Posse Comitatus wrote:I hadn't realised how bad he was.
What you see is the effect of the treatment rather than the illness - in great part anyway. It is often alarming when you see people losing hair and so on.
I just watched that on YouTube. He's hosed. He knows it.
So sensitively put.
Well at least what Hitchens said was sensitively put - I really appreciate hearing his views on cancer - and as FF said earlier, he takes full responsibility. I expect he will help a lot of other people who also have cancer as well as people who drink and/or smoke by sharing his perspective.
He's such a gracious, civilized man. I really do hope he is among that small percentage of people that survive this type of cancer. :sighsm:
Atheists have always argued that this world is all that we have, and that our duty is to one another to make the very most and best of it. ~Christopher Hitchens~
Hitchens, for me, ranks up there with Isaac Asimov, Carl Sagan, Douglas Adams and Johnny Cash. Those four guys, although I had never met any of them, effected me deeply when they died. I felt like I knew them all. I have only passingly met Hitchens, and only briefly. So, it's not as if I knew the guy. But, his situation provokes a reaction in me similar to that which I feel when a close friend takes ill or has a serious problem.
Hitchens is among my heroes. Although hope is as effective and useful as prayer, I still can't help but "hope" he survives. It's too unfair for men like Jimmy Swaggert and the Pope to linger on endlessly, and yet Hitchens' pure literary and journalistic genius may be cut short.
He'd probably look better to just shave what's left of the hair. It looks better bald then just a few scraggly hairs.
When I was going to chemo there was a young girl in her early 20s and she shaved her head and looked better that way. She was amazing. She was always smiling and had something positive to say. I was really inspired by her. She also has a 5 month old (was 5months then) and she smiled even more when he came with daddy to pick her up.
I was soo happy to hear when she was done.
It's an interesting feeling to think in the moment that each day might be your last.
About me: I have prehensile eyebrows. I speak 9 languages fluently, one of which other people can also speak. When backed into a corner, I fit perfectly - having a right-angled arse.
Poor guy - he's much worse off than my mate Mike. His interview was typical Hitch though - no gawkish sentimentality, just honest facts.
A book is a version of the world. If you do not like it, ignore it; or offer your own version in return. Salman Rushdie You talk to God, you're religious. God talks to you, you're psychotic. House MD Who needs a meaning anyway, I'd settle anyday for a very fine view. Sandy Denny This is the wrong forum for bluffing Paco Yes, yes. But first I need to show you this venomous fish! Calilasseia I think we should do whatever Pawiz wants. Twoflower Bella squats momentarily then waddles on still peeing, like a horse Millefleur
Faithfree wrote:Bad news!
He was definitely in the high risk group, but he knowingly took those risks.
Hopefully they got it early.
He knowingly took those risks. So I suppose he deserves whatever he gets. Nice.
I think you are reading more into what Faithfree (FF) was writing - all he wrote is that Hitchens knowingly took those risks, nothing more. FF is not a smug type of person.
It bothers me that there are certain illnesses that are generally maintained as warranting sympathy, while others get the response of "Well, they brought it on themselves." Smoking is an addiction some claim is harder to quit than heroin-- an illness in itself. Then to face what Hitchens is facing-- well, I wouldn't wish it on anyone. I don't know Faithfree, but the implication of Faithfree's words are pretty clear-- though in this case, expressed with some kindness.
The green careening planet
spins blindly in the dark
so close to annihilation.
Faithfree wrote:Bad news!
He was definitely in the high risk group, but he knowingly took those risks.
Hopefully they got it early.
He knowingly took those risks. So I suppose he deserves whatever he gets. Nice.
I think you are reading more into what Faithfree (FF) was writing - all he wrote is that Hitchens knowingly took those risks, nothing more. FF is not a smug type of person.
It bothers me that there are certain illnesses that are generally maintained as warranting sympathy, while others get the response of "Well, they brought it on themselves." Smoking is an addiction some claim is harder to quit than heroin-- an illness in itself. Then to face what Hitchens is facing-- well, I wouldn't wish it on anyone. I don't know Faithfree, but the implication of Faithfree's words are pretty clear-- though in this case, expressed with some kindness.
Hitchens himself said it. He knew he was seriously risking his health leading the life he had.
"The fact is that far more crime and child abuse has been committed by zealots in the name of God, Jesus and Mohammed than has ever been committed in the name of Satan. Many people don't like that statement but few can argue with it."
Faithfree wrote:Bad news!
He was definitely in the high risk group, but he knowingly took those risks.
Hopefully they got it early.
He knowingly took those risks. So I suppose he deserves whatever he gets. Nice.
I think you are reading more into what Faithfree (FF) was writing - all he wrote is that Hitchens knowingly took those risks, nothing more. FF is not a smug type of person.
It bothers me that there are certain illnesses that are generally maintained as warranting sympathy, while others get the response of "Well, they brought it on themselves." Smoking is an addiction some claim is harder to quit than heroin-- an illness in itself. Then to face what Hitchens is facing-- well, I wouldn't wish it on anyone. I don't know Faithfree, but the implication of Faithfree's words are pretty clear-- though in this case, expressed with some kindness.
I hope I didn’t give the impression that I think he deserved this disease (I don’t) or even that he should not have lived the lifestyle that he chose and enjoyed. No doubt that lifestyle (and possibly a genetic susceptibility, it now appears) contributed to the disease, but he takes full responsibility for his lifestyle choices. I hope he comes through this one.
Although it may look like a forum, this site is actually a crowd-sourced science project modelling the slow but inexorable heat death of the universe.
hadespussercats wrote:I don't know Faithfree, but the implication of Faithfree's words are pretty clear-- though in this case, expressed with some kindness.
hadespussercats wrote:I don't know Faithfree, but the implication of Faithfree's words are pretty clear-- though in this case, expressed with some kindness.
lol bollocks.
Right back at you.
Now, I'd like to affirm that of course certain lifestyle choices lead to health problems-- I just get upset by people who are judgmental where sympathy would be more appropriate. Now I'm done grinding that particular ax. And Faithfree, we're all good as far as I'm concerned. No worries.
The green careening planet
spins blindly in the dark
so close to annihilation.
I read the risk group comment as a straight forward observation with no value laden spin at all, and "Bad news ... Hopefully they got it early" as sympathetic. I agree and can only add that Christopher Hitchens is a legend and I'm grateful for his contribution to thought on religion and politics.
hadespussercats wrote:
Now, I'd like to affirm that of course certain lifestyle choices lead to health problems-- I just get upset by people who are judgmental where sympathy would be more appropriate. Now I'm done grinding that particular ax. And Faithfree, we're all good as far as I'm concerned. No worries.
Right so why the utterly absurd and utterly sanctimonious and unnecessary comment?
I loved the way he spoke against the possibility of a death-bed conversion: "Not while I'm lucid".
There's now an about 20 minutes long extended version of this interview up at least on the program's (AC360) own site - haven't watched this longer version myself yet, but going to sometime today hopefully.
"The internet is made of people. People matter. This includes you. Stop trying to sell everything about yourself to everyone. Don’t just hammer away and repeat and talk at people—talk TO people. It’s organic. Make stuff for the internet that matters to you, even if it seems stupid. Do it because it’s good and feels important. Put up more cat pictures. Make more songs. Show your doodles. Give things away and take things that are free." - Maureen J
"...anyone who says it’s “just the Internet” can . And then when they come back, they can again." - Tigger
. And then when they come back, they can 
