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The Passionate State of Mind

Book by Eric Hoffer · 13 quotes · Literature, Self, Men

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The Passionate State of Mind Quotes

“There is in even the most selfish passion a large element of self-abnegation. It is startling to realize that what we call extreme self-seeking is actually self-renunciation. The miser, health addict, glory chaser and their like are not far behind the selfless in the exercise of self-sacrifice.”

SelfPassionRealizingBehindsSacrificeExerciseElementsGlorySeekingExtremesSelfishSelflessAddictSelf SacrificeRenunciationMisersAbnegationChasers
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“Both Faith and Terror are instruments for the elimination of individual self-respect. Terror crushes the autonomy of self-respect, where Faith obtains its more or less voluntary surrender. In both cases, the result of the elimination of individual autonomy is - automatism. Both Faith and Terror reduce the human entity to a formula that can be manipulated at will.”

HumansSelfReligionIndividualResultsCasesInstrumentsTerrorSurrenderCrushSelf RespectFormulasEntityAutonomyEliminationIndividual Autonomy
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“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.”

MenSelfMatterReligionHateCausesSidesChurchReligiousAnimalSourceHolyCreaturesRejectionEtcDespiseDedicationConfinedPreoccupationAccessoriesMalady
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“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.”

RealSelfRealityConsciousnessAtheismWallConsciousPositive AtheismEnvyBelieverDoctrineDishonestyMaliceTrue BelieverReal SelfPettiness
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“The real "haves" are they who can acquire freedom, self-confidence, and even riches without depriving others of them. They acquire all of these by developing and applying their potentialities. On the other hand, the real "have nots" are they who cannot have aught except by depriving others of it. They can feel free only by diminishing the freedom of others, self-confident by spreading fear and dependence among others, and rich by making others poor.”

FeelsRealSelfHandsFearPoorRichRichesSelf ConfidenceDevelopingAcquireDependenceSelf ConfidentDepriving
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