Eric Hoffer ( 10 of 253 )
To the excessively fearful the chief characteristic of power is its arbitrariness. Man had to gain enormously in confidence before read more
To the excessively fearful the chief characteristic of power is its arbitrariness. Man had to gain enormously in confidence before he could conceive an all-powerful God who obeys his own laws.
Words have ruined more souls than any devil's agency.
Words have ruined more souls than any devil's agency.
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.
Fear comes from uncertainty. When we are absolutely certain, whether of our worth or our worthlessness, we are almost impervious read more
Fear comes from uncertainty. When we are absolutely certain, whether of our worth or our worthlessness, we are almost impervious to fear. Thus a feeling of utter worthlessness can be a source of courage.
People who bite the hand that feeds them usually lick the boot that kicks them.
People who bite the hand that feeds them usually lick the boot that kicks them.
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.
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.
Religion is not a matter of God, church, holy cause, etc. These are but accessories. The source of religious preoccupation read more
Religion is not a matter of God, church, holy cause, etc. These are but accessories. The source of religious preoccupation is in the self, or rather the rejection of the self. Dedication is the obverse side of self-rejection. Man alone is a religious animal because, as Montaigne points out, "it is a malady confined to man, and not seen in any other creature, to hate and despise ourselves.".
Spiritual stagnation ensues when man's environment becomes unpredictable or when his inner life is made wholly predictable.
Spiritual stagnation ensues when man's environment becomes unpredictable or when his inner life is made wholly predictable.
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.
