I sometimes wish I were suffering in a good cause, or risking my life for the good of others, instead of just being a gravely endangered patient.
Interpretation
The quote expresses a longing to contribute to a noble cause rather than merely endure personal suffering.
Christopher Hitchens reflects on his experience as a gravely ill patient, expressing a desire to engage in meaningful action, such as fighting for a good cause or risking his life for others. This sentiment highlights the intrinsic human need to find purpose in suffering and to transform personal trials into efforts that can help others.
In practice
This quote would be suitable for a speech about resilience and finding purpose in adversity.
In a public dialogue with Salman in London he [Edward Said] had once described the Palestinian plight as one where his people, expelled and dispossessed by Jewish victors, were in the unique historical position of being 'the victims of the victims': there was something quasi-Christian, I thought, in the apparent humility of that statement.
What can be asserted without evidence can be dismissed without evidence.
Never ask while you are doing it if what you are doing is fun. Don't introduce even your most reliably witty acquaintance as someone who will set the table on a roar.
[E]xceptional claims demand exceptional evidence.
The worst days are when you feel foggy in the head - chemo-brain they call it. It's awful because you feel boring. As well as bored. And stupid. And resigned.
Let me tell you something: for hundreds of thousands of years, this kind of discussion would have been impossible to have, or those like us would have been having it at the risk of our lives. Religion now comes to us in this smiley-face, ingratiating way β because itβs had to give so much more ground and because we know so much more. But youβve got no right to forget the way it behaved when it was strong, and when it really did believe that it had God on its side.
Girls can do anything. We do do anything and we expect to be treated as equals.
The world is not the most pleasant place. Eventually, your parents leave you and nobody is going to go out of their way to protect you unconditionally. You need to learn to stand up for yourself and what you believe and sometimes, pardon my language, kick some ass.
It is in the power of everybody, with a little courage, to hold out a hand to someone different, to listen, to attempt to increase, by even a tiny amount, the quantity of kindness and humanity in the world.
You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them.
Although always prepared for martyrdom, I preferred that it should be postponed.
To do nothing was disgraceful; therefore I made use of my understanding.
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