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No matter how noble the objectives of a government, if it blurs decency and kindness, cheapens human life, and breeds ill will and suspicion; it is an evil government.

Eric Hoffer

Where freedom is real, equality is the passion of the masses. Where equality is real, freedom is the passion of a small minority.
ERIC HOFFER

Difference Equality Freedom Passion Reality
The beginning of thought is in disagreement – not only with others but also with ourselves.
ERIC HOFFER

Agreement Beginning Ourselves Thinking
We can be absolutely certain only about things we do not understand.
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Reality Understand
The history of this country was made largely by people who wanted to be left alone. Those who could not thrive when left to themselves never felt at ease in America.
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Alone Country Easy History People
A dissenting minority feels free only when it can impose its will on the majority: what it abominates most is the dissent of the majority.
ERIC HOFFER

Feeling Freedom Opinion Willing
It is the malady of our age that the young are so busy teaching us that they have no time left to learn.
ERIC HOFFER

Age Busy Learning Ourselves Teaching Time Young
Rudeness is a weak imitation of strength.
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Imitation One Liner Rude Strength Weakness
Should Americans begin to hate foreigners wholeheartedly, it will be an indication that they have lost confidence in their own way of life.
ERIC HOFFER

Beginning Confidence Hate Heart Life Lost Way
I can never forget that one of the most gifted, best educated nations in the world, of its own free will, surrendered its fate into the hands of a maniac.
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Best Education Fate Forget Freedom Gift Hands Mad Myself Nation Surrender Willing World
All leaders strive to turn their followers into children.
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Children Leadership Transformation
It is futile to judge a kind deed by its motives. Kindness can become its own motive. We are made kind by being kind.
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Death Judgement Kind Kindness Motive Ourselves
We all have private ails. The troublemakers are they who need public cures for their private ails.
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Cure Privacy Sick Trouble
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.
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Build Empty Evil Greatness Hard Hide Ourselves Philosophy Pretend Ugly
One of the surprising privileges of intellectuals is that they are free to be scandalously asinine without harming their reputations.
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Freedom Harm Intellectual Privilege Reputation
I have a premonition that will not leave me: as it goes with Israel so will it go with all of us. Should Israel perish, the holocaust will be upon us.
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Destruction Leaving Nation Terrorism
Propaganda does not deceive people; it merely helps them to deceive themselves.
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Betrayal Help People
Passionate hatred can give meaning and purpose to an empty life.
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Empty Hate Life Passionate Purpose
Nothing comes easily. My work smells of sweat.
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Easy Inspirational Motivational Work
Fair play is primarily not blaming others for anything that is wrong with us.
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Blame Fair Play Wrong
Self-righteousness is a loud din raised to drown the voice of guilt within us.
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Guilty Justice Right Voice
Language was invented to ask questions.
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Invention Language Talk
Language was invented to ask questions. Answers may be given by grunts and gestures, but questions must be spoken. Humanness came of age when man asked the first question.
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Action Age Human Invention Language Man Talk
To learn you need a certain degree of confidence, not too much and not too little. If you have too little confidence, you will think you can’t learn. If you have too much, you will think you don’t have to learn.
ERIC HOFFER

Confidence Learning Need Thinking Yourself
We see through others only when we see through ourselves.
ERIC HOFFER

Character Philosophy See Wisdom Yourself
The opposite of the religious fanatic is not the fanatical atheist but the gentle cynic who cares not whether there is a god or not.
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Atheist Care God Religious
Absolute faith corrupts as absolutely as absolute power.
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Corruption Faith Power
To be fully alive is to feel that everything is possible.
ERIC HOFFER

Alive Feeling Inspirational Possible

No matter how noble the objectives of a government, if it blurs decency and kindness, cheapens human life, and breeds ill will and suspicion; it is an evil government.

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No matter how noble the objectives of a government, if it blurs decency and kindness, cheapens human life, and breeds ill will and suspicion; it is an evil government.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

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