One of the most fascinating facets of Eric Hoffer's essays is his sharing an unexpected or initially counterintuitive assertion that is actually true.
It is hard to explain why this is the case, but I offer some suggestions below and then offer a quote as an example of his unexpected observations, conclusions and suggestions.
First, Tom Shactman writes that Hoffer exaggerates, and that I suggest is more rhetorical and stylistic than actual, but the melodramatic tone that Hoffer sometimes shares with the reader is shocking as he turns popular myths and generalizations on their head, to discover what is true instead.
Second, Hoffer is genuinely conservative, and he dispels many Leftist and liberal narratives and talking points accepted as fact.
Third, he sees people as they are, groupist, altruistic, selfless, potential true believers that mouth platitudes and popular "certainties' that are sentiment and opinion, and not much beyond that.
Fourth, explicitly or implicitly he regards traders as more intellectual and tolerant than intellectuals and cultural elitists who favor conformity and uniformity of thought, not genuine diversity of ideas shared in the market place of ideas.
Fifth, implicitly or explicitly, he regards middle class and working class people living and producing goods and services in a free market economy as more kind, decent, tolerant and much less corruptible than the educated and aristocrats, for elites always assume they have a right to rule the masses, and their addiction to power over others sickens all they they do, think and are.
No comments:
Post a Comment