On the Limits of Self-Improvement, Part I
September 27, 2007 12:50 PM   Subscribe

On the Limits of Self-Improvement, wherein Christopher Hitchens delves into "an entire micro-economy based on the pursuit of betterment."
posted by nevercalm (24 comments total) 3 users marked this as a favorite
 
One apparently gets stressed out blowing George W. Bush day after day after making your name as the premier leftist pundit.
posted by Ironmouth at 12:54 PM on September 27, 2007 [1 favorite]


I read this on a plane last week. It took up all five hours. As my eyes kept glazing over and I had to start over and over again. Unfortunately that wasn't the Valium.

I have only this to say:

Hitchens you gin-softened fecal puddle. Kill yourself now.
posted by tkchrist at 1:06 PM on September 27, 2007 [1 favorite]


The author—58, full-figured, and ferocious in his consumption of cigarettes and scotch—agreed to test its limits...

He succeeded judging by how shit faced he looks in that picture.
posted by hal9k at 1:08 PM on September 27, 2007


Hey, I thought character assassination was the domain of the right? I don't like what you say - as I am too bothered to conjure a rebuttal, I shall commence to call you a drunk!

I posted this here yesterday on the thread about the Brooklyn Books of Wonder, but since we're discussing Hitchens, here it is again - his review of Philip Roth's latest novel, Exit Ghost.
posted by billysumday at 1:12 PM on September 27, 2007


You know, we don't need a post every time there's an article by or about this douchenozzle. Really, I think we all get it by now.
posted by kittens for breakfast at 1:13 PM on September 27, 2007


ChristopherHitchensFilter.
posted by Artw at 1:17 PM on September 27, 2007


Where's your god now, Hitchens?


What? Really? Well aren't I embarrassed.
posted by drezdn at 1:23 PM on September 27, 2007


I had raed the review. I had posted a comment where it was posted. I am reading the book itself--always something to turn to when the critics baffle you. Hitch (not the film) dislikes the book because in the early 1/3 of it it is very very anti-Bush. Hitch begins his review by telling us what Roth always says but the problem is that Roth has not said what Hitchens says Roth says for a lot of novels, and this makes the review,well, sloppy. I would rather read
Roth when he is bad than Hitches when he is good.
posted by Postroad at 1:31 PM on September 27, 2007


billysumday writes "Hey, I thought character assassination was the domain of the right? I don't like what you say - as I am too bothered to conjure a rebuttal, I shall commence to call you a drunk!"

But Hitchens uses his drinking as a selling point. Calling him a drunk is probably not considered insulting by him.
posted by krinklyfig at 1:38 PM on September 27, 2007


This is like the eightieth Vanity Fair article to be linked to this week. And every god damned time the article bores me and I end up looking at the pictures of Amy Adams and Nicole Kidman instead.
posted by Terminal Verbosity at 1:43 PM on September 27, 2007


Calling him a drunk is probably not considered insulting by him.

Isn't that sort of the whole deal with alcoholics?

"Jeez, you're drunk again!"

"Yep, and you're still ugly!"
posted by Pollomacho at 1:55 PM on September 27, 2007


I have become a lazy reader lately where instead of actually looking at all the fiddly little letters in words I now guess what the words are based mostly on their overall shape and context. That's why I thought Hitchens was into the pursuit of belittlement, which would explain alot of his recent work. Then I realized that was wrong and reread the sentence this time as the pursuit of bitterness, which would explain a lot of his recent work. Then I realized that too was wrong so I looked at the letters and was like "wah?", which would explain a lot of his recent work.
posted by srboisvert at 2:15 PM on September 27, 2007


Boy, Amy Adams sure is easy on the eyes.
posted by oddman at 2:18 PM on September 27, 2007


Boy, Amy Adams sure is easy on the eyes.

Yeah, but she's tough on the pants.

Thanks, I'll be here all week.
posted by Pollomacho at 2:21 PM on September 27, 2007 [1 favorite]


Being a drunk doesn't make him as asshole. Being an ASSHOLE makes him an asshole. See there are plenty of drunks I do like. My entire family, FI.

The fact is agree with Hitchens on many points - religion, etc.

But well... he STILL stumps for the Iraq war and now stumps for war with Iran... so... he's an asshole.

And this article was just awful. AWFUL.
posted by tkchrist at 2:31 PM on September 27, 2007 [1 favorite]


Going to a spa and getting paid to write about it?

If he's is going to write about the self improvement movement, he should also delve into groups like the Forum, Dianetics, and all the other think and grow rich type "technologies". You wanna talk about micro-economies? How about over $10,000 for five days of new age psycho-babble.
posted by ranchocalamari at 3:02 PM on September 27, 2007


I think Hitchens hangs his entire value proposition as a writer cum public intellectual on his own infallibility. He simply can't recant his position on Iraq (or on Mother Teresa, or anyone else) because the whole thing crumbles. I don't think this is true necessarily, I think he's a drunk who'd be a hoot to have a conversation with, but he definitely is very conscious of his "brand".
posted by Tommy Gnosis at 3:03 PM on September 27, 2007


Let me cast my vote for less Hitch, more Amy Adams.
posted by Rangeboy at 4:15 PM on September 27, 2007


Wait a minute: an IMPROVED Christopher Hitchens? This is like that Standardized Kilogram in Switzerland mysteriously becoming lighter! Hitchens is the Standard for Assholery the world over! Where are we going to find a new Standard for Assholery? Any volunteers?
posted by wendell at 4:25 PM on September 27, 2007


I think Hitchens hangs his entire value proposition as a writer cum public intellectual on his own infallibility.

There was that communism business, if I recall. I think he's given that up.
posted by MarshallPoe at 4:52 PM on September 27, 2007


You would think, MarshallPoe, but I can't ever recall reading anything from Hitches to indicate that he was wrong about his socialist views. That's more or less typical of what he does, he sidesteps an issue where he's on vaguely dicey logical ground (or being internally inconsistent) and drills deep into a somewhat related issue with all kinds of conviction, hoping you'll forget about where you challenged him.
posted by Tommy Gnosis at 7:44 PM on September 27, 2007


Every time I see a Hitchens article in the Blue, I can't help but feel like we've all been suckered.
posted by anvilcity at 8:18 PM on September 27, 2007


How to troll MetaFilter:
1. Put popcorn in microwave, start popping.
2. Post anything related to Christopher Hitchens.
3. Enjoy!
posted by chlorus at 8:20 PM on September 27, 2007




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