What makes a fanatic? To many today, this is less a question than an assumption. “They’re just crazy,” practical people are apt to say—particularly when observing the behaviors of their political enemies.
However, 70 years ago, a German immigrant sought to explain fanaticism by analyzing the common characteristics of people prone to joining radical political causes. While this is what Eric Hoffer is best remembered for today, his later, less well-known work further developed his social concerns and elaborated on antidotes to conformity. This wisdom hasn’t been assimilated like his early thoughts on mass movements have, although it’s arguably just as important….