Eric Hoffer

Eric Hoffer (July 25, 1902 – May 21, 1983) was an American thinker who wrote about society and how people behave. He came from a working-class family and wrote ten books. His first book, The True Believer, published in 1951, became very well known and liked by many people.

Hoffer's books often looked at big ideas about change, beliefs, and why people support leaders or movements. Although he wrote many books, he thought The Ordeal of Change (1963) was his best work. In February 1983, he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, one of the highest awards in the United States, for his writing and ideas.

Today, Hoffer's ideas are still studied and talked about. The Eric Hoffer Book Award was created to honor great writing. The University of California, Berkeley also gives out a yearly prize named after Hoffer, keeping his ideas alive for new readers and thinkers.

Early life

Eric Hoffer was born in 1902 in The Bronx, New York City, New York. His parents were from Alsace, which was then part of Imperial Germany. By age five, Hoffer could read in both English and German.

Sadly, Hoffer lost his sight at age seven after a fall. His mother passed away around that time. Luckily, his eyesight returned when he was 15, and he began to read a lot.

Hoffer's father passed away when he was a young man. After this, Hoffer traveled around the country for ten years, sometimes working at odd jobs. He eventually moved to Los Angeles. There, he kept reading and writing. He worked as a migrant worker in California and even prospected for gold in the mountains. During the winter, he read books such as the Essays by Michel de Montaigne, which influenced him. Hoffer also grew to respect America's underclass.

Career

Eric Hoffer wrote many books and articles about his life. He worked as a longshoreman in San Francisco and later taught at the University of California, Berkeley. He shared his ideas about society in his writing. In 1983, he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his work.

Working-class roots

Eric Hoffer grew up in a modest and working-class family. He often wrote in quiet places, like railroad yards or fields, far from busy towns. He said his writing came naturally from his life experiences, like a branch growing from a tree. Some people called him an intellectual, but Hoffer always thought of himself first as a longshoreman. He was sometimes dubbed a "longshoreman philosopher."

Personal life

Eric Hoffer was an only child and never married. He had a child named Eric Osborne with Lili Fabilli Osborne, who was born in 1955. Lili raised Eric with her husband, Selden Osborne, and Hoffer stayed friendly with them.

There were some questions about Hoffer’s early life. He spoke with a Bavarian accent and said he was from the Bronx, but others were not sure this was true. Even today, few details about his youth are known.

Books and opinions

The True Believer

Main article: The True Believer

Eric Hoffer became well-known with his first book, The True Believer, published in 1951. In this book, he talks about why many people join big movements, such as revolutions or new religions. He says these people often feel unhappy with their own lives and want to be part of something bigger.

Hoffer believed that what matters most in these movements is not the ideas, but the feeling of being important and connected to others.

Later works

After The True Believer, Hoffer wrote about many subjects, including Asia and the United States’ role in world affairs. In his book The Ordeal of Change from 1963, he discussed why people in Asia felt unhappy, saying it was more about wanting pride than about government problems.

During the Vietnam War, Hoffer had mixed feelings. He thought the war might be needed to prevent a larger conflict, but he was unsure how well the United States was managing it. Later, in The Temper of Our Time from 1967, he suggested that the United States should sometimes let other countries solve their own problems.

Papers

Eric Hoffer's papers were kept by the Hoover Institution Archives in 2000. These papers fill 75 feet of shelf space. Hoffer wrote in a style called aphorisms. Aphorisms are short, meaningful statements. His unpublished notebooks, from 1949 to 1977, have many ideas, but not much has been published from them. In July 2005, fifty of his aphorisms about human talents and the creative process appeared in Harper's Magazine.

Published works

Eric Hoffer wrote ten books about society and human nature. His most famous book, The True Believer: Thoughts On The Nature of Mass Movements, came out in 1951 and became very well known. He also wrote The Ordeal of Change in 1963. He thought this was his best work. Other books include The Temper of Our Time from 1967 and Truth Imagined from 1983, the year he died. Each book gives us new ways to think about the world.

Interviews

Eric Hoffer talked in many television interviews. In 1963, he talked with James Day for KQED in San Francisco in a show called Conversations with Eric Hoffer. Later, he talked with Eric Sevareid on CBS in a show called "Eric Hoffer: The Passionate State of Mind" in 1967. Many people liked this show, so it was shown again in November of that year. He also talked with Sevareid again on CBS in a show called "The Savage Heart: A Conversation with Eric Hoffer" in 1969.

Awards and recognition

Eric Hoffer received many honors for his work. In 1971, he was given honorary doctorates from Stonehill College and Michigan Technological University. In 1978, a bust of Hoffer was created by sculptor Jonathan Hirschfeld and placed in Bartlesville, Oklahoma.

In February 1983, he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by Ronald Reagan, the highest civilian honor in the United States. After his passing, a skygate was unveiled in San Francisco in September 1985, with a dedication speech by Eric Sevareid.