Christopher Hitchens

Month, Day: 168, Sovereignty, Beauty (Glory)

[note: 11/2/2019 - haven't looked at this, for a while; however, reading today, I see that some links are stale, or downright missing, will be editing -- when done this will disappear]

Prior to passing of Christopher Hitchens (CH), I mainly was distant from those types of discussions that he loved and at which he was so good. It was at that time [12/16 onward] that I started to read some of his material and to watch some of the videos in which he was the focal point (no matter the forum, CH seemed to come to the fore).

My first reaction was that he was funny. As well, he was right on a lot of matters (who would not agree with his railing against clerics - the bane of the common man, in a sense -- oops, that was a CH-ism, state a challenge such that it cannot be answered without due thought). Hence, I was motivated, from time to time, to comment (richarddawkins.net "saying Merry Christmas worse than killing someone" by M-eme-tic, but see below) and intend to do more (Ian Kluge had an interesting response to the book (and modern philosophy) -- I've just become familiar with the Common Ground site -- I put a comment here -- symmetry tames polarity, in short).

CH was known for developing quotable remarks, in the contexts of his challenges. Such as, "what can be asserted without proof can be dismissed without proof" (see Daily Hitchens). Well, "are not axioms stated thusly?" would be one of my retorts if I could think of it in time. 

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In this blog, I have referenced the group who likes to include CH in their mix as "brights" and indirectly mentioned Richard (who I have read - I've been watching the evolution (if you would) of his argument). But, I was repelled by CH's manner (see the Four Horsemen) and stayed away. Shame on me, as CH would say (see below).

CH said that he didn't know, in lots of situations. Good for him. Of course, he would then follow up with something that seemed to be mockingly clever [actually, inspired, in some cases]. But, now I just attribute that to his being Brit (will explain in time) [heritage, and more -- for the past two year, I've been doing an in-depth reading of what got the U.S. started -- including those things across the pond that were motivational enough to cause the mass migrations].

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So, as said above, I did not know Christopher. I did not pay much attention to his career and to the fact of the growing interest in his performances. Now, he succumbed to health issues related to life style, one might say. We all have this battle to carry on, as we attempt to do it right (given our one chance). In looking at all of the remarks about him, I noticed one familiar name. It was a journalist [whom I do not know except by reading] who interviewed CH and who had worked with my roommate from college (my roommate died in 2011, to boot, from conditions similar to CH's - same origins (in more ways than one)). So, in the phenomenal world, there was a thread that connected, albeit somewhat tenuously.

I'm only mentioning that connection to set the stage for writing about two dreams that I have had about Christopher. Now, again as a foreword, think of the Valley of Wonderment's remark about dreams. Of late, I've run across more material that I'll use. In short, though, I'm an old guy and have been dreaming since I was in my twenties. And, I've learned lots from these departed. Being autodidact, I don't know how all this will unfold, but dreams can be an operational assist. How? Is it okay? All sorts of questions.

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In the first dream, CH was scrunched down, while life flowed around him (of course, people & things are in the scene -- I'm being brief here to get to the gist). He looked at some notes that I was carrying (aside: one of my regular dreams involves a high school classmate who died [in the] early [60s] - Naval plane crash -- I characterize the whole matter as some type of coordinated affair in which they (those there) help us here (in this case, a lot had to do with technology) -- in fact, the parallels were uncanny). I wondered why CH was so withdrawn.

In the second dream, CH comes into my work area with my [college] roommate [who passed away in July, 2011 and] who introduces us. Of course, the workplace I mention has been the scene of encounters with several souls [think foundational work, including AE - how many want to come back with what they learn at the moments following the dropping of the bodily limitations?]. In this case, though, there was the notion (and a work crew to effect the thing) that things were being updated. It seemed as if the building of a school was the emphasis [all sorts of possible topics come to mind]. Now, CH was in his prime (as in, healthy, full of energy, ..., not so ornery) [as in, full maturity -- some claim that a 30-year old's (or thereabouts) visage is taken up]. 

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[Note, in the following, reference to time is ours; the spiritual world is beyond space-time] The second dream was remarkable to me because I had a recurrent interaction with a departed Catholic who first went into some form of swaddling clothes, then to young person, and lately upward to a mature adult (over a period of several years). CH, on the other hand, seems to have originally cringed at the reality about which he scoffed. Yet, he did not retire. Then, in a matter of a couple of weeks, he is full of purpose. And, he does not seem the least nonplussed about the whole thing (as I've noticed, he, on many occasions, said that he did not know - before the devilish grin came and he started to ding the questioner).

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Have I taken meaning from these two dreams? Of course. I've written much more about these in my notes. The whole thought of a school is intriguing in that the focus of the school could be many things. One thing that CH did do was cut to the chase; given his genetic background, the way things unfolded in [h]is life was almost a given (people talk memes, our ancestral selves are much large factor than has been allowed, anyone want to be audacious here? -- of course, I have already). [yes, do they help us via memes? - we ought to thank Richard for this concept that may be seen as pseudo-metaphysical, yet more or less]

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Of course, I may have my interpretations of meaning (after all, folks, I have for decades been an autodidact in the study of the mind, its evolution, and such -- with the necessary ventures into computational mathematics and cybernetics, bioengineering, and related --- what is an autodidact? Well, look at what might be behind Independent Investigation of the Truth, essentially without mentor [this I agree with Christopher on, there is no embodied person on this planet that ought to tell me how to think, act, or otherwise (except the spouse) - we, now, have the bounty of being post-Guardian (as in, no inspired characters to whom to listen to without scrutiny, except those things that are under the scope of the UHJ)] is how I see it) of the dreams that I have. That they have included all of the Principals of the Faith after I declared was, of course, confirmation enough. Are there other interpretations? I would hope so, as despite notions of what we can know, please remember that all Valleys above that of Contentment and the 3rd mention limitations on knowledge (4th blackest night, fathomless sea).

Without these constraints, how can there be limits? Besides, the issues raised by Godel, et al, are very much on the table, Certitude notwithstanding. 

The crux of the matter is whether someone gets operational effectiveness from their dreams. That, I think, is something inherently measurable.

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Final note, as this is only the beginning. My sole focus is on proving that Science and Religion need each other in the same sense that symmetry has proven to be so useful. Of course, it was only after listening to CH and his buddies that I had more insight into what I've been trying to put together all of these years (by the way, one lesson that I learned from my Naval friend was that our work carries on -- why all the angst at proving to be the best here -- oh, I know, the Master counseled such -- but, to the extreme that I see leading to ego boosting extremes?) from quiet study.

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A new way to think of CH: angel in disguise?

Remarks:

04/03/2015 -- He was off to something that excited him. Corrections for a stale pointer.

09/30/2013 -- More of a technical nature.

06/13/2012 -- On second thought, I hope that my little dabbling was instrumental to the guy's grasp. As said, he was of comprehension (more ways than one).

05/30/2012 -- Hitch will be a regular topic.

03/29/2012 -- Interesting video on self-transcendence.

03/11/2012 -- Passing of a brother emboldens the imagination.

01/26/2012 -- See Remarks, this day, reference to AE. Thanks, Christopher.

01/25/2012 -- Margaret Kimberley's take (quoted several places: example).

01/23/2012 -- We need to work about (around) the middle.

01/21/2012 -- Another comment.
 
Modified: 11/02/2019