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About this quote

What does it mean?
People are willing to die for opinions to prove they are facts, rather than dying for facts themselves. Readiness to sacrifice is used to validate beliefs.
In plain terms
We risk death for opinions to make them seem like facts.
What can you take from it?
Sacrifice does not prove a belief is factual.

Where it applies

  • political debate
  • religious conflict
  • ideological disputes

Putting it to work

  • separate belief from evidence
  • question passionate claims

Questions to consider

  • How do you verify your strong beliefs?
  • Does passion equal truth?

Another view

Sometimes deep conviction for a fact does lead to sacrifice.

More from Eric Hoffer

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  2. The impulse to think, to philosophize and spin beauty and brilliance out of mind and soul, is somehow the offspring of resistance - of an effort to overcome an…

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  3. It has been my experience that there is no substitute for time where thinking is concerned. Why is it so? The answer seems to be that in many cases to think me…

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