. We miss him dearly.
He certainly was a Great Ape!
I was early 20's when Dawkins released The God Delusion and the Four Horsemen came to prominence. I vividly remember encountering Hitch for the first time in that famous video made in his Washington appartment. I went onto follow him 'religiously' and bought all his books. His debates were mesmeric. Like a man with a script he had rehearsed for every eventuality of a conversation. A perfectly chosen quotation for every occasion. But of course what made us love him the most was his rapier wit and keen sense of humour.
The world was robbed of a powerful voice for reason. How important he would have been in this last tumultuous decade.
*I was early 20's when Dawkins released The God Delusion and the Four Horsemen came to prominence.*
Do you know about the 5th horseman?
@@samdg1234
Tell us?
This was the gift I really needed this Christmas. Thank you gentlemen.
Hitch changed my life, I live my life much more free from fear now, grateful to of lived at a time learning his wisdom
Free of fear? He learned you to hate, that's fear based.
In wat areas did he increase your freedom of thought or action ?
@@francoherrero8588he taught you. Learned you is bad english
UK needed him alive. He called it, on what the word islamophobia would become and how an instrument of censorship that word would be. He called it.
Sad to say this went off without a Hitch.
👏🏻👏🏻🤭
Oh thats tragically beautiful!
@@EdwardCullen667... isn't it just .. and perfection too ...
You win the interwebz award for 2024... and 2025.
Very clever
Thank you, raised to the power of infinity!! To Professor Krauss for organising this event. Deeply important for the World.
Thank you! I'd been feeling bereft until I realised I was slap in the middle of Hitchmas and not the other one that I'm always trying to escape from. So happy to be at this celebration. Love from South Africa 🇿🇦 🎉🎉
Greetings from Belgium.
Believers are not punished for their religion, believers are punished by their religion...
I just found Christopher and am sad that he's no longer alive. I'll watch all his videos. Thank you for speaking of him.
Very worthwhile!
Enjoy the ride. It's great fun.
Hearing that man talk is a real treat. Take notes 📝
Hitch lives on - thanks to TH-cam who has (yet) not banned him. He is my voice of reason in times of uncertainity.
I am actually jealous that you get to watch all the Hitch-slaps for the first time, but be warned, life will never be the same...
Hitchens was one of the most thought-provoking persons i have ever met.
I wish I had attended this event. Some of my favourite intellectuals, all in one place, to celebrate a man who made a difference.
The only one of value is Douglas Murray. The others are phoney.
@@judithcressey1682 Big call ...
@@Anne-Margaret-u7o Jeremy Brett- great actor.
Thank you for keeping this beautiful orator’s legacy alive. Happy Hitchmas!
Douglas Murray speaks so freely like Christopher Hitchins, without having to read from paper or print. In that way, he is what he speaks of and he believes, unapologetically, in what he says
Never answered the question about the Zionist genocide
A tectonic loss. My great hero. The most brilliant speaker I have EVER witnessed.
Great speaker of malicious lies… nothing to mourn about
@@gavigaviman domesticated profane ape house pet that can't teach me to pick berries like a Neanderthal woman.
@@gavigaviman
What did he ever say to upset you?
Thanks!
When you heard C. Hitchens spoke, it was as sleek and pure as the English language could get. Another orator like him is simply not possible in our time. Happy Hitchmas!
Mr Murray comes close.
Threr is me. I fink iam briant. Me inglish is fentestec! Ind me grommer supirb!
@@kevincasson9848 An unkind putdown, Kevin. Not funny. But - if you press 'Translated by Google', AI does it better.😏
@@michaelpatterson5811 have not got a clue what you are on about. What's all the stuff about A1 does it better. Does what better?.
@@renevalice3056 come on now, let's
not get carried away.He mumbled alot, and some times say 6 sentences without a breath! He not on same league as many i could mention. Infact his speech let him down.
This is much better than Netflix Christmas NFL!
ANYTHING is better than NFL 😂
As a Pittsburgher I can confirm
@@EuphoricDanSaw the game. I was hoping for Steelers too, but Mahomes/Kelsey would not be denied.
Douglas Murray with the Norm Macdonald reference, solidifying him as the toppest of G's
😊
Ultimate scums referring to great people does not make them great too.
Oh no.......I love norm but that Douglas Murray guy is a real jerk! 😂
Oh no.....I love Norm but that Douglas Murray guy is a real jerk!
Hitch made me reengineer my thinking in a way no one ever had and has since, a truly brilliant special man, sooo missed
I'm all in on making Hitchmas an official Atheist Holiday.
Fighting religion by consciously imagining a fake one and adhering to it. Very smart
100%!
Cringe
One of the thrills of my life was as a caller to a talk show where Hitchens was a guest. I didn't talk to him much, basically just made a short statement but remember it since
Happy Hitchmas. I never knew Douglas was close to him. Always learning new stuff about Hitch. His ability to bring great minds together even years after death shows the impact he had. Incredible.
He wasn't close to him. Acquaintance is the accurate term. Hitchens wrote a favorable review of a literary biography by Murray in 2000, when Murray was unknown, and Murray inflated the nature of the relationship after Hitchens died. Try to find a mention of Murray in Hitch-22 or Amis's Inside Story, or other such texts. Or locate a photograph of them together. Even Murray stories about Hitchens are as suspect as his zionism. Borrowed.
Sitting in Africa and surrounded by the mountains, I'm listening to this for the second time, after only finding it today. How wonderful! I savored every word of those most eloquent gentlemen. You were all so fortunate to have been in the close circle of the "Hitch"
I miss Christopher Hitchens so much. The world has not been the same since he passed. It’s a scarier place.
hes still causing it, what do you mean? lol
@@Krack2805
How is he still causing it?
Thank you for this!! I miss Hitch so much! I listen to a debate, lecture or the deeply loved " HitchSlap" clip every day of my life. Always playing from my playlist in the background. He means so much to me because he brought me to the enlightenment from a life of religious indoctrination thinking! His quick wit and beautiful use of the English language will echo through time, endlessly.
The only man over whose death I ever wept. Like Xiaborok, I miss him so much. When I am foul in my mood, the Hitch always manages to make me feel like I have one friend in this world. Gentlemen, thanks for this!
Before I watch this I'll say hitchens brought me to reason. His words written and spoken have made me who I am today.
Yes, Hitch was special.
But so are all of you, the peers he left behind.
If he could see now what you have been up to, he'd be singing YOUR praises, just as he'd previously done on numerous occasions!
Thank you for making your ongoing gifts of wisdom and science available to the general public, and raising our collective intelligence.
It's a long process, but it's working!
Merry Hitchmas!
🌲🎄🌲⛄️⛄️⛄️⛄️🌲🎄🌲
Merry Hitchmas
I love that despite their differences, these gentlemen can finish off by having fun with literary references.
Never a year passes without a re-read of a Hitch book/review/essay or more and a catch up on a few of his many appearances courtesy of YT. He is still with us in these forms and may it ever be so.
*Love Christopher* glad I discovered decades ago.
Best wishes from *India*
As many others have stated in these comments...I TOO learned of this incredible man only after he had passed. Only by a year or so. After watching every debate, talk and book signing available online I started to read his written works as well. The ONLY books I have EVER read that I needed a dictionary within reach to fully understand. Simply stated...he changed my life. He made me think in ways I never had. That I can miss a man who I never met THIS much makes me slightly (Only slightly!) sympathetic to the "religious" who love and revere "someone" THEY have never met. My consolation is that at least MY "hero" REALLY existed!!!...lol....My GREATEST pride is that my sons who I've ALWAYS encouraged to think critically and do the work of being informed before coming to conclusions have now embraced Mr. Hitchens works and are so much the better for it. Thank you Mr. Krauss for not allowing his light to dim. Not that that would be possible anyway.
I interviewed Hitchens in high school he was very very kind
I must thank Lawrence Krauss for championing the works and legacy of Christopher Hitchens this winter's solstice season. I feel noticably relieved of the oppressive Abrahamic pall that deadens the faculties of my brothers and sisters each year, without fail. In spite of Christopher's passing, this presentation is a refreshing shot of peaceful, amicable rationalism.
I met Dr. Krauss at Gammage, after one of his Origins presentations one evening and it pleases me to no end that that he was personal friends with Mr. Hitchens at that time.
Merry Hitchmas!
I'm evidently out of the loop, as I had no idea this event was happening until it was too late. What I would have done to have been at such a wonderful event, celebrating one of the greatest thinkers and polymaths of our times. I'm glad we are able to see the recording, at very least. Thank you for that.
A great shame Martin Amis is no longer with us and able to participate in a get together like this. Being a very close long term friend It would surely have added another dimension to the discussion.
Why wasn't Salman Rushdie also a participant, given his close friendship with Hitch?
But if Martin was there, how could Murray have got away with pretending to have been Christopher’s close friend?
@@voulafisentzidis8830 A very fair point. There really needed to be someone else there like SR with a longer, and I suspect deeper more meaningful, relationship with Hitchens than these other blokes.
@@BryanPatrickNowak Touché. If only. That would have certainly added another dimension to proceedings.
Christopher was one of the rare people who could make me want to read a book, learn something and enjoy the warmth, intelligence and wit of his rhetoric. He was an incredible man and I miss him very much.
Douglas Murray's defence of Jordan Peterson in this was yet another display of his admirable bravery. Whatever you might think of JP's ideas, he is a very close friend of Douglas, and Douglas sat politely listening to criticism of his friend until exactly the moment it was taken a little too far. It's one thing to spend your entire career, as Douglas has done, writing and saying things that anger some very nasty and vindictive and dangerous people, but it's another type of bravery entirely to sit on a stage, in front of cameras, and stand up against your friends and peers. Not only that, but he navigated it perfectly, not allowing the atmosphere to turn sour with too hard a response, but also not leaving any doubt that he didn't approve of the way in which the rest of the panel were going about their criticism. Such an impressive man.
Strange take, I think a great deal of people view him as the nasty, vindictive and dangerous one.
@@diwlelomo And I think a great many MORE people think otherwise. I'm not entirely impressed by a lot of J.P's religious takes, but I respect the man for his unique insights and willingness to have honest, amicable debates, despite the amount of baseless vitriol thrown at him.
Great point, it is exactly what I thought as well.
My sentiments exactly.
Very well put.
Thank you so much for showing this, made me realize how much Hitch is missed and how much he did for the world. Legends never really die their memory lasts an eternity , cheers
I'll tell you something. There won't be people like that anymore. It makes me terribly sad. You know - our idols are already of their age and I can't imagine life without them. Young people can't tell stories so beautifully. I want them to live for a thousand years. Richard Dawkins convinced me that science is a wonderful adventure :) and thank you Richard. I'm using an interpreter - forgive me. Well, I love you all. !!!
Brilliant people will always show up
The worse thing about when Hitchens died wasn’t THAT he died, it was WHEN he died. We needed him. We needed him more over the next few years than we ever needed a person since Einstein.
Hitchens was a true free speech hero and was one of the few who stood side by side with Denmark in the cartoon crisis! He didn´t move an inch :-)
Agreed.
That last thing that Murray said about how certain people live on in the warmth of their humanity was really quite profound. Very thought provoking and moving.
We're lucky - I hesitate to say blessed - that Hitch did make the time to appear on C-SPAN, and give all those talks, and do all those debates ... and that he lived in the age of video, so we have it all recorded and can experience his wit and wisdom whenever we need a dose. It's immortality of a kind, and you need only look at the comments on those videos to see that new people are still discovering him thanks to that.
Yes, I shall watch that stuff.
Hitchens will forever be greatly missed but his memory and works remain evergreen in our hearts 💞
Thanks for the Christmas present
Where is Sam Harris?
I don't know about that, but I do know Sam and Lawrence correspond frequently. If Sam could attend, I have no doubt he would have.
Douglas Murray is such a class act. Comes the hour cometh the man.
Lawrence Krauss needs reminding that both Israeli PM's Barak and Olmert offered the Palestinians a State and both times were turned down. Clinton speaks about this very well and I recommend googling his recent remarks based on his first hand experience in those negotiations.
Are you a paid up member of AIPAC? Murray is nauseating.
@@Richard-hv5hh
Brits only. Also I imagine he wasn't too close with hitchens.
Paraphrasing
"... when we die, we go into the hearts of others and shine our light through that place "
.. is the most beautiful idea I've heard in some time
♥️
Who wrote it? I just finished the video and can’t remember
@@dcassis3051 Oh! It was that guy at a funeral .. um .. he just said it .. um ... 🤦
@@dcassis3051
Martin Amis
From his memoir Experience
The quote he offered at a cousin's funeral
'This is where we go when we die
Into the hearts of all those that love us
And all our hearts are bursting with her'
I would like to thank you four for your remembrance.Christopher Hitchens has had such a searching influence on my understanding of the human condition that without him and
his legacy and of course your respect for his considerations I would be but a child.
I miss Hitchens and wish I could have watched him speak in person. Such a huge loss for the critical thinking community!
Thank you so much for this remembrance and discussion.
What a panel honoring a great writer. Gone too soon.
I miss him almost every week.
He would have laughed at that asking what keeps you so busy on most days😂
I can hardly believe it has been so long .RIP Hitch. You are sorely missed. x
it saddens me every day that I didn't discover his work until after he was gone. I have TH-cam to thank for introducing me to him. I've just started his book "God is not great". I hope I'm patient enough to read it in it's entirety, looking up the words I've never heard along the way!
Ohh C'mon, Douglas! Christopher Hitchens would've reduced Jordan Peterson to tears in about 3 sentences... 🤪
Thanks for saying what I know
@@zezezep Not a problem, sir! After all, I did so on your behalf. 😉
How I wish I could see that. A Hitchslap might have been good medicine for JP, who I think is a smart and good guy under the bluster and word salad.
@VesnaVK Likewise, Ms Vesna.
I often think that Jordan Peterson and now, unfortunately, Ayaan Hirsi Ali, benefit greatly from the fact that the only people challenging their rather obvious nonsense are well-meaning peers and friends...
I suspect Mr Hitchens would've held no such reservations! 😉
I doubt without the vacuum left behind by Hitchens that Peterson would even have become such a phenomenon. What a horrific exchange🙈
This was truly wonderful! I miss Hitchens, so much still a decade plus after his passing, he taught me so much about everything... Time to re-read some of his books again, life has become so difficult in so many ways, it's like the stupid, the vapid, and the evil are winning.. but, this is only because I have allowed it.. to hell with this.. time to recommit to science evidence and reason.. not that I ever used any other yardstick, but, the grois ignorance that has encroached has dimmed me somewhat.. thanks to all involved for this gathering... It has awakened the quest to stay true and close to what matters.
I miss him(the Hitch) every time I hear important news/events from around the world.
How brilliant & original thoughts HE would have on what happens in our days.
B t w Great gathering Thank you (Where is Sam Harris?)
Sadly as much as I admire him his argument was weak for the Iraq invasion and the disaster that ensued from that American war crime. I suspect he too would endorse the Pariah State and its ethnic cleansing, war crimes, and atrocities which is why I lost respect for him.
@@chrisgreene2623 Just reinforces how clued up and wise Christopher Hitchens was and how weak and superficial the enemies of Israel are.
How to miss someone you’ve never met.. The very best mind humanity has ever produced.. ❤
What? Better than Plato, Shakespeare, Homer, Leonardo da Vinci, Jane Austen, Emily Dickinson, Kalidas, Valmiki and Vyas? One could fill ten pages more before one even thought of him
Sadly, Jordon Peterson is getting all the recognition that Hitchens SHOULD have received while he was alive. I am glad knowing he will never be forgotten and hopefully known more posthumously.
That clown is a pro Loki / Moriarty talking cultist manipulator. Nothing more.
Clearly you don't understand all the attention Christopher Hitchens received while he was alive. There was no shortage of attention paid to Hitchens whatsoever. He was the West's most famous public intellectual and his opinion was regularly sought by the media, his writings published and the best journals and magazines.
Third rate "intellectuals" like Peterson and Murray are in vogue these days but I strongly suspect Hitchens would have some choice words for these charlatans were he still with us.
Of all the high points in this discussion, I'm most grateful that Dawkins only quoted poetry once. RIP Hitch. ❤
What a wonderful question -- what would Hitchens think of Woke Fundamentalism? SCORN to be sure. Wish he were around to voice it!
Oh gosh not WOKE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm sure Hitchens would support the American Taliban movement in the US.
An excellent point made by SF is the way we are always searching for truth within a very limited comprehension of reality, in all its incredible majesty. So knowledge of most things has to be considered within the context of 'what we have learned so far'. That is a humility that far too many intellectuals and academics fail to adopt.
There's a good chance we might guess the side Christopher wouldn't take, but why he took it, how he came it, and his method of making us feel like fools for thinking anything other than his position, we will never be able to summon.
The beauty of this presentation, apart from the memories or Hitch, is that strong theme that we can have discussions with people who have ideas we disagree with, and still be friends. This attitude is what is lacking in current political debate. Debate the idea, don’t attack the person.
Hitch was one in a million, the world is a worse off place without him.
Thank you Lawrence. Such a gift to receive during the holiday season - Here's wishing you and yours a happy and healthy (I am 70) 2025. I appreciate your work and interests. Be safe and be well. SteveInVancouver.
Thank you Lawrence ... yes thoroughly enjoyed it.
It is so difficult to find new and relevant Hitchens material, this is so good. Thank you!
Three spectacular choices for the panel, I am familiar with them all but I don't know so much about Christopher Hitchens and I feel like I need to change that immediately after watching this.
You will be glad you did.
What an unparalleled blessing
Christopher Hitchens was and is
What a courageous, wise friend of/for humanity
I loved this discussion so much, as I love and admire each one of them separately 💘
Pretty sure Christopher would relish it.
Thanks Lawrence!!! You are a great man among giants, thanks for sharing them with us!
This was so enjoyable, thank you. I've just ordered a bundle of Hitch books and can't wait to immerse myself in them.
I could really benefit from this conversation being about 10X longer.
I listen to him once and knew I’d never agree with him then I saw him debate his brother and even though I still didn’t agree I found myself listening to him because I like the way he spoke. It was nice to hear someone use the English language so good no no vulgarity cussing, swearing just really good English and that’s why I kept listening to him even after his debate with his brother.
I wonder what he would feel about you sitting here talking about him and praising him. Would he approve, would he be flattered, would he chuckle, etc.?
It is no wonder that you do, and it is no wonder that we are happy to listen.
The man is a legend. One of the sharpest minds on the debating circuit.
Awesome - now if you could just get Sam Harris and the late, great Kurt Vonnegut, you'd have just about all of my favorites! Merry Christmas, and thank you for this great present, Mr. Krauss!
Vonnegut would have been in good company here
Murray, the genocide apologist, is one of your favourites?? Oh dear!!
Thank you for Christopher Hitchens and for this ❤ wonderful, inspiring, thoughtful and beyond important in the world we live in today 🙏🙏