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Quote by Eric Hoffer

“Nature has no compassion. Nature accepts no excuses and the only punishment it knows is death.”

Quote by Eric Hoffer

Book:Between the Devil and the Dragon: The Best Essays and Aphorisms of Eric Hoffer

Work

Between the Devil and the Dragon: The Best Essays and Aphorisms of Eric Hoffer

This book compiles a selection of Eric Hoffer's most insightful essays and aphorisms, offering readers a glimpse into his profound thoughts on human nature, society, and the complexities of the world. more

Author

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

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“It is easier to love humanity as a whole than to love one's neighbor. ... Some of the worst tyrannies of our day genuinely are "vowed" to the service of mankind, yet can function only by pitting neighbor against neighbor. The all-seeing eye of a totalitarian regime is usually the watchful eye of the next-door neighbor. In a Communist state love of neighbor may be classed as counter-revolutionary.”

Source: Between the Devil and the Dragon: The Best Essays and Aphorisms of Eric Hoffer

“The sick in soul insist that it is humanity that is sick, and they are the surgeons to operate on it. They want to turn the world into a sickroom. And once they get humanity strapped to the operating table, they operate on it with an ax.”

World Want Soul Humanity Turns Mankind Sick Tables Surgeons

Book:The Passionate State of Mind

Source: The Passionate State of Mind

“Wordiness is a sickness of American writing. Too many words dilute and blur ideas.”

Writing Ideas Sickness Blur

Author:Eric Hoffer

“The frustrated follow a leader less because of their faith that he is leading them to a promised land than because of their immediate feeling that he is leading them away from their unwanted selves. Surrender to a leader is not a means to an end but a fulfillment. Whither they are led is of secondary importance.”

Mean Ends Self Feelings Leader Land Importance Surrender Fulfillment Frustrated Unwanted Promised Land Means To An End

Book:THE TRUE BELIEVER

Source: THE TRUE BELIEVER

“What merit there is in my thinking is derived from two peculiarities: (1) My inability to be familiar with anything. I simply can't take things for granted. (2) My endless patience. I assume that the only way to find an answer is to hang on long enough and keep groping.”

Thinking Way Long Two Enough Answers Assuming Endless Familiar Granted Merit Inability Taking Things For Granted

Author:Eric Hoffer

“I don't care if I don't act anymore.”

Ifs Care Don't Care I Don't Care

Author:Mel Gibson

“This food-and-shelter theory concerning man's efforts is without insight. Our most persistent and spectacular efforts are concerned not with the preservation of what we are but with the building up of an imaginary conception of ourselves in the opinion of others. The desire for praise is more imperative than the desire for food and shelter.”

Men Desire Effort Opinion Building Theory Concerned Praise Insight Conception Imaginary Shelter Preservation Persistent Imperatives Spectacular Building Up

Author:Eric Hoffer

“Our doubts about ourselves cannot be banished except by working at that which is the one and only thing we know we ought to do. Other people's assertions cannot silence the howling dirge within us. It is our talents rusting unused within us that secrete the poison of self-doubt into our bloodstream.”

People Knows Self Silence Doubt Talent Ought Poison Assertion Self-doubt

Author:Eric Hoffer

“We are ready to die for an opinion but not for a fact: indeed, it is by our readiness to die that we try to prove the factualness of our opinion.”

Trying Facts Dies Opinion Ready Prove Readiness Ready To Die

Author:Eric Hoffer

“The impulse to think, to philosophize and spin beauty and brilliance out of mind and soul, is somehow the offspring of resistance of an effort to overcome an apparently insurmountable obstacle. Hence cultural creativeness is more likely to flourish in an atmosphere of restriction, of an imposed pattern of thought and behavior, than in one of total freedom.”

Thinking Mind Soul Effort Behavior Overcoming Patterns Obstacles Resistance Impulse Atmosphere Restriction Brilliance Offspring Insurmountable Creativeness

Author:Eric Hoffer