--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: At the evident risk of seeming…" description: "\"At the evident risk of seeming ridiculous, I want to begin by saying that I have tried for much of my life to write as if I was composing my sentences ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/982/christopher-hitchens-117_care_at-the-evident-risk-of-seeming-ridiculou_2380045.jpg" --- # At the evident risk of seeming ridiculous, I want to begin… ![“At the evident risk of seeming ridiculous, I want to begin by saying that I have tried for much of my life to write as if I was composing my sentences to be read posthumously. I hope this isn't too melodramatic or self-centred a way of saying that I attempt to write as if I did not care what…” quote by Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/982/christopher-hitchens-117_care_at-the-evident-risk-of-seeming-ridiculou_2380045.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/982/christopher-hitchens-117_care_at-the-evident-risk-of-seeming-ridiculou_2380045.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/982/christopher-hitchens-117_care_at-the-evident-risk-of-seeming-ridiculou_2380045.jpg) > “At the evident risk of seeming ridiculous, I want to begin by saying that I have tried for much of my life to write as if I was composing my sentences to be read posthumously. I hope this isn't too melodramatic or self-centred a way of saying that I attempt to write as if I did not care what reviewers said, what peers thought, or what prevailing opinions may be.” [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He writes with bold honesty, ignoring critics to stay true to his voice. **In simple terms:** Write honestly, ignore critics. Key Takeaway Stay authentic in writing. Themes authenticity criticism selfexpression Mood reflective defiant introspective Type literary personal When to use this quote - publishing - public speaking - personal essays Key Concepts literary honesty personal voice Questions to Reflect On - How does ignoring criticism affect your work? - What risks arise from self‑censorship? A Different Perspective May alienate some audiences. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Care](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/care/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Opinion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opinion/) [Risk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/risk/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [I have tried for much of my life to write as if I was composing my sentences to be read posthumously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/i-have-tried-for-much-of-my-life-to-write-as-if-i-was-composing-my/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [The speaker does not feel the grammatical rules he is said to apply in composing sentences, and men spoke grammatically for thousands of years…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-f-skinner/the-speaker-does-not-feel-the-grammatical-rules-he-is-said-to-apply/) [B. F. Skinner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-f-skinner/) > [To attempt to write seriously is always, I feel, to fail - the disjunction between my beautifully sonorous, accurate and painfully affecting mental content,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-self/to-attempt-to-write-seriously-is-always-i-feel-to-fail-the/) [Will Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-self/) > [“N.B. – Do not on any account attempt to write on both sides of the paper at once.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-c-sellar-2/n-b-do-not-on-any-account-attempt-to-write-on-both-sides-of-the-paper/) [W.C. Sellar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-c-sellar-2/) > [Everything you need to know about life can be learned from a genuine and ongoing attempt to write](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dani-shapiro/everything-you-need-to-know-about-life-can-be-learned-from-a-genuine/) [Dani Shapiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dani-shapiro/) > [Do not on any account attempt to write on both sides of the paper at once.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-c-sellar/do-not-on-any-account-attempt-to-write-on-both-sides-of-the-paper-at/) [W. C. Sellar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-c-sellar/) > [You can't possibly predict what will last or not. But once you attempt to write for the ages, you're doomed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlisle-floyd/you-can-t-possibly-predict-what-will-last-or-not-but-once-you-attempt/) [Carlisle Floyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlisle-floyd/) > [Law is error, you see. It's an attempt to write down a lot of things everyone ought to know anyway.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-harkaway/law-is-error-you-see-it-s-an-attempt-to-write-down-a-lot-of-things/) [Nick Harkaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-harkaway/) > [My writing is authentic, and whatever happens in my life is what I write about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tucker-max/my-writing-is-authentic-and-whatever-happens-in-my-life-is-what-i/) [Tucker Max](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tucker-max/) > [Over the years, I've found that I either live life or write about it. I can't seem to do both simultaneously - I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/letty-cottin-pogrebin/over-the-years-i-ve-found-that-i-either-live-life-or-write-about-it-i/) [Letty Cottin Pogrebin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/letty-cottin-pogrebin/) > [I try to write life and not songs. People live life, and when you write life, you're going to mess around and touch somebody's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-kelly/i-try-to-write-life-and-not-songs-people-live-life-and-when-you-write/) [R. Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-kelly/) > [“We write to heighten our own awareness of life. We write to lure and enchant and console others. We write to serenade our lovers.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/we-write-to-heighten-our-own-awareness-of-life-we-write-to-lure-and/) [Anaïs Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) > [What I wanted in life always was to write something as good as 'Pinocchio.' I wanted to write. I wanted to evolve. I wanted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/what-i-wanted-in-life-always-was-to-write-something-as-good-as/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [You must find your own quiet center of life, and write from that to the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-orne-jewett/you-must-find-your-own-quiet-center-of-life-and-write-from-that-to/) [Sarah Orne Jewett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-orne-jewett/) > [It's a shame that when you've actually lived some life and have something to write about, they're saying you're too old to come out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kt-tunstall/it-s-a-shame-that-when-you-ve-actually-lived-some-life-and-have/) [KT Tunstall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kt-tunstall/) ## More by Christopher Hitchens > [“The spirit of our accurate and exact philosophy is outraged by conclusions that contradict each other so glaringly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/the-spirit-of-our-accurate-and-exact-philosophy-is-outraged-by/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [“Many governments employ torture but this was the first time that the element of Saturnalia and pornography in the process had been made so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/many-governments-employ-torture-but-this-was-the-first-time-that-the/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [ 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… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/it-s-los-angeles-mostly-full-of-nonsense-and-delusion-and-egomania/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [To be against rationalization is not the same as to be opposed to reasoning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/to-be-against-rationalization-is-not-the-same-as-to-be-opposed-to/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [ \[Religion\] attacks us in our deepest integrity - the core of our self-respect. Religion says that we would not know right from wrong, we… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/religion-attacks-us-in-our-deepest-integrity-the-core-of-our-self/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [“In the very recent past, we have seen the Church of Rome befouled by its complicity with the unpardonable sin of child rape, or,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/in-the-very-recent-past-we-have-seen-the-church-of-rome-befouled-by/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [It's surprising to me how many of my friends send Christmas cards, or holiday cards, including my atheist and secular friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/it-s-surprising-to-me-how-many-of-my-friends-send-christmas-cards-or/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [Suppose there were groups of secularists at hospitals who went round the terminally ill and urged them to adopt atheism: 'Don't be a mug…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/suppose-there-were-groups-of-secularists-at-hospitals-who-went-round/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [There are, after all, atheists who say they wish the fable were true but are unable to suspend the requisite disbelief, or who have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/there-are-after-all-atheists-who-say-they-wish-the-fable-were-true/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [“It isn’t so long since a test of Anglican orthodoxy was applied to anyone seeking to study or teach at Oxford and Cambridge universities.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/it-isn-t-so-long-since-a-test-of-anglican-orthodoxy-was-applied-to/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [Gullibility and credulity are considered undesireable qualities in every department of human life - except religion ... Why are we praised by godly men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/gullibility-and-credulity-are-considered-undesireable-qualities-in/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [It's much worse to see a woman drunk than a man: I don't know quite why this is true but it just is. Don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/it-s-much-worse-to-see-a-woman-drunk-than-a-man-i-don-t-know-quite/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [It's true that obscenity is a matter of taste and in the eye of the beholder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/it-s-true-that-obscenity-is-a-matter-of-taste-and-in-the-eye-of-the/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [I worked out early on to give up things I couldn't do well at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/i-worked-out-early-on-to-give-up-things-i-couldn-t-do-well-at-all/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [Writing is what's important to me, and anything that helps me do that - or enhances and prolongs and deepens and sometimes intensifies argument…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/writing-is-what-s-important-to-me-and-anything-that-helps-me-do-that/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) [Explore all 1,241 Christopher Hitchens quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) ## More Care quotes > [I think, here's what I've realized from interviewing people, and I've been very open about my Catholicism and my love of Christ and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mohr/i-think-here-s-what-i-ve-realized-from-interviewing-people-and-i-ve/) [Jay Mohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mohr/) > [We all know what it feels like to love someone and care about them and want to protect them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiana-madeira/we-all-know-what-it-feels-like-to-love-someone-and-care-about-them/) [Kiana Madeira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiana-madeira/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [I certainly do care for you Jeff Campbell less than you are always thinking and much more than you are ever knowing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/i-certainly-do-care-for-you-jeff-campbell-less-than-you-are-always/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) > [Advances in technology will continue to reach far into every sector of our economy. Future job and economic growth in industry, defense, transportation, agriculture,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-bond/advances-in-technology-will-continue-to-reach-far-into-every-sector/) [Christopher Bond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-bond/) > [As a child, I had a lot of older gay men taking care of me. There's a trust there. I feel like little girls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/as-a-child-i-had-a-lot-of-older-gay-men-taking-care-of-me-there-s-a/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [I believe in taxation and health care that is outside the usual libertarian mandate, because I don't want people to have to suffer. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-peart/i-believe-in-taxation-and-health-care-that-is-outside-the-usual/) [Neil Peart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-peart/) > [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/) [Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/) > [What makes you care about nature, about the planet? Is it really that you're afraid of what's going to happen if you don't take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-eisenstein/what-makes-you-care-about-nature-about-the-planet-is-it-really-that/) [Charles Eisenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-eisenstein/) > [You feed yourself. Make sure you have all the information, whether it's aesthetic, scientific, mathematical, I don't care what it is. Then you walk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/you-feed-yourself-make-sure-you-have-all-the-information-whether-it-s/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [When you're in your twenties and starting out, the problem is that you care about being cool. Being older, I can care less about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-righton/when-you-re-in-your-twenties-and-starting-out-the-problem-is-that-you/) [James Righton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-righton/) > [When will society, like a mother, take care of all her children?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace-mann/when-will-society-like-a-mother-take-care-of-all-her-children/) [Horace Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace-mann/) > [I don't care if you make a print on a bath mat, just as long as it is a good print.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-weston/i-don-t-care-if-you-make-a-print-on-a-bath-mat-just-as-long-as-it-is/) [Edward Weston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-weston/) > [The world's problems are, by and large, human problems-the unavoidable consequence of egoic sleepwalking. If we care to look, all the signs are present…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adyashanti/the-world-s-problems-are-by-and-large-human-problems-the-unavoidable/) [Adyashanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adyashanti/) > [There are a lot of kids out there copying and distributing movies - not because they care about seeing the movies or sharing them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/there-are-a-lot-of-kids-out-there-copying-and-distributing-movies-not/) [John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/) [Browse all 19,019 Care quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/care/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "At the evident risk of seeming ridiculous, I want to begin by saying that I have tried for much of my life to write as if I was composing my sentences to be read posthumously. I hope this isn't too melodramatic or self-centred a way of saying that I attempt to write as if I did not care what reviewers said, what peers thought, or what prevailing opinions may be.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Christopher Hitchens" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/at-the-evident-risk-of-seeming-ridiculous-i-want-to-begin-by-saying/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Care" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/at-the-evident-risk-of-seeming-ridiculous-i-want-to-begin-by-saying/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/982/christopher-hitchens-117_care_at-the-evident-risk-of-seeming-ridiculou_2380045.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/982/christopher-hitchens-117_care_at-the-evident-risk-of-seeming-ridiculou_2380045.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/982/christopher-hitchens-117_care_at-the-evident-risk-of-seeming-ridiculou_2380045.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“At the evident risk of seeming ridiculous, I want to begin by saying that I have tried for much of my life…” — Christopher Hitchens", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Christopher Hitchens", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "At the evident risk of seeming...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/at-the-evident-risk-of-seeming-ridiculous-i-want-to-begin-by-saying/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/at-the-evident-risk-of-seeming-ridiculous-i-want-to-begin-by-saying/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```