Intellectual Quote by Christopher Hitchens
““I am sometimes asked about the concept or definition of a 'public intellectual,' and though I find the whole idea faintly silly, I believe it should ideally mean that the person so identified is self-sustaining and autonomously financed. Susan was pre-eminently one such.””
About This Quote
Source Essay: “The Public Intellectual” in The Atlantic, 1995
A public intellectual should be financially independent to speak freely without bias.
In simple terms: Independent thinkers avoid financial bias.
Key Takeaway
Support self‑sustaining scholars.
Themes
intellectual independence
financial autonomy
public discourse
Mood
critical
thoughtful
Type
essay
analysis
When to use this quote
- grant writing
- crowdfunding
- lecture tours
Key Concepts
self‑funding
academic freedom
media criticism
Questions to Reflect On
- What are sustainable models for independent scholarship?
- How does funding affect credibility?
A Different Perspective
Financial independence may limit reach for some voices.
![“[Our understanding is] not intellectual, but instinctive.” quote by Ann Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/50a/ann-richards-9674_intellectual_our-understanding-is-not-intellectual-bu_4636.jpg)
![“It's [Los Angeles] mostly full of nonsense and delusion and egomania. They think they'll be young and beautiful forever, even though most of them aren't even young and beautiful now.” quote by Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/a86/christopher-hitchens-117_beautiful_it-s-los-angeles-mostly-full-of-nonsense_10462.jpg)
![“[Religion] attacks us in our deepest integrity - the core of our self-respect. Religion says that we would not know right from wrong, we would not know an evil, wicked act from a decent human act without divine permission, without divine authority or without, even worse, either the fear of a…” quote by Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/ab6/christopher-hitchens-117_action_religion-attacks-us-in-our-deepest-integ_23299.jpg)
