WW2 True Believer
There are many shapes and sizes of people that follow a mass movement, but according to Eric Hoffer in his book The True Believer, all the people have some peculiarities in common with one another. No matter if it is religious movements, nationalist movements, or social revolutions, each person in a mass movement seem to follow a certain mold. In reading this book one could come to the conclusion that this man is educated in this field. He points out many facts that are right on the button. This book, The True Believer, is a fantastic window into what makes a mass movement possible. It is also a great window into the minds of the people that join the movement. Hoffer does a great job of breaking down what kind of person it takes to join these mass movements. Hoffer explains what appeals to the people so that the people will actually join the movement. He points out that many people are attracted to the idea of a sudden change in their life. To these people the movement is a quick way for them to change their life. It is a vehicle for change, after all that is what a movements soul cause is, change. People that feel that they are successful are less likely to want to change. They will be more likely to want to cling to
The mass movement is just what a criminal would want to join. It gives the criminal a sense of self worth. They may think that they are doing something for a cause and they tend to forget the wrong they have done in the past. The criminals have no need to commit the crimes because the mass movement is giving their lives some meaning. Or maybe the mass movement just gives the criminals an excuse for doing their crimes. The mass movement seems to almost praise them for doing the bad deeds that they do. What ever the reason that the criminals join these movements seems not to matter, because no matter what the mass movement is about they always join. We see propaganda as a formidable tool for the mass movement. Yet, Hoffer tells us that propaganda cannot force its way into the unwilling mind. He also says that it cannot try to persuade something new to the people. It's only picked up by the minds that are already open. Hoffer proposes, "The gifted propagandist brings to a boil ideas and passions already simmering in the minds of his hearers. He echoes their innermost feelings." Basically, people can be made to believe only in what they already know. "Propaganda thus serves more to justify ourselves than to convince others; and the more reason we have to feel guilty, the more fervent our propaganda." Hoffer informs. Again this seems very true to me. Someone who has just become a poor person is going to be so depressed and ready to do anything to reach a higher level of financial standing. The new poor still have the images of not being poor and in fact have the images of doing ok in life, not struggling. These images of what they had cause a great pain inside them. They will do almost anything not to be poor again. Even if it means to join a mass movement. The movement is a hope to get out of their financial problems. Always needed in a mass movement are unifying agents. Hoffer writes about hatred unifying the people of a mass movement. A common hatred can unite people even if they were foes to begin with. Hoffer says, "To share a common hatred, w
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Approximate Word count = 1404
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)
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