This book deals with some of the peculiarities common to all mass movements, be they religious movements, social revolutions, or national movements. The book is a critique of ideological fanaticism, tracing it to its psychological roots. A stevedore on the san francisco docks in the 1940s, eric hoffer wrote philosophical treatises in his spare time while living in the railroad yards. The true believer and the nature of mass movements duration. Jun 18, 2003 the twentieth anniversary of the death of eric hoffer, in may 1983, passed with very little notice of one of the most incisive thinkers of his time a man whose writings continue to have great. Christian science monitor the famous bestseller with concise insight into what drives the mind of the fanatic and the dynamics of a mass movement wall st. Back in 1951, eric hoffer wrote a brilliant book called the true believer.
Buy true believer, the book online at best prices in india on. But socialists believe there is light at the end of the tunnel, and that by going through. His first book, the true believer 1951, demonstrated his insights into the nature of mass movements and the people who compose them. The conservatism of a religionits orthodoxyis the inert coagulum of a once highly reactive sap. For hoffer the holy cause is always a substitute for a loss of faith in oneself. Hoffer does not allow devotion and dedication sourced in conviction and confidence. He received the presidential medal of freedom, in february, 1983. Thoughts on the nature of mass movements by jonah s.
Eric hoffer was, dwight eisenhower said in 1952, his favorite philosopher. The true believer revisited issue 34 philosophy now. This endorsement made hoffer, a selfeducated san francisco stevedore, famous. Listen to the macat analysis of eric hoffer s the true believer. Madigan in one of his writings as a reflection to the the true believer book of eric hoffer while analyzing the september 11, 2001 attack in the united states of america by those who believe as terrorist who can also be called. Hoffer breaks down various personality types that have been historically associated with. Internet archive contributor internet archive language english. As a science journalist with a regular column in scientific american, jeremy marsh specializes in debunking the supernatural and has a real nose for the strange. The nazi party in eric hoffers true believer essay 1140. The true believer is one of the most provocative books of our immediate day. The true believer, eric hoffer, and the contemporary left by benjamin studebaker. Thoughts on the nature of mass movements pdf epub book.
He found it difficult to explain the forces that had channeled the disillusion of trench warfare and poison gas, had established the. The true believer by eric hoffer 1951having just endured a world war and facing an uncertain peace because of the power of mass movements, the author sought to compare and contrast all previous mass movements to sift out the commonalties of both the leaders and the led. It is a truism that many who join a rising revolutionary movement are attracted by the prospect of sudden and spectacular change in their conditions of life. Log in or sign up to leave a comment log in sign up. A moral and social philosopher, eric hoffer was a sheer genius who is today regarded as one of the most important thinkers of the 20 th century. I felt bombarded by wisdoms and common sense sayings that, so i thought, defy an approach to a pressing issue that could not be of less importance today than at the time of the books writing, 60 years ago. The true believer and the nature of mass movements. Hoffer wrote the book in 1951, when two of the most malignant mass movements in human history, those that produced the soviet union and nazi germany. Eric hoffer was a workingclass american autodidact who authored a variety of treatises on moral and social philosophy.
Birth and death of government the true believer by eric. Thoughts on the nature of mass movements was written by eric hoffer, first published in 1951 and became a bestseller. Buy true believer, the book online at low prices in india. Thoughts on the nature of mass movements by eric hoffer is a political philosophy classic from 1951. The range of his reading and research is vast, amazing. September 20, 2016 by jesse kornbluth leave a comment. Eric hoffer, in his seminal work, the true believer.
The true believer thoughts on the nature of mass movements eric hoffer we live in a world of change. Thoughts on the nature of mass movements perennial classics by hoffer, eric and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. So i am doing one now i read the book true believer by nicholas sparks who is one of my favorite authors. The author uses examples of movements of all types from the past, as well as movements that were current when the book was written.
Nevertheless, they committed suicide for their cause. It is the type of book that congratulates the reader while pretending to challenge him. This book presents ideas about how mass movements work and the psychology of people that awakenjoin mass movements. He wrote in his spare time after doing shifts on the san francisco docks, where he continued to work, even after becoming a successful author. Analysis of how beliefs influence actions and how actions influences belief based on islamic theology 1254 words 6 pages. May 10, 2011 a stevedore on the san francisco docks in the 1940s, eric hoffer wrote philosophical treatises in his spare time while living in the railroad yards. The true believer by eric hoffer tacoma retired mens bookclub. When the true believer was published in 1951, he was a largely selfeducated longshoremen, aged 50 or thereabouts there is. The son of alsatian immigrants to the united states, he was born in new york city.
Eric hoffer is a student of extraordinary perception and insight. This applies equally to religions, political systems and nationalism. In walden henry david thoreau wrote, the mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation. Eric hoffer was a san francisco longshoreman who selfeducated and left behind the true believer, an astonishingly insightful examination of the phenomenon of mass movements. A selfeducated man, eric hoffer was most likely born in 1898. Thoughts on the nature of mass movements 1951, viewed the postwar world at midcentury with trepidation. Eric hoffer 19021983 was a selfeducated us author and philosopher who was a migratory worker and longshoreman until 1967. Aug 04, 2018 i had great difficulty to gain traction in eric hoffers the true believer.
Read today, however, this book is mediocre, at best. Thoughts on the nature of mass movements is a 1951 work in the field of social psychology by american moral and social philosopher eric hoffer. Published in 1951, it depicts a variety of arguments in terms of applied world history and social psychology to explain why mass movements arise to challenge to status quo, hoffer discussing the sense of individual identity and the holding to particular ideals that can. Some see the world as essentially progressive, that over time we grow more advanced technologically, more confident in our abilities to control our destinies, more sure.
The main characters of this non fiction, philosophy story are. Eric hoffer was, if anything, even more remarkable than his book. Summary of eric hoffers, the true believer reason and meaning. Stream and download audiobooks to your computer, tablet or mobile phone.
It received critical acclaim from both scholars and laymen and catapulted hoffer into the limelight. Eric hoffer s landmark analysis of the psychology of mass movements identifies the appeal of these campaigns for frustrated people seeking to escape their own incompetency and build a new life. Mar 30, 2016 eric hoffers 1951 classic the true believer is a guide to truly understanding civilization and how it is shaped through different flavors of mass movements. Later, a pawn in stalins sinister master strategy, field was kidnapped and tortured by the kgb and forced to. Anyone wanting to understand this horrible irony would do well to read eric hoffers 1951 classic, the true believer. Called a brilliant and original inquiry and a genuine contribution to our social thought by arthur schlesinger, jr.
Hatred is the most accessible and comprehensive of all the unifying agents mass movements can rise and spread without belief in a god, but never without a belief in a devil. The book was published in multiple languages including, consists of 177 pages and is available in paperback format. The true believer describes his analysis of how people decide to throw their individual freedom and ability to think for themselves away to become willing instruments of autocratic, dictatorial systems of values. Later works include the passionate state of mind 1955, a collection. Hoffer wrote the book in 1951, when two of the most malignant mass movements in human history, those that produced the soviet union and nazi germany, sprung up, and the writing reflects. A rising religious movement is all change and ex perimentopen to new views and techniques from all quarters.
True believer reveals the life of noel field, once a wellmeaning and privileged american who spied for stalin during the 1930s and forties. No doubt this book, written just prior to the outbreak of the korean war, served as one of his qualifications. It is necessary for most of us these days to have some insight into the motives and responses of the true believer. Anyone wanting to understand this horrible irony would do well to read eric hoffer s 1951 classic, the true believer. The true believer by eric hoffer overdrive rakuten. Excerpts from eric hoffer s the true believer with annotations regarding the fitness aerobics movement ken hutchins, superslow exercise guild essay. Thoughts on the nature of mass movements was written by eric hoffer 19021983, a very unconventional man and a freethinker. The true believer, eric hoffer, and the contemporary left. The true believer is the book that eisenhower gave all his friends. Publication date 1980 topics social movements, social psychology, fanaticism publisher. Mass movements can rise and spread without belief in a god, but never without a belief in a devil.
Author of ten books, his big break came in when he penned the true believer which amassed recognition and acknowledgement from the critics and audience alike. The disjointed nature of some one or two line sections leaves support for their conclusions vacant, making them sound pushy. The first edition of the novel was published in 1951, and was written by eric hoffer. Eric hoffer in 1967, in the oval office, visiting president lyndon baines johnson. Hatred is the most accessible and comprehensive of all the unifying agents. Thoughts on the nature of mass movements is a nonfiction book authored by american philosopher eric hoffer. The true believer project gutenberg selfpublishing. The true believer summary essay 1088 words bartleby.
The true believer thoughts on the nature of mass movements. True believers unite into a close group which gives them a new identity and new life, and liberates them from the cage of their frustration. The true believerthe first and most famous of his bookswas made into a bestseller when president eisenhower cited it during one of the earliest television press conferences. Other articles where the true believer is discussed. Eric hoffer, the true believer, originally published by harper in 1951. Eric hoffer s true believer outlines a model that mass movements follow or need to follow in order to succeed. The true believer book report essay topics, sample papers. The nazi political movement in germany is explained well through the use of this framework. This could easily be seen as hoffer s starting point. It is perhaps the most unremarkable and selfevident truth of life. My copy is small soft cover book with 192 pages and a yellow and red cover.
That would be the true believer, published 65 years ago. After writing his first book, the true believer, he went on to publish over ten others. Eric hoffer, a selfmade man, a longshoremanphilosopher, has been chosen by president johnson to serve on a committee studying violence in the united states. From the intro, heres what its designed to explain. The nazi party rose to power because of the setting of germany at the time and the people involved in the movement. These blinks will take you on a walk through history showing how, under certain circumstances, be they right or wrong, anyone can become a true believer. The true believer 1951, published in the aftermath of world war ii, is an exploration of mass movements and the means by which they attract followers. The main difference between smallc conservatism and marxism is the level of optimism. Published in 1951, it depicts a variety of arguments in terms of applied world history and social psychology to explain why mass movements arise to challenge to status quo, hoffer discussing the sense of individual identity and the holding to particular ideals that can lead to fanaticism among both leaders and followers. The best quotes from eric hoffers the true believer. Journal by presidential medal of freedom recipient eric hoffer, the true believer is a landmark in the field of social psychology, and even more relevant today than ever before in history. The true believer the first and most famous of his bookswas made into a bestseller when president eisenhower cited it during one of the earliest television press conferences.
Allen scarbrough chose the true believer as one of 25 books that you need to read to know just about everything. Apr 01, 2005 listen to true believer audiobook by nicholas sparks. Thoughts on the nature of mass movements perennial classics. Dec 12, 2017 to start off the new year, 2018, we will meet in january to discuss the following book, suggested by van.
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