In June 2010, Christopher Hitchens checked himself out of a hospital after being told he was suffering from esophageal cancer, which put him in what he called a ‘cancer elite.’

The author, journalist and professor did an interview later that day with Jon Stewart for ‘The Daily Show.’ When asked how he was doing he replied, ‘It’s a bit early to say.’ This phrase summed up everything that happened in his life so far and everything that would happen up until his death Dec. 15.

One can learn a lot about life by reading Hitchens’ essays and books. He once said, ‘We’re never a breath away from the end,’ and lived his life accordingly. Hitchens consistently treated himself to his favorite drink, Johnny Walker Black; claimed to be the only person to have written from all three ‘axis of evil’ countries — Iraq, Iran and North Korea; was said to be in the same room as former President Bill Clinton — before his presidency — when he famously ‘didn’t inhale’; and indulged in a Brazilian wax for a self-improvement piece in Vanity Fair.

Hitchens was never boring, never at a loss of words and never grew tired of his favorite drink. When asked how he was doing last February, he stated simply, ‘Well, I’m dying.’ He went onto say to the crowd, ‘And so are you,’ which drew laughter and applause. Hitchens never minced words and always said what he meant, something tragically absent in today’s conversations.

Hitchens was fearless when it came to his beliefs. When someone or some idea came into his line of sight that was seen as erroneous, he would deploy his full arsenal. His assault on religion is a great example of this. He wrote articles, essays, books and did public appearances to aid his cause. Hitchens never shied away from a debate on religion or any other issue for that matter. He debated religious leaders from all faiths, political figures, academics and pundits with unwavering zeal.

He understood the art of argument like few others in so called intellectual circles. He took on the premise that opposing ideas were based on and worked to show how ridiculous they were to be believed. Today’s pundits center arguments almost exclusively on the latter, which is worthless when used singularly. He also had the backbone to take stances that won him few friends. Hitchens achieved the feat of being simultaneously hated on the left for his defense of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and on the right for his attacks on religion.

Hitchens greatest contribution was that no matter if you agreed with his opinions, he always made you question your beliefs and your principles. No one was safe when it came to his work. Hitchens critiqued Mother Teresa in his book titled ‘The Missionary Position’ and critiqued the Clintons in ‘No One Left to Lie To.’ He felt questioning the beliefs that people held safely was the most effective way to make people think and change people’s minds. In the age of partisan pundits reassuring views of their existing beliefs, Hitchens provided intellectual stimulus with an air of legitimacy that few have.

In his absence there is no one that seems to be able, willing or fit to replace him. But then again, it may be a bit early to say.

Patrick Mocete is senior political science and policy studies major. His column appears every Thursday. He can be reached at pdmocete@syr.edu.  

Published on January 18, 2012 at 12:00 pm