“In man's life, the absence of an essential component usually leads to the adoption of a substitute. The substitute is usually embraced with vehemence and extremism, for we have to convince ourselves that what we took as second choice is the best there ever was. Thus blind faith is to a considerable extent a substitute for the lost faith in ourselves; insatiable desire a substitute for hope; accumulation a substitute for growth; fervent hustling a substitute for purposeful action; and pride a substitute for an unattainable self-respect.” MenSelfActionDesireChoicesLostGrowthPrideEssentialsBlindAbsenceSelf RespectConvinceSubstitutesAdoptionComponentsAccumulationExtremismHustleInsatiableBlind FaithUnattainableFerventLost FaithVehemenceSecond Choice Book:Between the Devil and the Dragon: The Best Essays and Aphorisms of Eric Hoffer Source: Between the Devil and the Dragon: The Best Essays and Aphorisms of Eric Hoffer
“Common sense should tell us that reading is the ultimate weapon--destroying ignorance, poverty and despair before they can destroyus. A nation that doesn't read much doesn't know much. And a nation that doesn't know much is more likely to make poor choices in the home, the marketplace, the jury box and the voting booth...The challenge, therefore, is to convince future generations of children that carrying a book is more rewarding than carrying guns.” KnowsShouldChildrenBookHomeChoicesReadingNationsChallengesPoorCommonPovertyGenerationsIgnoranceDespairWeaponsGunUltimateBoxesCommon SenseVotingConvinceDestroyingFuture GenerationMarketplaceJuryPoor ChoicesCarrying Guns Book:The Read-aloud Handbook Source: The Read-aloud Handbook
“One's own free unfettered choice, one's own caprice-however wild it may be, one's own fancy worked up at times to frenzy-is that very "most advantageous advantage" which we have overlooked, which comes under no classification and against which all systems and theories are continually being shattered to atoms... [an]will attain his object-that is, convince himself he is a man and not a piano-key!” MenMayChoicesObjectsTheoryKeysAdvantagePianoFancyConvinceAtomsShatteredOverlookedFrenzyClassificationCapricePiano KeysNotes From The Underground Author:Fyodor Dostoevsky