Polemic Literature
“Strong opinions are more common in weak minds.” –Hippokrites
Hippokrites is right. This is true, but only because there are more weak minds than strong ones. But among the strong ones are some great writers who forged the polemic into a significant and very entertaining literary genre. There is something you have to love about caustic wit in defense of an opinion worth taking seriously—even if you don’t eventually come to agree with it. We have recently lost a great polemicist and contrarian with the passing of Christopher Hitchens. I envy him his style and his thick skin—not to mention his erudition. I can’t imagine his tombstone saying “Rest In Peace” for he could never be at peace with the stupidity and ignorance he lambasted all his life.
Here just two sample collections of quotations from this great troublemaker and debunker of pretension.
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/unreasonablefaith/2011/12/the-20-best-christopher-hitchens-quotes/
http://www.thestar.com/news/world/2011/12/16/13_unforgettable_christopher_hitchens_quotes.html
