The Syndicated News Articles

 Let me quote from Eric Hoffer's book, on Page 218: "The pride that at present pervades the world is the claim one is a member of a chosen group--be it a nation, race, or party. No other attitude has so impaired the oneness of the human species and contributed so much to the savage strife of our time.

If affluence is not to set in motion social dissolution we must change our conception of what is worthwhile, useful and efficient. Now that the new industrial revolution is on the way to solving the problems of means and we can catch our breath, it behooves us to remember that man's only legitimate end in life is to work to finish God's work--to bring to full growth the capacities and talents implanted within us.

A population dedicated to this end will not necessarily overflow with the milk of human kindness but it will not be likely to spend its time and energies proclaiming the superiority and exclusiveness of its nation race or doctrine."

I am quoting from this prophetic article that he wrote on January 11, 1970. Where the individual is sovereign and self-realizes, her personal pride is positive pride. Where egoism is suppressed, and altruism and collective living is emphasized, negative pride bursts forth from the breast of each adherent to an ism, a tribe or nation. This negative pride is fanatical, and its backers are true believers, and their tribal quarrels will reduce the world to deadly tribal conflict and totalitarian suppression of personal liberty. 

This group pride is the one bandied about and promoted by Leftists, and war, tyranny, poverty and suffering are the fruits of this labor.

Hoffer right worries that affluent people that are disallowed from self-realizing and fully unfolding their capacities and talents are a people doing God's work, and increase personal power without robbing or depriving any other person of her liberty, power or opportunity to express herself freely and openly.

Unless a culture provides its people with the encouragement, the science of maverizing and the liberty to "bring to full growth the capacities and talents implanted within us", the lack of Mavellonialized know-how will doom a nonindividuating populace to find desperately required pride in such poor, dangeorus substitutes as cause, ethnic group, nation or their identity groups.