Quote

The quality of ideas seems to play a minor role in mass movement leadership. What counts is the arrogant gesture, the complete disregard of the opinion of others, the singlehanded defiance of the world.

Eric Hoffer

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Eric Hoffer
Age: 84 †
Born: 1898
Born: July 25
Died: 1983
Died: May 21
Philosopher
Psychologist
Writer
New York City
New York
Ideas
Mass
Disregard
Play
Leadership
Minor
World
Roles
Minors
Movement
Counts
Opinion
Gestures
Quality
Arrogant
Others
Complete
Defiance
Seems
Role
Gesture

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Man is a luxury-loving animal. Take away play, fancies, and luxuries, and you will turn man into a dull, sluggish creature, barely energetic enough to obtain a bare subsistence. A society becomes stagnant when its people are too rational or too serious to be tempted by baubles.
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Those in possession of absolute power can not only prophesy and make their prophecies come true, but they can also lie and make their lies come true.
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There are many who find a good alibi far more attractive than an achievement. For an achievement does not settle anything permanently. We still have to prove our worth anew each day we have to prove that we are as good today as we were yesterday. But when we have a valid alibi for not achieving anything we are fixed, so to speak, for life.
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It needs fanatical faith to rationalize our cowardice.
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The greatest weariness comes from work not done.
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Nationalist pride, like other variants of pride, can be a substitute for self-respect.
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We are least open to precise knowledge concerning the things we are most vehement about.
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Whenever you trace the origin of a skill or practices which played a crucial role in the ascent of man, we usually reach the realm of play.
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People who bite the hand that feeds them usually lick the boot that kicks them.
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When we believe ourselves in possession of the only truth, we are likely to be indifferent to common everyday truths.
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Compassion alone stands apart from the continuous traffic between good and evil proceeding within us.
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The suspicious mind believes more than it doubts. It believes in a formidable and ineradicable evil lurking in every person.
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For many people, an excuse is better than an achievement because an achievement, no matter how great, leaves you having to prove yourself again in the future but an excuse can last for life.
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Woe to him inside a non-conformist clique who does not conform to non-conformity.
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Call not that man wretched, who whatever ills he suffers, has a child to love.
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