Podcast: The Mysterious Evolution of Christopher Hitchens & Censorship Politics - w/ Ben Burgis
Ben Burgis, our most recent podcast guest, chose the late Christopher Hitchens as the topic for his latest book. Entitled Christopher Hitchens: What He Got Right, How He Went Wrong, and Why He Still Matters, the book examines the ideas and influence of one of the most enigmatic and entertaining public intellectuals of our time.
Hitchens, a lifelong socialist turned Bush-aligned neocon, had a mind whose patterns, to put it mildly, were difficult to predict. He’s one of the only people you’d ever encounter who was both vehemently pro-Iraq War and ruthlessly critical of the state of Israel. He never fully disavowed his commitment to Leftist politics, though by the end of his life someone discovering him for the first time would have been hard-pressed to find any evidence he ever made one in the first place.
While Hitchens' last decade was mostly spent lambasting organized religion, we focused in our conversation on these political contradictions that define much of Hitchens’ legacy. We also delve into the evolving politics of censorship and free speech, as Burgis recently published an article in The Daily Beast questioning the wisdom of de-platforming Joe Rogan.
Have a listen by clicking the player below, and subscribe to our podcast on any major podcast player.