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
faith history literature
Faith in a holy cause is to a considerable extent a substitute for lost faith in ourselves.
effort individuality literature
The individual who has to justify his existence by his own efforts is in eternal bondage to himself.
giving feelings literature
The pleasure we derive from doing favors is partly in the feeling it gives us that we are not altogether worthless. It is a pleasant surprise to ourselves.
experience literature saint
Many of the insights of the saint stem from their experience as sinners.
would-be literature degrees
It would be difficult to exaggerate the degree to which we are influenced by those we influence.
self-esteem literature odor
Self-esteem and self-contempt have specific odors; they can be smelled.
mother giving literature
Craving, not having, is the mother of a reckless giving of oneself.
mind literature prejudice
I hang onto my prejudices, they are the testicles of my mind.
diversity vehement literature
We are least open to precise knowledge concerning the things we are most vehement about.
sight answers literature
Though dissenters seem to question everything in sight, they are actually bundles of dusty answers and never conceived a new question. What offends us most in the literature of dissent is the lack of hesitation and wonder.
sports art literature
It is probably true that business corrupts everything it touches. It corrupts politics, sports, literature, art, labor unions and so on. But business also corrupts and undermines monolithic totalitarianism. Capitalism is at its liberating best in a noncapitalist environment.
art literature chance
One is not quite certain that creativeness in the arts, literature, and science functions best in an environment of absolute freedom. Chances are that a relatively mild tyranny stimulates creativeness.
passion shrinking literature
There is in most passions a shrinking away from ourselves. The passionate pursuer has all the earmarks of a fugitive.
compassion evil literature
Compassion alone stands apart from the continuous traffic between good and evil proceeding within us.