Eric Hoffer

When people revolt in a totalitarian society, they rise not against the wickedness of the regime but its weakness.

When people revolt in a totalitarian society, they rise not against the wickedness of the regime but its weakness.

We cannot hate those who we despise.

We cannot hate those who we despise.

A doctrine insulates the devout not only against the realities around them but also against their own selves. The fanatical read more

A doctrine insulates the devout not only against the realities around them but also against their own selves. The fanatical believer is not conscious of his envy, malice, pettiness and dishonesty. There is a wall of words between his consciousness and his real self.

Fair play with others is primarily the practice of not blaming them for anything that is wrong with us. We read more

Fair play with others is primarily the practice of not blaming them for anything that is wrong with us. We tend to rub our guilty conscience against others the way we wipe dirty fingers on a rag. This is as evil a misuse of others as the practice of exploitation.

The nature of a society is largely determined by the direction in which talent and ambition flow--by the tilt of read more

The nature of a society is largely determined by the direction in which talent and ambition flow--by the tilt of the social landscape.