Chapter 16 explores the idea of humor, and it's place in society. While the whole chapter gave Hitchens' interesting views on humor, there was one quote on page 115 that sums up his whole argument. He says, "Radicalism is humanism or it is nothing; the proper study of mankind is man and the ability to laugh is one of the faculties that defines the human and distinguishes the species from other animals". First, when he says "radicalism is humanism or it is nothing" just emphasizes the importance of the human race. Everything we know and believe today, everything that happens in the world, revolves around humans. We have completely taken over the globe, and if anything deals with something other than humans, it is irrelevant. In terms of humor, Hitchens basically says that in order to study humankind, you should have humor. You are bound to find many flaws if you decide to uncover the secrets of man, and humor can help you accept those flaws. One can be ignorant and ignore the fact that they have any faults, one can acknowledge their flaws and do nothing about it, or one can feel ashamed of their flaws. The best way to cope with your flaws is to laugh about it, and then try to fix those flaws. Humor makes any heavy or dark situation better.
There was a passage in chapter 27 that I thought was brilliant. On page 126, Hitchens says, "The great reward, if that's the right word, lies in the people you will meet when engaged in the same work, the lessons you will learn, and the confidence you will acquire from having some experiences". I think this is a statement, or even a motto, that everyone should live by. While wealth, power, and the pursuit of material things may seem like the best things you can earn in your life, the biggest "reward" life can give you is intangible. Knowledge, memories, relationships, experiences; those are the best things life can give you, and they should be treasured.
No comments:
Post a Comment