Eric Hoffer
Eric Hoffer
Eric Hofferwas an American moral and social philosopher. He was the author of ten books and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in February 1983. His first book, The True Believer, was widely recognized as a classic, receiving critical acclaim from both scholars and laymen, although Hoffer believed that The Ordeal of Change was his finest work...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionWriter
Date of Birth25 July 1902
CountryUnited States of America
liberty majority minorities
A dissenting minority feels free only when it can impose its will on the majority: what it abominates most is the dissent of the majority.
want critical knows
Far more critical than what we know or what we don't know is what we don't want to know.
thank-you thankful gratitude
The hardest arithmetic to master is that which enables us to count our blessings.
mean self land
The frustrated follow a leader less because of their faith that he is leading them to a promised land than because of their immediate feeling that he is leading them away from their unwanted selves. Surrender to a leader is not a means to an end but a fulfillment. Whither they are led is of secondary importance.
inspirational change different
To become different from what we are, we must have some awareness of what we are.
fate hands tyrants
I can never forget that one of the most gifted, best educated nations in the world, of its own free will, surrendered its fate into the hands of a maniac.
future power shapes
The only way to predict the future is to have power to shape the future.
hype people doe
Propaganda does not deceive people; it merely helps them to deceive themselves.
inspirational life motivational
We are told that talent creates its own opportunities. But it sometimes seems that intense desire creates not only its own opportunities, but its own talents.
nation peaceful perhaps seed
A nation without dregs and malcontents, is orderly, decent, peaceful and pleasant, but perhaps without the seed of things to come
cheering rats ship sinking
It is cheering to see that the rats are still around - the ship is not sinking
against believe echo enemies enjoy example explain eyes friendship gets guard happen however image others ourselves reflection shape tend unless
Friendship Never explain / your friends do not need it, and your enemies will not believe it anyway. A real friend never gets in your way, unless you happen to be on the way down. A friend is someone you can do nothing with and enjoy it. However much we guard ourselves against it, we tend to shape ourselves in the image others have of us. It is not so much the example of others we imitate, as the reflection of ourselves in their eyes and the echo of ourselves in their words.
best capitalism communist liberating true
Capitalism is at its liberating best in a non-capitalist environment. The crypto-businessman is the true revolutionary in a Communist country.
hate despise
We cannot hate those who we despise.