Perspective on Dawkins

Written of Richard Dawkins's THE GOD DELUSION

In a nutshell: 'Sage writing is a high-risk form: like few other genres and modes, it attacks the audience, and in so doing it risks alienating it. One reason for sage writing's episodic or discontinuous structure lies in its risk-taking. Since attacking the audience and its beliefs demands that the audience make a leap of faith, thereby shifting its emotional and intellectual allegiances, the sage will not always succeed. Therefore, a form that permits repeated separate attempts at moving the audience has a greater chance of succeeding than does a more tightly unified one.' George P. Landow, "Aggressive (Re)interpretations of the Female Sage"

If Dawkins has a fault, it is that he is always looking for the grand gesture. He doesn't limit himself. He is a ham. He seems scripted. He is a media darling, which just goes to show what they know. Christopher Hitchens is much better value.