I am sorry that I haven’t posted any new Dalrymple pieces in the last couple of months. I have received several emails questioning whether Dalrymple is even writing any more, and I can assure you that he is writing as much as ever. I have had some challenges in my personal life that have made maintaining the blog difficult, and I feel the need to explain. In late January, my identical twin brother Clint, with whom I built and maintained this blog, passed away suddenly from a seizure disorder that began three years ago. His death has made life difficult for me, and I have not had the heart to continue posting. I plan to start up again soon, perhaps with one “catch up” entry that lists all of the pieces I’ve missed. We were lax enough in keeping up with Dalrymple and posting all of his pieces when it was the two of us, and I’m not sure I can do it alone. Therefore, if anyone would like to assist me in maintaining the blog, I would welcome the help. You can contact me by commenting on this post or by emailing me at webmaster@skepticaldoctor.com.
Clint took great meaning and enjoyment from Dalrymple’s work and worldview, and in helping to promote them. The opportunities we have had to get to know Dalrymple personally have been a real thrill, as have the opportunities to meet and communicate with so many of his readers. I want to thank you all for having helped to make my brother’s life a better one.
Clint Conatser 1971-2018
Rest in Peace
Wow. I am so sorry for your loss. Both of you have been a part of my life for a long time now, and I am shocked and saddened to hear this news. I love the writings of Anthony Daniels/Theodore Dalrymple, and I have always thought it so special that you two gave him this incredible blog showcasing his varied writings. Meeting Dr Daniels very briefly at a gathering in NYC and having him tell me to call him “Tony” made me feel like the Spanish man who came all the way to Rome just to catch a glimpse of the famous Livy. Your blog has been such a great resource for me over the years that words cannot express my gratitude and now sorrow. Perhaps some of us can help you by each taking a publication that he frequently publishes in and being responsible for updating accordingly. For example, I would be happy to take the new criterion, city journal, Taki’s mag or any other.
Condolences mate. Cheers to Clint and his brother! You both have invested in a good cultivating enterprise. Not just a mere propounder of ideas is Mr. Dalrymple. Your work has helped to plant a good many seeds that in maybe not a few people, has helped some of the Pinnochios in the shop at least start to want to be real boys and girls. Well done.
Very sorry to hear this news, my very best wishes to you in what must be an incredibly difficult time for you.
John Birch.
I am very sorry to hear that, Steve. As a father of identical twin girls I have an inkling as to what you are suffering. You can be proud of your brother’s role in the ongoing fight against lies and wickedness and in his and your dissemination of the work of the OST elegant prose writer in the English language.
Thank you for your update.
Sincere condolences on your brother Clint’s death.
Best wishes
Ashley
My condolences for the loss of your brother Clint.
Until i read your piece above, i had no idea it was to some degree also my loss.
Please take care of yourself, Steve.
Thamkyou
-Dave Scylla..regular reader (Adelaide, Australia)
My deepest sympathies.
Sorry to hear that Steve. My brother (also a Steve) is my twin,so I would feel the same without him,as you must be feeling now.
You are truly doing great work and I thank you and your brother Clint for all the time and effort you’ve put in to bring us the work of the wonderful Theodore Dalrymple.
I would like to help you,but I’m not very savvy with computers and social media,which I’m assuming you’s have to be to do what you do.
Kind regards
John J
Steve, I’m so very sorry to learn the reason for your absence. The Good Doctor has pieces in other online publications, but I have always enjoyed your format best. Please accept my deep sympathy.
Sincerely,
Louise R.
My sincere condolences for your lost.
I extend my sympathies to you over the loss of your brother. I can’t imagine what a difficult loss this must be for you, but for whatever small consolation it might provide, I want you to know that the work that your brother and you have done with this site has blessed me and many others. For that, I am grateful to both of you.
Sincerely,
Tyler Young
My sincere sympathies on the loss of your brother. I pray he finds eternal rest. I have enjoyed the work of both of you in aggregating Dalrymple’s work here
Condolences on your loss. Thanks to you and your late brother on your efforts. This blog is truly one of the few indispensable gems on the internet.
My deepest sympathies for your loss.
Regular reader, extremely grateful for all you have contributed to spreading interest and articulacy.
Sincerely sympathising with such a loss
David (France)
Good to have the Sceptical Doctor back again!
Steve, I’m very sorry about this news. My condolences. Thanks for deciding to continue with this blog. It’s interesting that you’ve had the chance to meet TD in person. Andrew
I’m so sorry.
Very sorry to hear this, I was wondering about the hiatus but never suspected such a tragic reason for it.
I hope the continuation of this blog will be a source of strength to you in the time to come, if not then just leave it for a while, some things are more important…
I am so deeply sorry for your loss Steve. Losing an identical twin must be the hardest loss anyone can experience. Thank you for this blog and take your time getting back to it, looking after yourself is most important right now.
This is truly awful news. My thoughts are with you, Steve.
Rest in peace, Clint.
Very sorry to hear this news, Steve. I exchanged some emails with Clint back around the time you organized the event in NY and it was clear that he was a great guy, I regret not having had the chance to meet him in person. I hope you’re able to take some comfort in resuming the activities you and Clint enjoyed together, including the good work done on this site. Stay strong buddy.
My sincere condolences for your loss, from a constant Dalrymple reader. I too hope you can continue to keep this blog going. It’s been one of my most visited websites for years.
Shocking news, Steve. So sorry. I feared there was something bad behind the recent hiatus, but had hoped I was wrong. The work you and Clint have done on this site is magnificent. Anything that brings the work of Dalrymple to as many people as possible is to be praised. I’ve followed his writing for many years and it is more important right now than ever. Keep it going.
I am very sorry for the loss of your brother. I have been a regular follower of your blog, and have missed you in your time of sorrow.
Very sorry to hear of your loss. Please continue this blog…Dalrymple’s voice needs to be heard!
Regular reader.
Very sorry for your loss. I met you and Clint a couple times when you made it to New York and it was a pleasure. It must have been interesting having an identical twin. I have been thinking of you and will say some prayers for both of you.
My sincere condolences.
May he rest in peace.
I am terribly sorry for your loss. I am an admirer of Dr. Dalrymple’s work and visit your blog on occasion. I would offer to help but I already do some similar volunteer work in addition to my regular job.
Long time reader. Condolences for your loss, and thank you for all the work you’ve done on this website over the years.
Life without Clint must feel terribly empty.It is a minor consolation to let you know
how I appreciated your numerous posts about our beloved Skeptical Doctor.I wish you strenghts ,warm feelings from Holland,ettiena
Very sorry to hear this.
Theodore Dalrymple:
“As for my writing, it is hardly dust in the balance: my work amuses a few, enrages some, and is unknown to the vast majority of people in my immediate vicinity, let alone to wider circles. Impotence and futility are the two words that spring to mind.”
If it is dust, it is gold dust… and thanks, in no small part, to Clint, and yourself, it is far from futile.
Does anyone know what’s happened to the Western Defence forum? It seems to have been deleted, but why?
I’m extremely sorry to hear about the reason for your gap in posting and enormously appreciative that after such a tragic loss you have continued. Recovery is never complete I know and I wish you strength and and good fortune in the future.
My sincere condolences for your heartbreaking loss.
Could anything have prevented your twin’s death?
Kindest regards
Sophie
Sorry for your loss, Steve.
There was a thread on the Western Defence forum commemorating your brother, but as James G mentioned, the forum has been taken down. I got in touch with the gentleman who was managing it – the forum still exists offline, and perhaps it will be restored at some point in the future. There was no question of duress, or doxxing, or anything like that.
I’ve taken the liberty of compiling a set of links for Dalrymple’s articles on takimag since Jan 1st 2018. I will try to post updates from takimag from time to time.
http://takimag.com/article/milking_the_system_theodore_dalrymple/print
http://takimag.com/article/remembrance_of_vulgarities_past_theodore_dalrymple/print
http://takimag.com/article/all_the_world_on_stage_theodore_dalrymple/print
http://takimag.com/article/a_measure_of_greatness_theodore_dalrymple/print
http://takimag.com/article/street_corner_semantics_theodore_dalrymple/print
http://takimag.com/article/notes_from_a_messy_study_theodore_dalrymple/print
http://takimag.com/article/a_narrow_view_of_things_theodore_dalrymple/print
http://takimag.com/article/obit_snit_theodore_dalrymple/print
http://takimag.com/article/all_in_a_days_leave_theodore_dalrymple/print
http://takimag.com/article/from_the_cell_to_the_stage_theodore_dalrymple/print
http://takimag.com/article/remembrance_of_vulgarities_past_theodore_dalrymple
http://takimag.com/article/jot_this_down_theodore_dalrymple
http://takimag.com/article/the_bureaucrats_point_of_view_theodore_dalrymple
http://takimag.com/article/the_profane_is_now_profound_theodore_dalrymple
http://takimag.com/article/tears_of_a_tyrant_theodore_dalrymple
http://takimag.com/article/revolutionary_thinking_theodore_dalrymple
http://takimag.com/article/ungenuine_article_theodore_dalrymple
http://takimag.com/article/trial_by_fury_theodore_dalrymple
http://takimag.com/article/an_uncivil_society_theodore_dalrymple
http://takimag.com/article/lies_and_literature_theodore_dalrymple
http://takimag.com/article/murder_he_wrote_theodore_dalrymple
http://takimag.com/article/a_question_of_quackery_theodore_dalrymple
http://takimag.com/article/singing_for_sanity_theodore_dalrymple
http://takimag.com/article/off_guard_theodore_dalrymple/print
http://takimag.com/article/in_defense_of_mediocrity_theodore_dalrymple/print
http://takimag.com/article/observing_ramadan_theodore_dalrymple/print
http://takimag.com/article/for_the_love_of_hate_theodore_dalrymple/print
http://takimag.com/article/help_wanted_save_civilization_theodore_dalrymple/print
http://takimag.com/article/adding_injury_to_insult_theodore_dalrymple/print
http://takimag.com/article/mary_neal_lives_on_theodore_dalrymple/print
http://takimag.com/article/how_journaling_can_help_you_theodore_dalrymple/print
Clint sounds great! Nice blog 🙂
I have just discovered your through a friend and have a brother whose life was recently threatened yet miraculously lives still. I do not wish to be rude or churlish and hope very much that I am not when I tell you like Boethius in “The Consolations of Philosophy”, it seems to me almost obviously clear thanks to Aristotle and Thomas Aquinas, founding geniuses of the west at its best, that we exist in a finite world necessarily and inescapably rooted within and dependent upon that transcendent “actus purus” , pure act as they described this necessarily personal end and final cause. And in our image and likeness to this transcendent ground of being, with free wills and intellects, it is also somewhat apparent that as the senses are of the particular, the intellect is of the universal and hence intelligence is not of the same genus as sensation or brain action, though extrinsically dependent upon same. My point is that there is no good reason to suspect that that which is essential about us our free wills and intellects.. the real persons we are, is merely physical and perishable. I have found no really good coherent argument for materialistic outlooks but only an inherited 17th century prejudice on grounds prepared by nomionalism, conceptualism and like intelligence denying nonsense. To those who would call this wishful thinking.. virtually no perspective is wish free in a teleological or meaningful universe… I’d suggest some Dr Jordan Peterson videos on consciousness and personality. My point ultimately, and I apologize for my tendency to ramble, is that there is not a single good reason to believe your brother or anyone is forever lost to us. If we have free wills..something necessary to make even a judgment on whether we do or not, .. then the death we experience here cannot of course be total death, but at best a great privation of some sort. We are part of an ongoing simultaneity though we speak of the “past” and “future” as if they are presently real which obviously they are not, but rather are we in what Pierre de Chardin called the “divine milieu” the only frame within which our best hopes and heartfelt longings find gentle resonance. Again my sympathies and apologies for any brashness on my part. My intention was to share the best insights of our intellectual tradition and metaphysics and to console with reasonable hope in the face of materialist nihilism. I lost another brother to sight and sound yet he laughs in my heart and stirs my thoughts from time to time from the heaven he so profoundly belongs.