Oblivious

 

On Page 89 of his book, The Passionate State of Mind, Eric Hoffer has two entries which I quote and then comment on.

 

Hoffer: “          154

 

Those who remain in the dark about their own motives are as it were strangers to themselves. Hence perhaps their exceptional power of self-delusion—their ability to talk themselves into anything. Their own impassioned words affect their souls as the words of an outside propagandist.”

 

My response:  Groupist and especially radical, pure joiners, have no self-knowledge at all, Now, Hoffer assumes that the individual, rational and emotionally honest, will know himself and how the world works, so truth is readily at hand for him. Not so for the ultra-joiners.

 

For her, she will believe anything and can be persuaded to believe anything, to justify anything, whether it is her clique that deceives her, or she passionately prevaricates to herself internally.

 

 

Hoffer: “          155

 

There are people who seem continually engaged in an effort of self-proselytizing. To whomever they may talk or write it is to themselves they are talking or writing. They are continually engaged in talking or writing themselves into a conviction, an enthusiasm or an illusion.”

 

My response: It is the self that has free will, not the group or group will. Therefore, if the self would be free and maverize, the self must live authentically and communicate to the self in a mode of truth and openness.

 

On the other hand, where the self is estranged from the self, and lies to the self all the time to sustain the myth that the self is altruistic, exceptional, honest, fulfilled, and compassionate while group-living and nonindividuating. This whole web of interconnected social lies and evasions fed by the self to the self is meant to plaster over any awareness of what is actually going on.