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
achieves momentous sin
To the intellectual, America's unforgivable sin is that it has revolutions without revolutionaries, and achieves the momentous in a matter-of-fact way
experience saint sinner stem
Many of the insights of the saint stem from his experience as a sinner
acceptance self sin
You accept certain unlovely things about yourself and manage to live with them. The atonement for such an acceptance is that you make allowances for others - that you cleanse yourself of the sin of self-righteousness.
being-yourself being-single men
Men weary as much of not doing the things they want to do as of doing the things they do not want to do.
cheering rats ship sinking
It is cheering to see that the rats are still around - the ship is not sinking
creeping death inner longer praise sign
It is a sign of a creeping inner death when we no longer can praise the living.
faith feeling fervent greatest imposing inner likely movements others plausible practice profession strong
It is also plausible that those movements with the greatest inner contradiction between profession and practice-that is to say with a strong feeling of guilt-are likely to be the most fervent in imposing their faith on others
easier humanity love neighbor
It is easier to love humanity than to love your neighbor
finish man mistake neglected paying
Man was nature's mistake -she neglected to finish him - and she has never ceased paying for her mistake.
cutting element later laying malice ourselves pleasure readiness
There is probably an element of malice in the readiness to overestimate people: we are laying up for ourselves the pleasure of later cutting them down to size.
american-writer cutting element later laying malice people readiness
There is probably an element of malice in our readiness to overestimate people - we are, as it were, laying up for ourselves the pleasure of later cutting them down to size.
others ourselves
We can see through others only when we see through ourselves
distinct group judge members nation tendency worthy
There is a tendency to judge a race, a nation or any distinct group by its least worthy members
hate way lost
Should Americans begin to hate foreigners wholeheartedly, it will be an indication that they have lost confidence in their own way of life.