Peter Jonathan Hitchens (born 28 October 1951) is an English journalist and author. He was educated at the Oxford College of Further Education and later the University of York. He is the younger brother of essayist and fellow journalist and author Christopher Hitchens.
His best known books are "The Rage Against God" note and "The Abolition of Britain". His book "A Brief History of Crime" was edited and republished as "The Cameron Delusion".
Like his late older brother Christopher, Peter was a former Trotskyist and atheist, though he later came to disagree with those views and became a Christian, later playing a role in the conversion of his wife, as well as becoming a self-described Burkist conservative. He has become known in recent times for his conservative views and vocal support of Christianity. He became a member of the Labour Party in 1977, but left in 1983 when he became a political reporter at the Daily Express.
In 2010 Peter was awarded the Orwell Prize for his work in journalism. Peter also supported Britain leaving the European Union, and when it happened in June 2016 he wrote an online article endorsing the decision.
His work provides examples of:
- Be Yourself: Peter is a strong proponent of independent thought. In his online blog he has stated it's one of the things he and his brother agreed on.
- Blue Oni, Red Oni: Peter described himself and Christopher this way, inferring Christopher was the red oni when praising his courage (even when Peter disagreed with his views).
- Drugs Are Bad: The topic of his book "The War We Never Fought". In it, he mainly criticizes the British government for not doing enough to combat the rise of illegal drugs.
- Enemies Equals Greatness: Hitchens has stated this view regarding his detractors in his online blog.
- The Fatalist: Has become rather black-pilled in his interviews from the 2010s onwards. As he put it himself in a discussion with John Anderson, his attempts to reason with people for years have not worked because he believes they're simply not interested in what he's selling them.
- The Fettered: Hitchens states the strengths of this trope as they apply regarding religion and society. He also says that humans cannot form a lasting moral structure on their own and asserts this is one of the benefits that Christianity offers.
- Gentleman Snarker: Peter Hitchens has been described as having a "visceral wit." In contrast to his brother Christopher, Peter doesn't use profanity or dirty humor.
- Hate Plague: Hitchens has discussed this trope and compared anti-religious sentiment (such as anti-theist groupthink) to this.
- Heel–Faith Turn: How Peter describes his becoming a Christian in his book "The Rage Against God" having, like his late brother Christopher, been a former Trotskyist.
- Heel–Face Door-Slam: Peter discusses this trope and laments this in regards to his brother Christopher."He has bricked himself up high in his atheist tower, with slits instead of windows from which to shoot arrows at the faithful, and he would find it rather hard to climb down."
- Last Breath Bullet: How Hitchens describes the anti-religious sentiment and Marxism inspired by the USSR at the end of his book."The rage against God is loose."
- Mathematician's Answer: When conveying facts or explaining something, Hitchens tends to stick to the information most of the time.
- Moral Myopia: All of Hitchens' books condemn this in some form or another, particularly "The Abolition of Britain" and "The Rage Against God". See Selective Obliviousness below.
- New Media Are Evil: Averted, despite some of his more conservative views. Peter has an online blog and often contributes to television and online articles.
- Selective Obliviousness: In "The Rage Against God", Hitchens asserts that the case presented for anti-religious sentiment relies on this. He states that events, such as the Crusades, are held against religious people, yet when violence done in the name of an atheistic or anti-religious agenda is brought up, such as done by Stalin and Mao, then those events are denied or excuses are made for them. This accusation was leveled against his anti-theistic brother more than once, particular in regards to Christopher's admiration of Lenin.
- Sibling Yin-Yang: With his brother Christopher, who was an anti-theistic atheist. The two were estranged for a time but eventually reconciled and engaged in several public debates on religion.
- Slave to PR: Hitchens has accused the British government of this multiple times, which can be seen in his book "The Abolition of Britian".
- Tv Never Lies: Analysed and Deconstructed in "The Abolition of Britain". Hitchens states that the invention of color TV led to people taking what they saw on TV more seriously. He also analyses the use of TV and radio soap operas to spread liberal, cultural and moral propaganda, referring to several instances where the Author Tract has been openly confirmed by the editors and authors of those programs.
- Taking the Heat: Hitchens explains that Christ's sacrifice was this, stating humanity cannot fully live up to the example Christ set so He died to make up the difference and reconcile us to God.
- The Unfettered: Part of Peter's criticism of atheism claims there is a connection between atheism and this trope."...atheism is a license for ruthlessness and appeals to the ruthless."
- Warts and All: Hitchens doesn't shy away from writing the shortcomings of himself and discusses both sides in his views.
- What the Hell, Hero?: He calls out those Christians who did not live up to the Bible and Christ's teachings during World War II. Particular emphasis is put on those members of the clergy who aided the Nazis. Conversely, Hitchens praises those among the Church who opposed the Nazis.
- A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing: Hitchens theorizes that secularism in the name of religious tolerance is, at times, a masquerade used by the anti-religious to push their agenda by suppressing or silencing expression of religious beliefs.
