Eric Hoffer Biography

Eric Hoffer, Writer
Occup.Writer
FromUSA
BornJuly 25, 1902
New York City, New York, USA
DiedMay 21, 1983
San Francisco, California, USA
CauseNatural Causes
Aged80 years
Early Life
Eric Hoffer was born upon July 25, 1902, in The Bronx, New York City, to a household of Alsatian German immigrants. His early life was marked by a series of bad luck, consisting of the death of his mother when he was a kid. At around the age of seven, Hoffer lost his sight due to an accident, which caused him investing the subsequent years in blindness. Miraculously, at the age of 15, Hoffer regained his sight, though the specific scenarios surrounding this healing are rather uncertain.

The Great Depression and Wandering Years
Following his father's death in 1920, Hoffer, then in his late teens, left New York to end up being a migratory worker. Throughout the Great Depression, he took a trip across California, working tasks such as selecting fruit and doing manual labor. Despite lacking formal education, Hoffer established a ravenous cravings for reading during his durations of unemployment, obtaining books from town libraries whenever possible. These experiences formed much of his understanding of human nature and society, which would later form the backbone of his written work.

Composing Career
Hoffer's entry into writing was irregular. It wasn't up until 1951 that his very first book, "The True Believer: Thoughts on the Nature of Mass Movements", was published. This work emerged from both his philosophical reflections and his observations of the socio-political landscape throughout the very first half of the 20th century. "The True Believer" was seriously well-known for its incisive expedition of the psychology of mass movements and brought in the attention of intellectuals and policymakers alike.

Following the success of "The True Believer", Hoffer published a number of more books and essays, such as "The Ordeal of Change", "The Passionate State of Mind", and "The Temper of Our Time". His writings explored themes of individualism, social upheaval, and the dynamics of mass sociology, often drawing from both historical events and contemporary trends.

Impact and Relationships
While not formally educated, Hoffer's work gained the attention of several prominent figures in academic community and politics. He referred a range of intellectuals, thinkers, and policymakers, and he was notably recognized by President Lyndon B. Johnson, who valued Hoffer's insights and candid analysis of American society. Regardless of his acknowledgment, Hoffer preferred to remain a relatively personal individual, refraining from actively participating in the academic and intellectual circles that appreciated his work.

Hoffer's commitment to candid discourse was appreciated by some and slammed by others, however his practical approach to philosophy and sociology earned him an unique position in American intellectual history.

Later On Life and Legacy
In his later years, Eric Hoffer took pleasure in the relative serenity of life in San Francisco, working as a longshoreman until his retirement in 1967. He never wed and lived a simple life, characterized by frugality and self-reliance even as his fame broadened. Hoffer continued writing until his death on May 21, 1983, in San Francisco, California.

Hoffer's effect as a self-taught ethical and social philosopher stays significant. His works are acclaimed for their lucid and penetrating insights into the human mind and social trends. "The True Believer" remains a staple text in comprehending the mechanics behind the rise of mass motions. To this day, Hoffer is typically pointed out for analyzing the function of fanaticism, social modification, and conformity within modern-day societies.

Conclusion
Eric Hoffer's life was a testament to self-education, perseverance, and the power of observation and reflection. His approach, borne from the difficulties and experiences of a migratory worker, found resonance across the world and continues to use important insights into the nature of societal dynamics and human behavior.

Our collection contains 86 quotes who is written / told by Eric.

Related authors: Lyndon B. Johnson (President), Philo (Philosopher), Lawrence Taylor (Athlete)

Frequently Asked Questions
  • Q: Is the Eric Hoffer Award legitimate
    A: Yes, the Eric Hoffer Award is a legitimate independent literary award established to honor free-thinking writers and independent books.
  • Q: Hoffer meaning
    A: The name 'Hoffer' is of German origin, meaning 'hooper' or someone who makes hoops.
  • Q: Eric Hoffer True Believer quotes
    A: Notable quotes from 'The True Believer' include insights on mass movements and the nature of fanaticism.
  • Q: Hoffer company
    A: Hoffer is not associated with any company; it refers to Eric Hoffer, the American philosopher and author.
  • Q: Eric Hoffer Quotes Every great cause
    A: Eric Hoffer said, 'Every great cause begins as a movement, becomes a business, and eventually degenerates into a racket.'
  • Q: Eric Hoffer goodreads
    A: On Goodreads, you can find Eric Hoffer's books and quotes, including his most famous work, 'The True Believer'.
  • Q: Eric Hoffer: the longshoreman philosopher
    A: Eric Hoffer was known as the 'longshoreman philosopher' because he worked as a longshoreman for many years while writing influential philosophical works.
  • Q: How old was Eric Hoffer?
    A: He became 80 years old
Eric Hoffer Famous Works:
Source / external links:

86 Famous quotes by Eric Hoffer

Small: You can never get enough of what you dont need to make you happy
"You can never get enough of what you don't need to make you happy"
Small: It is the child in man that is the source of his uniqueness and creativeness, and the playground is the
"It is the child in man that is the source of his uniqueness and creativeness, and the playground is the optimal milieu for the unfolding of his capacities and talents"
Small: Our greatest pretenses are built up not to hide the evil and the ugly in us, but our emptiness. The har
"Our greatest pretenses are built up not to hide the evil and the ugly in us, but our emptiness. The hardest thing to hide is something that is not there"
Small: Our passionate preoccupation with the sky, the stars, and a God somewhere in outer space is a homing im
"Our passionate preoccupation with the sky, the stars, and a God somewhere in outer space is a homing impulse. We are drawn back to where we came from"
Small: Those in possession of absolute power can not only prophesy and make their prophecies come true, but th
"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"
Small: Man is the only creature that strives to surpass himself, and yearns for the impossible
"Man is the only creature that strives to surpass himself, and yearns for the impossible"
Small: In a time of drastic change it is the learners who inherit the future. The learned usually find themsel
"In a time of drastic change it is the learners who inherit the future. The learned usually find themselves equipped to live in a world that no longer exists"
Small: I hang onto my prejudices, they are the testicles of my mind
"I hang onto my prejudices, they are the testicles of my mind"
Small: When people are free to do as they please, they usually imitate each other
"When people are free to do as they please, they usually imitate each other"
Small: An empty head is not really empty it is stuffed with rubbish. Hence the difficulty of forcing anything
"An empty head is not really empty; it is stuffed with rubbish. Hence the difficulty of forcing anything into an empty head"
Small: A great mans greatest good luck is to die at the right time
"A great man's greatest good luck is to die at the right time"
Small: Creativity is the ability to introduce order into the randomness of nature
"Creativity is the ability to introduce order into the randomness of nature"
Small: Where everything is possible miracles become commonplaces, but the familiar ceases to be self-evident
"Where everything is possible miracles become commonplaces, but the familiar ceases to be self-evident"
Small: To the old, the new is usually bad news
"To the old, the new is usually bad news"
Small: There is sublime thieving in all giving. Someone gives us all he has and we are his
"There is sublime thieving in all giving. Someone gives us all he has and we are his"
Small: The game of history is usually played by the best and the worst over the heads of the majority in the m
"The game of history is usually played by the best and the worst over the heads of the majority in the middle"
Small: It is easier to love humanity as a whole than to love ones neighbor
"It is easier to love humanity as a whole than to love one's neighbor"
Small: It would be difficult to exaggerate the degree to which we are influenced by those we influence
"It would be difficult to exaggerate the degree to which we are influenced by those we influence"
Small: It still holds true that man is most uniquely human when he turns obstacles into opportunities
"It still holds true that man is most uniquely human when he turns obstacles into opportunities"
Small: It is by its promise of a sense of power that evil often attracts the weak
"It is by its promise of a sense of power that evil often attracts the weak"
Small: It is a sign of creeping inner death when we can no longer praise the living
"It is a sign of creeping inner death when we can no longer praise the living"
Small: It almost seems that nobody can hate America as much as native Americans. America needs new immigrants
"It almost seems that nobody can hate America as much as native Americans. America needs new immigrants to love and cherish it"
Small: In times of change learners inherit the earth while the learned find themselves beautifully equipped to
"In times of change learners inherit the earth; while the learned find themselves beautifully equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists"
Small: The fear of becoming a has-been keeps some people from becoming anything
"The fear of becoming a 'has-been' keeps some people from becoming anything"
Small: The best part of the art of living is to know how to grow old gracefully
"The best part of the art of living is to know how to grow old gracefully"
Small: The beginning of thought is in disagreement - not only with others but also with ourselves
"The beginning of thought is in disagreement - not only with others but also with ourselves"
Small: Take away hatred from some people, and you have men without faith
"Take away hatred from some people, and you have men without faith"
Small: Sometimes we feel the loss of a prejudice as a loss of vigor
"Sometimes we feel the loss of a prejudice as a loss of vigor"
Small: Our frustration is greater when we have much and want more than when we have nothing and want some.
"Our frustration is greater when we have much and want more than when we have nothing and want some. We are less dissatisfied when we lack many things than when we seem to lack but one thing"
Small: One of the marks of a truly vigorous society is the ability to dispense with passion as a midwife of ac
"One of the marks of a truly vigorous society is the ability to dispense with passion as a midwife of action - the ability to pass directly from thought to action"
Small: Nationalist pride, like other variants of pride, can be a substitute for self-respect
"Nationalist pride, like other variants of pride, can be a substitute for self-respect"
Small: Men weary as much of not doing the things they want to do as of doing the things they do not want to do
"Men weary as much of not doing the things they want to do as of doing the things they do not want to do"
Small: Many of the insights of the saint stem from their experience as sinners
"Many of the insights of the saint stem from their experience as sinners"
Small: Man was natures mistake she neglected to finish him and she has never ceased paying for her mistake
"Man was nature's mistake she neglected to finish him and she has never ceased paying for her mistake"
Small: Far more crucial than what we know or do not know is what we do not want to know
"Far more crucial than what we know or do not know is what we do not want to know"
Small: Faith in a holy cause is to a considerable extent a substitute for lost faith in ourselves
"Faith in a holy cause is to a considerable extent a substitute for lost faith in ourselves"
Small: Facts are counterrevolutionary
"Facts are counterrevolutionary"
Small: To become different from what we are, we must have some awareness of what we are
"To become different from what we are, we must have some awareness of what we are"
Small: Kindness can become its own motive. We are made kind by being kind
"Kindness can become its own motive. We are made kind by being kind"
Small: There would be no society if living together depended upon understanding each other
"There would be no society if living together depended upon understanding each other"
Small: There is probably an element of malice in our readiness to overestimate people - we are, as it were, la
"There is probably an element of malice in our readiness to overestimate people - we are, as it were, laying up for ourselves the pleasure of later cutting them down to size"
Small: There is no loneliness greater than the loneliness of a failure. The failure is a stranger in his own h
"There is no loneliness greater than the loneliness of a failure. The failure is a stranger in his own house"
Small: There is in most passions a shrinking away from ourselves. The passionate pursuer has all the earmarks
"There is in most passions a shrinking away from ourselves. The passionate pursuer has all the earmarks of a fugitive"
Small: The leader has to be practical and a realist, yet must talk the language of the visionary and the ideal
"The leader has to be practical and a realist, yet must talk the language of the visionary and the idealist"
Small: The individual who has to justify his existence by his own efforts is in eternal bondage to himself
"The individual who has to justify his existence by his own efforts is in eternal bondage to himself"
Small: The hardest arithmetic to master is that which enables us to count our blessings
"The hardest arithmetic to master is that which enables us to count our blessings"
Small: The greatest weariness comes from work not done
"The greatest weariness comes from work not done"
Small: To spell out the obvious is often to call it in question
"To spell out the obvious is often to call it in question"
Small: To know a persons religion we need not listen to his profession of faith but must find his brand of int
"To know a person's religion we need not listen to his profession of faith but must find his brand of intolerance"
Small: Whenever you trace the origin of a skill or practices which played a crucial role in the ascent of man,
"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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