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About this quote

What does it mean?
Having something valuable to protect often leads to complacency rather than action. People fight more for hope of gain than for what they already own.
In plain terms
When people have something good, they often won't fight for it; they only fight when they want something more.
What can you take from it?
Complacency can be as dangerous as hardship.

Where it applies

  • social activism
  • management
  • personal motivation

Putting it to work

  • Maintain urgency
  • Seek new challenges

Questions to consider

  • What comfort is making you stop striving?
  • When was the last time you fought?

Another view

People do fight fiercely to defend what they already have.

More from Eric Hoffer

  1. In every passionate pursuit, the pursuit counts more than the object pursued.

    Permalink to quote #171
  2. It is loneliness that makes the loudest noise. This is true of men as of dogs.

    Permalink to quote #173
  3. I can never forget that one of the most gifted, best educated nations in the world, of its own free will, surrendered its fate into the hands of a maniac.

    Permalink to quote #170

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