--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I am always and at once on the defensive…" description: "\"“I am always and at once on the defensive, for example, when people speak of races and nations as if they were personalities and had souls and destinie..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/409/christopher-hitchens-117_personalities_i-am-always-and-at-once-on-the-defensive_2318089.jpg" --- # I am always and at once on the defensive, for example… ![“I am always and at once on the defensive, for example, when people speak of races and nations as if they were personalities and had souls and destinies and such like.” quote by Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/409/christopher-hitchens-117_personalities_i-am-always-and-at-once-on-the-defensive_2318089.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/409/christopher-hitchens-117_personalities_i-am-always-and-at-once-on-the-defensive_2318089.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/409/christopher-hitchens-117_personalities_i-am-always-and-at-once-on-the-defensive_2318089.jpg) > ““I am always and at once on the defensive, for example, when people speak of races and nations as if they were personalities and had souls and destinies and such like.”” [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 expresses constant defensiveness when people personify races and nations, treating them as if they have individual souls and destinies. **In simple terms:** Defensiveness arises from personifying groups. Key Takeaway Avoid attributing human traits to collective identities. Themes identity politics defensiveness Mood critical skeptical Type philosophical political When to use this quote - debates on race - nationalism discussions - media commentary Key Concepts anthropomorphism social constructs Questions to Reflect On - How does personification affect discourse? - Can groups be discussed without human traits? A Different Perspective Risk of oversimplifying complex social dynamics. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Nations Personalities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nations-personalities-5531050/) [Personalities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/personalities/) [Personalities Souls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/personalities-souls-1744725/) [Races Nations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/races-nations-942928/) [Racism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racism/) [Speak Races](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speak-races-5531049/) ## Related quotes > [I think that our personalities and our souls have so much - we're so much more than just blood vessels and bone and muscle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-earnhardt-jr/i-think-that-our-personalities-and-our-souls-have-so-much-we-re-so/) [Dale Earnhardt Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-earnhardt-jr/) > [“When you see people only as personalities, rather than souls with life missions to fulfill, you forever limit the growth and possibilities of what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-alder/when-you-see-people-only-as-personalities-rather-than-souls-with-life/) [Shannon Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-alder/) > [In every person, you have a world of personalities and souls, a world of perspectives that you can share. You can get into anyone's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/earl-sweatshirt/in-every-person-you-have-a-world-of-personalities-and-souls-a-world/) [Earl Sweatshirt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/earl-sweatshirt/) > [See, I believe that it is not true that different races and nations are alike. I'm profoundly convinced that that's a total lie. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-welles/see-i-believe-that-it-is-not-true-that-different-races-and-nations/) [Orson Welles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-welles/) > [Races and nations are thus ever ready to believe the worst of one another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-le-gallienne/races-and-nations-are-thus-ever-ready-to-believe-the-worst-of-one/) [Richard Le Gallienne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-le-gallienne/) > [“He was so much the picture of different kinds of assimilation that it was almost a case of multiple personalities.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/he-was-so-much-the-picture-of-different-kinds-of-assimilation-that-it/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [I've learned a lot from being a chameleon, sort of adopting the musical personalities of who I was playing with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-denk/i-ve-learned-a-lot-from-being-a-chameleon-sort-of-adopting-the/) [Jeremy Denk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-denk/) > [“There are always far better things ahead than what we will leave behind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-vonada/there-are-always-far-better-things-ahead-than-what-we-will-leave/) [Chris Vonada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-vonada/) > [“Our personalities are often molded by how we are treated: if a parent or spouse is defensive or argumentative in dealing with us, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/our-personalities-are-often-molded-by-how-we-are-treated-if-a-parent/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Sandman had two personalities. One could turn a female into his angel for the night in a blink, and the other could make a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/sandman-had-two-personalities-one-could-turn-a-female-into-his-angel/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [All the teams you have have different personalities, and you kind of want it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calipari/all-the-teams-you-have-have-different-personalities-and-you-kind-of/) [John Calipari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calipari/) > [I have two little kids, and they both came out completely different, with their own personalities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-barker/i-have-two-little-kids-and-they-both-came-out-completely-different/) [Nigel Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-barker/) > ['The X Factor' seems to be more about building up personalities and people in tears. And it's not a new idea. The pre-Beatles pop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jools-holland/the-x-factor-seems-to-be-more-about-building-up-personalities-and/) [Jools Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jools-holland/) > [The weird thing about metal fans is we're all so maladjusted in a lot of ways. We're individualistic and opinionated and severe in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-taylor/the-weird-thing-about-metal-fans-is-we-re-all-so-maladjusted-in-a-lot/) [Corey Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corey-taylor/) > [People with big personalities are best in the center of the table. They can help carry the conversation from that place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-s-smith/people-with-big-personalities-are-best-in-the-center-of-the-table/) [Michael S. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-s-smith/) ## 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 Personalities quotes > [People with big personalities are best in the center of the table. They can help carry the conversation from that place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-s-smith/people-with-big-personalities-are-best-in-the-center-of-the-table/) [Michael S. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-s-smith/) > [The weird thing about metal fans is we're all so maladjusted in a lot of ways. We're individualistic and opinionated and severe in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-taylor/the-weird-thing-about-metal-fans-is-we-re-all-so-maladjusted-in-a-lot/) [Corey Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corey-taylor/) > ['The X Factor' seems to be more about building up personalities and people in tears. And it's not a new idea. The pre-Beatles pop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jools-holland/the-x-factor-seems-to-be-more-about-building-up-personalities-and/) [Jools Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jools-holland/) > [I have two little kids, and they both came out completely different, with their own personalities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-barker/i-have-two-little-kids-and-they-both-came-out-completely-different/) [Nigel Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-barker/) > [All the teams you have have different personalities, and you kind of want it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calipari/all-the-teams-you-have-have-different-personalities-and-you-kind-of/) [John Calipari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calipari/) > [“Sandman had two personalities. One could turn a female into his angel for the night in a blink, and the other could make a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/sandman-had-two-personalities-one-could-turn-a-female-into-his-angel/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [“Our personalities are often molded by how we are treated: if a parent or spouse is defensive or argumentative in dealing with us, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/our-personalities-are-often-molded-by-how-we-are-treated-if-a-parent/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“There are always far better things ahead than what we will leave behind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-vonada/there-are-always-far-better-things-ahead-than-what-we-will-leave/) [Chris Vonada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-vonada/) > [I've learned a lot from being a chameleon, sort of adopting the musical personalities of who I was playing with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-denk/i-ve-learned-a-lot-from-being-a-chameleon-sort-of-adopting-the/) [Jeremy Denk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-denk/) > [“The clothes you're wearing, the room, the house, the city that you're in. Everything in it started out in the human imagination. Your lives,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-moore/the-clothes-you-re-wearing-the-room-the-house-the-city-that-you-re-in/) [Alan Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-moore/) > [People cultivate these fully formed personalities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-stewart/people-cultivate-these-fully-formed-personalities/) [Kristen Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-stewart/) > [It's been a hard lesson for me , but contrary quite frankly to what is a common practice in politics, I can tell from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/it-s-been-a-hard-lesson-for-me-but-contrary-quite-frankly-to-what-is/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [“There’s nothing wrong with my personalities. They’re all awesome”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasha-preston/there-s-nothing-wrong-with-my-personalities-they-re-all-awesome/) [Natasha Preston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natasha-preston/) > [Every president becomes a caricature. The press, partisans, late-night shows, and other arbiters of our culture these days boil down complicated and multi-faceted personalities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-mckinnon/every-president-becomes-a-caricature-the-press-partisans-late-night/) [Mark McKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-mckinnon/) > [In every walk of life each man puts on a personality and outward appearance so as to look what he wants to be thought;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/in-every-walk-of-life-each-man-puts-on-a-personality-and-outward/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) [Browse all 346 Personalities quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/personalities/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I am always and at once on the defensive, for example, when people speak of races and nations as if they were personalities and had souls and destinies and such like.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Christopher Hitchens" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/i-am-always-and-at-once-on-the-defensive-for-example-when-people/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Personalities" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/i-am-always-and-at-once-on-the-defensive-for-example-when-people/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/409/christopher-hitchens-117_personalities_i-am-always-and-at-once-on-the-defensive_2318089.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/409/christopher-hitchens-117_personalities_i-am-always-and-at-once-on-the-defensive_2318089.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/409/christopher-hitchens-117_personalities_i-am-always-and-at-once-on-the-defensive_2318089.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I am always and at once on the defensive, for example, when people speak of races and nations as if they…” — 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": "“I am always and at once...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/i-am-always-and-at-once-on-the-defensive-for-example-when-people/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/i-am-always-and-at-once-on-the-defensive-for-example-when-people/#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 } } ] } ```