How is the United States at once the most conservative and commercial AND the most revolutionary society on Earth?
Interpretation
The quote highlights the paradox of American identity as both traditional and innovative.
Christopher Hitchens points out a unique characteristic of the United States, suggesting that it embodies a duality where it maintains conservative values and commercial interests while simultaneously fostering a spirit of revolution and change. This complexity reflects the diverse nature of American society, where historical traditions coexist with a continuous push for progress and reform.
In practice
During a discussion on American culture, one could reference Hitchens' quote to illustrate the complexity of the country's identity.
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.
All power is in essence power to deny mortality.
Be one of the crowd? It went against everything a wizard stood for, and a wizard would not stand for anything if he could sit down for it, but even sitting down, you had to stand out.
If I had never joined a church till I had found one that was perfect, I should never_x000D_ have joined one at all; and the moment I did join it, if I had found one, I should have_x000D_ spoiled it, for it would not have been a perfect church after I had become a member of_x000D_ it. Still, imperfect as it is, it is the dearest place on earthto us.
Knowing God is more important than knowing about God.
The attack on "selfishness" is an attack on man's self-esteem; to surrender one, is to surrender the other.
I don't think the 9/11 attacks taught us anything we didn't already know about religion. It has long been obvious - even to the deeply religious - that religious fanaticism is an extremely dangerous deranger of otherwise sane and goodhearted people.
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