WIST Quotations

Hoffer, Eric -- True Believer: Thoughts on the Nature of Mass Movements, Part 2, ch. 5, § 34 (2.5.34) (1951)

Dave — Thu, 28 May 2026 15:57:29 +0000

A rising mass movement attracts and holds a following not by its doctrine and promises but by the refuge it offers from the anxieties, barrenness and meaninglessness of an individual existence. It cures the poignantly frustrated not by conferring on them an absolute truth or by remedying the difficulties and abuses which made their lives miserable, but by freeing them from their ineffectual selves — and it does this by enfolding and absorbing them into a closely knit and exultant corporate whole.

Eric Hoffer (1902-1983) American writer, philosopher, longshoreman
True Believer: Thoughts on the Nature of Mass Movements, Part 2, ch. 5, § 34 (2.5.34) (1951)
(Source)

Stevenson, Robert Louis -- Essay (1880-01/02?), “Reflections and Remarks on Human Life,” § 7.1 “Discipline of Conscience”

Dave — Fri, 22 May 2026 18:25:58 +0000

Never allow your mind to dwell on your own misconduct: that is ruin. The conscience has morbid sensibilities; it must be employed but not indulged, like the imagination or the stomach.

Robert Louis Stevenson (1850–1894) Scottish essayist, novelist, poet
Essay (1880-01/02?), “Reflections and Remarks on Human Life,” § 7.1 “Discipline of Conscience”
(Source)

A collection of aphorisms and musings, first published in the Edinburgh Edition of his Works, vol. 28 (1898).

Billings, Josh -- Everybody’s Friend, Or; Josh Billing’s Encyclopedia and Proverbial Philosophy of Wit and Humor, ch. 281 “Variety: Bred and Butter” (1874)

Dave — Thu, 17 Jul 2025 16:13:24 +0000

He who don’t luv himself vents hiz spleen bi hating everyboddy else.

[He who doesn’t love himself vents his spleen by hating everybody else.]

Josh Billings (1818-1885) American humorist, aphorist [pseud. of Henry Wheeler Shaw]
Everybody’s Friend, Or; Josh Billing’s Encyclopedia and Proverbial Philosophy of Wit and Humor, ch. 281 “Variety: Bred and Butter” (1874)
(Source)

Maugham, W. Somerset -- The Summing Up, ch. 4 (1938)

Dave — Mon, 09 Sep 2024 15:27:28 +0000

There is a sort of man who pays no attention to his good actions, but is tormented by his bad ones. This is the type that most often writes about himself.

W. Somerset Maugham (1874-1965) English novelist and playwright [William Somerset Maugham]
The Summing Up, ch. 4 (1938)
(Source)

Hare, Julius -- Guesses at Truth: First Series (1827) [with A. W. Hare]

Dave — Thu, 05 Jan 2017 01:35:15 +0000

A man prone to suspect evil is most looking for in his neighbor what he sees in himself.

Julius Hare (1795-1855) English cleric, theologian
Guesses at Truth: First Series (1827) [with A. W. Hare]

Richardson, James -- Vectors: Aphorisms and Ten-Second Essays, # 64 (2001)

Dave — Fri, 18 Dec 2015 16:42:41 +0000

God help my neighbors if I loved them as I love myself.

James Richardson (b. 1950) American poet
Vectors: Aphorisms and Ten-Second Essays, # 64 (2001)

See Matthew 22:36-40.

Steinem, Gloria -- Revolution from Within: A Book of Self-Esteem, “A Personal Preference” (1992)

Dave — Tue, 15 Dec 2015 15:21:22 +0000

Self-hatred leads to the need either to dominate or to be dominated.

Gloria Steinem (b. 1934) American feminist, journalist, activist
Revolution from Within: A Book of Self-Esteem, “A Personal Preference” (1992)

Hesse, Herman -- Demian, ch. 6 (1919)

Dave — Tue, 01 Dec 2015 15:00:23 +0000

If you hate a person, you hate something in him that is part of yourself. What isn’t part of ourselves doesn’t disturb us.

Herman Hesse (1877-1962) German-born Swiss poet, novelist, painter
Demian, ch. 6 (1919)

Hoffer, Eric -- True Believer: Thoughts on the Nature of Mass Movements, Part 3, ch. 14, § 69 (1951)

Dave — Tue, 24 Nov 2015 15:17:51 +0000

That hatred springs more from self-contempt than from a legitimate grievance is seen in the intimate connection between hatred and a guilty conscience. There is perhaps no surer way of infecting ourselves with virulent hatred toward a person than by doing him a grave injustice. That others have a just grievance against us is a more potent reason for hating them than that we have a just grievance against them.

Eric Hoffer (1902-1983) American writer, philosopher, longshoreman
True Believer: Thoughts on the Nature of Mass Movements, Part 3, ch. 14, § 69 (1951)
(Source)

Holmes, Oliver Wendell, Sr. -- Article (1859-11), “The Professor at the Breakfast-Table,” Atlantic Monthly

Dave — Wed, 22 Jan 2014 13:36:41 +0000

The correlative to loving our neighbors as ourselves is hating ourselves as we hate our neighbors.

Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr. (1809-1894) American poet, essayist, scholar
Article (1859-11), “The Professor at the Breakfast-Table,” Atlantic Monthly
(Source)

Collected in The Professor at the Breakfast-Table, ch. 11 (1859). See The Bible.

Hoffer, Eric -- Passionate State of Mind, Aphorism 100 (1955)

Dave — Wed, 08 Jan 2014 13:43:29 +0000

The remarkable thing is that we really love our neighbor as ourselves: we do unto others as we do unto ourselves. We hate others when we hate ourselves. We are tolerant toward others when we tolerate ourselves. We forgive others when we forgive ourselves. We are prone to sacrifice others when we are ready to sacrifice ourselves.
It is not love of self but hatred of self which is at the root of the troubles that afflict our world.

Eric Hoffer (1902-1983) American writer, philosopher, longshoreman
Passionate State of Mind, Aphorism 100 (1955)
(Source)

Baldwin, James -- “Letter from a Region of My Mind,” The New Yorker (17 Nov 1962)

Dave — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 12:47:05 +0000

I do not know many Negroes who are eager to be “accepted” by white people, still less to be loved by them; they, the blacks, simply don’t wish to be beaten over the head by the whites every instant of our brief passage on this planet. White people will have quite enough to do in learning how to accept and love themselves and each other, and when they have achieved this — which will not be tomorrow and may very well be never — the Negro problem will no longer exist, for it will no longer be needed.

James Baldwin (1924-1987) American novelist, playwright, activist
“Letter from a Region of My Mind,” The New Yorker (17 Nov 1962)

Republished as "Down at the Cross: Letter from a Region in My Mind" in The Fire Next Time (1963)

Hoffer, Eric -- True Believer: Thoughts on the Nature of Mass Movements, Part 2, ch. 5, § 28 (2.5.28) (1951)

Dave — Fri, 14 May 2010 12:13:52 +0000

They who clamor loudest for freedom are often the ones least likely to be happy in a free society. The frustrated, oppressed by their shortcomings, blame their failure on existing restraints. Actually, their innermost desire is for an end to the “free for all.” They want to eliminate free competition and the ruthless testing to which the individual is continually subjected in a free society.

Eric Hoffer (1902-1983) American writer, philosopher, longshoreman
True Believer: Thoughts on the Nature of Mass Movements, Part 2, ch. 5, § 28 (2.5.28) (1951)
(Source)

Hoffer, Eric -- True Believer: Thoughts on the Nature of Mass Movements, Part 3, ch. 14, § 100 (1951)

Dave — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 13:20:45 +0000

The awareness of their individual blemishes and shortcomings inclines the frustrated to detect ill will and meanness in their fellow men. Self-contempt, however vague, sharpens our eyes for the imperfections of others. We usually strive to reveal in others the blemishes we hide in ourselves.

Eric Hoffer (1902-1983) American writer, philosopher, longshoreman
True Believer: Thoughts on the Nature of Mass Movements, Part 3, ch. 14, § 100 (1951)
(Source)

Coffin, William Sloane -- Credo, “Faith, Hope, Love” (2004)

Dave — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 10:19:48 +0000

If we hate ourselves, we can never love others, for love is the gift of oneself. How will you make a gift of that which you hate?

William Sloane Coffin, Jr. (1924-2006) American minister, social activist
Credo, “Faith, Hope, Love” (2004)
(Source)

Shakespeare, William -- Henry V, Act 2, sc. 4, l. 80ff (2.4.80-81) (1599)

Dave — Sun, 01 Feb 2004 16:00:00 +0000

DAUPHIN: Self-love, my liege, is not so vile a sin
As self-neglecting.

William Shakespeare (1564-1616) English dramatist and poet
Henry V, Act 2, sc. 4, l. 80ff (2.4.80-81) (1599)
(Source)

Johnson, Samuel -- The History of Rasselas, Prince of Abissinia, ch. 26 (1759)

Dave — Sun, 01 Feb 2004 18:00:00 +0000

I live in the crowd of jollity, not so much to enjoy company as to shun myself.

Samuel Johnson (1709-1784) English writer, lexicographer, critic
The History of Rasselas, Prince of Abissinia, ch. 26 (1759)
(Source)