By accessing or using this site you accept and agree to our Terms and Conditions | As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases
The Passionate State of Mind: And Other Aphorisms
Eric Hoffer
Top 10 Best Quotes
“Rudeness is the weak man's imitation of strength.”
“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.”
“The beginning of thought is in disagreement - not only with others but also with ourselves.”
“Those who would sacrifice a generation to realize an ideal are the enemies of mankind.”
“We acquire a sense of worth either by realizing our talents, or by keeping busy, or by identifying ourselves with something apart from us--be it a cause, a leader, a group, possessions and the like. Of the three, the path of self-realization is the most difficult. It is taken only when other avenues to a sense of worth are more or less blocked. Men of talent have to be encouraged and goaded to engage in creative work. Their groans and laments echo through the ages. Action is a highroad to self-confidence and esteem.”
“It has been often said that power corrupts. But it is perhaps equally important to realize that weakness, too, corrupts.”
“To become different from what we are, we must have some awareness of what we are.”
“There is even in the most selfish passion a large element of self-abnegation. It is startling to realize that we call extreme self-seeking is actually self-renunciation. The miser, health addict, glory chaser and their like are not far behind in the exercise of self-sacrifice. Every extreme attitude is a flight from the self.”
“Some people are born to spend their lives catching up; and they are as a rule the passionate ones.”
“Our preoccupation with other people - whether we aid or hinder them, love or hate them - is at bottom a means of getting away from ourselves. It is strange to contemplate that competition with others - the breathless race to get ahead of others - is basically a running away from ourselves”
Except where otherwise noted, all rights reserved to the author(s) of this book (mentioned above). The content of this page serves as promotional material only. If you enjoyed these quotes, you can support the author(s) by acquiring the full book from Amazon.
Book Keywords:
self-evaluation, beliefs, critical-thinking, beginning, self, rudeness, disagreement, self-awareness, thought, weakness, critical-thought, evaluation, views