Eric Hoffer

Experience

Eric Hoffer was a self-taught philosopher who wrote about social and political movements. His first book, The True Believer: Thoughts On The Nature Of Mass Movements (1951) is considered a classic on the origins and psychology of fanaticism. Upon his own reflection, he'd worked all his life with his hands, experiencing America as a dish­washer, lumberjack, gold prospector, migrant farm worker, and longshoreman.