Quotessence
Home / Quotes / Quote by Eric Hoffer

Quote by Eric Hoffer

“The fanatic is not really a stickler to principle. He embraces a cause not primarily because of its justness or holiness but because of his desperate need for something to hold onto.”

Quote by Eric Hoffer

Work

THE TRUE BELIEVER

This book delves into the reasons why people become fervent adherents of various ideologies, exploring the psychological and social factors that drive individuals to commit to causes and movements. It analyzes the dynamics of groupthink, the allure of charismatic leaders, and the psychological needs that are often satisfied through membership in such groups. more

Author

Eric Hoffer
Eric Hoffer

Eric Hoffer was an American philosopher known for his profound insights into human nature. His works often explore society, politics, and human behavior, particularly focusing on the experiences of the underclass. Hoffer came from a German immigrant family and worked in various jobs in California during his youth, including dockworker, cook, and gardener. His first book, 'The Ordeal of Change', was published in 1950 and quickly became a bestseller, gaining him widespread recognition. His other works include 'The Ordeal of Change' and 'The True Believer' among others. more

You May Also Like

“A man is likely to mind his own business when it is worth minding. When it is not, he takes his mind off his own meaningless affairs by minding other people's business.This minding of other people's business expresses itself in gossip, snooping and meddling, and also in feverish interest in communal, national and racial affairs. In running away from ourselves we either fall on our neighbor's shoulder or fly at his throat.”

“Proselytizing is more a passionate search for something not yet found than a desire to bestow upon the world something we already have. It is a search for a final and irrefutable demonstration that our absolute truth is indeed the one and only truth. The proselytizing fanatic strengthens his own faith by converting others.”

“The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new; nor can it keep people persuaded once they have ceased to believe. It penetrates into minds already open, and rather than instill opinion it articulates and justifies opinions already present in the minds of its recipients.”

“When our individual interests and prospects do not seem worth living for, we are in desperate need for something apart from us to live for. All forms of dedication, devotion, loyalty and self-surrender are in essence a desperate clinging to something which might give worth and meaning to our futile, spoiled lives.”