Mass movements can rise and spread without belief in a God, but never without belief in a devil.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Mass movements need a common enemy more than a deity.
- In plain terms
- Groups unite more easily against a devil than for a god.
- What can you take from it?
- Shared opposition builds solidarity faster.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- What unites your community?
- Is hatred a good foundation?
Another view
It ignores movements built on shared hope rather than hatred.
More from Eric Hoffer
The opposite of the religious fanatic is not the fanatical atheist but the gentle cynic who cares not whether there is a god or not.
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