Those who lack the capacity to achieve much in an atmosphere of freedom will clamor for power. Eric Hoffer More Quotes by Eric Hoffer More Quotes From Eric Hoffer No totalitarian censor can approach the implacability of the censor who controls the line of communication between the outer world and our consciousness. Nothing is allowed to reach us which might weaken our confidence and lower our morale. To most of us nothing is so invisible as an unpleasant truth. Eric Hoffer lines communication world We cannot hate those who we despise. Eric Hoffer despise hate The game of history is usually played by the best and the worst over the heads of the majority in the middle. Eric Hoffer political games history The misery of a child is interesting to a mother, the misery of a young man is interesting to a young woman, the misery of an old man is interesting to nobody. Eric Hoffer sadness mother children There is in most passions a shrinking away from ourselves. The passionate pursuer has all the earmarks of a fugitive. Eric Hoffer shrinking passion literature Social improvement is attained more readily by a concern with the quality of results than with the purity of motives. Eric Hoffer quality society improvement A preoccupation with the future not only prevents us from seeing the present as it is but often prompts us to rearrange the past. Eric Hoffer future adversity past Death has but one terror, that it has no tomorrow. Eric Hoffer tomorrow dying death The savior who wants to turn men into angels is as much a hater of human nature as the totalitarian despot who wants to turn them into puppets. Eric Hoffer hater angel nature To most of us nothing is so invisible as an unpleasant truth. Though it is held before our eyes, pushed under our noses, rammed down our throats- we know it not. Eric Hoffer ignorance truth education Wise living consists perhaps less in acquiring good habits than in acquiring as few habits as possible. Eric Hoffer wisdom wise life The true believer, no matter how rowdy and violent his acts, is basically an obedient and submissive person. Eric Hoffer submissive rowdy matter The beginning of thought is in disagreement - not only with others but also with ourselves. Eric Hoffer disagreement dissent The weakness of a soul is proportionate to the number of truths that must be kept from it. Eric Hoffer weakness soul numbers It is the awareness of unfulfilled desires which gives a nation the feeling that it has a mission and a destiny. Eric Hoffer fate frustration destiny There would be no society if living together depended upon understanding each other. Eric Hoffer political understanding life There can be no freedom without freedom to fail. Eric Hoffer libertarian failing liberty We clamor for equality chiefly in matters in which we ourselves cannot hope to obtain excellence. Eric Hoffer equality excellence matter 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 in 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. Eric Hoffer hate religious animal The birth of the new constitutes a crisis, and its mastery calls for a crude and simple cast of mind -- the mind of a fighter -- in which the virtues of tribal cohesion and fierceness and infantile credulity and malleability are paramount. Thus every new beginning recapitulates in some degree man's first beginning. Eric Hoffer new-beginnings fashion simple
