Eric Hoffer ( 10 of 253 )
The aspiration toward freedom is the most essentially human of all human manifestations.
The aspiration toward freedom is the most essentially human of all human manifestations.
In human affairs, the best stimulus for running ahead is to have something we must run from.
In human affairs, the best stimulus for running ahead is to have something we must run from.
Every era has a currency that buys souls. In some the currency is pride, in others it is hope, in read more
Every era has a currency that buys souls. In some the currency is pride, in others it is hope, in still others it is a holy cause. There are of course times when hard cash will buy souls, and the remarkable thing is that such times are marked by civility, tolerance, and the smooth working of everyday life.
The craving to change the world is perhaps a reflection of the craving to change ourselves.
The craving to change the world is perhaps a reflection of the craving to change ourselves.
A society that refuses to strive for superfluities is likely to end up lacking in necessities.
A society that refuses to strive for superfluities is likely to end up lacking in necessities.
The revulsion from an unwanted self, and the impulse to forget it, mask it, slough it off and lose it, read more
The revulsion from an unwanted self, and the impulse to forget it, mask it, slough it off and lose it, produce both a readiness to sacrifice the self and a willingness to dissolve it by losing one's individual distinctness in a compact collective whole.
They who lack talent expect things to happen without effort. They ascribe failure to a lack of inspiration or ability, read more
They who lack talent expect things to happen without effort. They ascribe failure to a lack of inspiration or ability, or to misfortune, rather than to insufficient application. At the core of every true talent there is an awareness of the difficulties inherent in any achievement, and the confidence that by persistence and patience something worthwhile will be realized. Thus talent is a species of vigor.
We run fastest and farthest when we run from ourselves.
We run fastest and farthest when we run from ourselves.
Thought is a process of exaggeration. The refusal to exaggerate is not infrequently an alibi for the disinclination to think read more
Thought is a process of exaggeration. The refusal to exaggerate is not infrequently an alibi for the disinclination to think or praise.
The opposite of the religious fanatic is not the fanatical atheist but the gentle cynic who cares not whether there read more
The opposite of the religious fanatic is not the fanatical atheist but the gentle cynic who cares not whether there is a god or not.
