Mastodawn

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 only into minds already open, and rather than instill opinion it articulates and justifies opinions already present in the minds of its recipients. The gifted propagandist brings to a boil ideas and passions already simmering in the minds of his hearers. he echoes their innermost feelings. Where opinion is not coerced, people can be made to believe only in what they already “know.”

Eric Hoffer (1902-1983) American writer, philosopher, longshoreman
True Believer: Thoughts on the Nature of Mass Movements, Part 3, ch. 14, § 83 (3.14.83) (1951)

More about this quote: wist.info/hoffer-eric/11263/

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Hoffer, Eric - True Believer: Thoughts on the Nature of Mass Movements, Part 3, ch. 14, § 83 (3.14.83) (1951) | WIST Quotations

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 only into minds already open, and rather than instill opinion it articulates…

WIST Quotations

WIST Quotations May 7

A quotation from Eric Hoffer

They who clamor loudest for freedom are often the ones least likely to be happy in a free society. The frustrated, oppressed by their shortcomings, blame their failure on existing restraints. Actually, their innermost desire is for an end to the “free for all.” They want to eliminate free competition and the ruthless testing to which the individual is continually subjected in a free society.

Eric Hoffer (1902-1983) American writer, philosopher, longshoreman
True Believer: Thoughts on the Nature of Mass Movements, Part 2, ch. 5, § 28 (1951)

More about this quote: wist.info/hoffer-eric/10928/

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Hoffer, Eric - True Believer: Thoughts on the Nature of Mass Movements, Part 2, ch. 5, § 28 (2.5.28) (1951) | WIST Quotations

They who clamor loudest for freedom are often the ones least likely to be happy in a free society. The frustrated, oppressed by their shortcomings, blame their failure on existing restraints. Actually, their innermost desire is for an end to the "free for all." They want to eliminate free competition…

WIST Quotations

Yahooey May 5

“It seems that we are most busy when we do not do the one thing we ought to do; most greedy when we cannot have the one thing we really want; most hurried when we can never arrive; most self-righteous when irrevocably in the wrong.” — Eric Hoffer, The Passionate State of Mind
#EricHoffer #QOTD #Quotation #Quote #SelfProtection

https://yahooeysblog.wordpress.com/2026/05/05/quote-of-the-day-5490/

Quote of the Day

“It seems that we are most busy when we do not do the one thing we ought to do; most greedy when we cannot have the one thing we really want; most hurried when we can never arrive; most self-righte…

Yahooey's Blog

WIST Quotations Apr 30

A quotation from Eric Hoffer

Unless a man has talents to make something of himself, freedom is an irksome burden. Of what avail is freedom to choose if the self be ineffectual? We join a mass movement to escape individual responsibility, or, in the words of the ardent young Nazi, “to be free from freedom.” It was not sheer hypocrisy when the rank-and-file Nazis declared themselves not guilty of all the enormities they had committed. They considered themselves cheated and maligned when made to shoulder responsibility for obeying orders. Had they not joined the Nazi movement in order to be free from responsibility?

Eric Hoffer (1902-1983) American writer, philosopher, longshoreman
True Believer: Thoughts on the Nature of Mass Movements, Part 2, ch. 5, § 26 (1951)

More about this quote: wist.info/hoffer-eric/10751/

#quote #quotes #quotation #qotd #erichoffer #burden #cause #collectiveguilt #control #escape #freedom #individual #movement #obedience #orders #responsibility #selfcontempt #selfdeprecation #selfdoubt #selfimage #selfliberation #selfopinion #selfregard #selfrespect #selfresponsibility #truebeliever

Hoffer, Eric - True Believer: Thoughts on the Nature of Mass Movements, Part 2, ch. 5, § 26 (1951) | WIST Quotations

Unless a man has talents to make something of himself, freedom is an irksome burden. Of what avail is freedom to choose if the self be ineffectual? We join a mass movement to escape individual responsibility, or, in the words of the ardent young Nazi, "to be free from freedom."…

WIST Quotations

WIST Quotations Apr 23

A quotation from Eric Hoffer

Faith in a holy cause is to a considerable extent a substitute for the lost faith in ourselves.

Eric Hoffer (1902-1983) American writer, philosopher, longshoreman
True Believer: Thoughts on the Nature of Mass Movements, Part 1, ch. 2, § 8 (1951)

More about this quote: wist.info/hoffer-eric/10594/

#quote #quotes #quotation #qotd #erichoffer #cause #devotion #faith #holiness #sacred #selfblame #selfconfidence #selfdoubt #selfquestioning #selfreproach #truebeliever

Hoffer, Eric - True Believer: Thoughts on the Nature of Mass Movements, Part 1, ch. 2, § 8 (1951) | WIST Quotations

Faith in a holy cause is to a considerable extent a substitute for the lost faith in ourselves.

WIST Quotations

Wisdom in Space Apr 21

Our achievements speak for themselves. What we have to keep track of are our failures, discouragements, and doubts.
-- Eric Hoffer

⬆ #Wisdom #Quotes #EricHoffer #Achievement #Failure #Success

⬇ #Photography #Panorama #Pictographs #RockArt #NativeAmerican #Utah

WIST Quotations Apr 16

A quotation from Eric Hoffer

When hopes and dreams are loose in the streets, it is well for the timid to lock doors, shutter windows and lie low until the wrath has passed. For there is often a monstrous incongruity between the hopes, however noble and tender, and the action which follows them. It is as if ivied maidens and garlanded youths were to herald the four horsemen of the apocalypse.

Eric Hoffer (1902-1983) American writer, philosopher, longshoreman
True Believer: Thoughts on the Nature of Mass Movements, Part 1, ch. 1, § 5 (1951)

More about this quote: wist.info/hoffer-eric/10332/

#quote #quotes #quotation #qotd #erichoffer #change #changeordie #danger #dreams #endsandmeans #hopes #lyinglow #reignofterror #revolution #terror #threat #violence #wrath

Hoffer, Eric - True Believer: Thoughts on the Nature of Mass Movements, Part 1, ch. 1, § 5 (1951) | WIST Quotations

When hopes and dreams are loose in the streets, it is well for the timid to lock doors, shutter windows and lie low until the wrath has passed. For there is often a monstrous incongruity between the hopes, however noble and tender, and the action which follows them. It is…

WIST Quotations

WIST Quotations Apr 9

A quotation from Eric Hoffer

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.

Eric Hoffer (1902-1983) American writer, philosopher, longshoreman
True Believer: Thoughts on the Nature of Mass Movements, Part 1, ch. 2, § 10 (1951)

More about this quote: wist.info/hoffer-eric/10669/

#quote #quotes #quotation #qotd #erichoffer #bother #busybody #distraction #interference #intrusion #keepingbusy #meaning #mindyourownbusiness

Hoffer, Eric - True Believer: Thoughts on the Nature of Mass Movements, Part 1, ch. 2, § 10 (1951) | WIST Quotations

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.

WIST Quotations

Yahooey Apr 5

“We are unified both by hating in common and by being hated in common.” — Eric Hoffer, The Passionate State of Mind
#EricHoffer #Quotation #Quote #QOTD #InGroup #Tribalism

https://yahooeysblog.wordpress.com/2026/04/05/quote-of-the-day-5468/

Quote of the Day

“We are unified both by hating in common and by being hated in common.” — Eric Hoffer, The Passionate State of Mind

Yahooey's Blog

WIST Quotations Apr 2

A quotation from Eric Hoffer

The less justified a man is in claiming excellence for his own self, the more ready he is to claim all excellence for his nation, his religion, his race or his holy cause.

Eric Hoffer (1902-1983) American writer, philosopher, longshoreman
True Believer: Thoughts on the Nature of Mass Movements, Part 1, ch. 2, § 9 (1951)

More about this quote: wist.info/hoffer-eric/10530/

#quote #quotes #quotation #qotd #erichoffer #cause #ego #excellence #group #nationalism #pride #racism #superiority #tribe

Hoffer, Eric - True Believer: Thoughts on the Nature of Mass Movements, Part 1, ch. 2, § 9 (1951) | WIST Quotations

The less justified a man is in claiming excellence for his own self, the more ready he is to claim all excellence for his nation, his religion, his race or his holy cause.

WIST Quotations