John O. Andersen

One of my heroes is Eric Hoffer (1902-1983). His penchant for simple
living; his indifference toward acquiring material things; his lifelong
dedication to learning; his blue collar employment; and his non-mainstream
philosophies--all have had a significant impact on my worldview.

Hoffer's widely-acclaimed book, "The True Believer" appeared in 1951.
Essentially, it is a critique of mass movements. His message is timeless.
Here are a few favorite quotes from that book:

*****
"People in a hurry will imitate more readily than people at leisure.
Hustling thus tends to produce uniformity."
*****

*****
"Men of thought seldom work well together, whereas between men of action
there is usually an easy camaraderie. Teamwork is rare in intellectual or
artistic undertakings, but common and almost indispensable among men of
action."
*****

*****
"The creative man of words is ill at ease in the atmosphere of an active
movement. He feels that its whirl and passion sap his creative energies.
So long as he is conscious of the creative flow within him, he will not find
fulfillment in leading millions and in winning victories. The result is
that, once the movement starts rolling, he either retires voluntarily or is
pushed aside. Moreover, since the genuine man of words can never
wholeheartedly and for long suppress his critical faculty, he is inevitably
cast in the role of the heretic."
*****

For a short bio on Hoffer's life:
http://www.britannica.com/bcom/eb/article/6/0,5716,41586+1+40701,00.html?que
ry=eric%20hoffer

John Andersen
Uncoventional Ideas at http://unconventional.go.to
Blue Collar Independent Scholar: Can You Be a Real Scholar Even When It
Isn't Your Paid Profession?
http://www.themestream.com/gspd_browse/browse/view_article.gsp?c_id=49322
Read about the Andersen family travels:
http://www.spiritone.com/~andersen/travel.html

Lisa Terry

Hi! My name is Lisa, am new to the list. Thankyou for this. It is
inspiring!!!!!


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