Something Aphoristic: Eric Hoffer: "Converting and Antagonizing"
Living in a "godless age" doesn't mean stuff ain't getting worshiped.
For though ours is a godless age, it is the very opposite of irreligious. The true believer is everywhere on the march, and both by converting and antagonizing, he is shaping the world in his own image. And whether we are to line up with him or against him, it is well that we should know all we can concerning his nature and potentialities. - Eric Hoffer, The True Believer
Eric Hoffer's use of "godless age" certainly illustrates a departure from organized religion but does not assert that the irreligious hold no convictions. These pompous few and their acolytes proclaim their faith by placing themselves among the saved rather than the doomed. This childish exercise exposes only a shallow ascetic masturbatory act, which, in the end, is only about them. Hoffer contends that their vanity will never be satisfied and that all they achieve is extravagant moral blindness.
Hoffer's "true believer" passionately follows a set of assumptions without necessarily understanding their own tenets or implications of them.
The zealous “true believer” aggressively spread their convictions, using conversion tactics and engaging in antagonistic behavior, driven by their narcissistic understanding of their own place in the faith.
In his writing, Hoffer emphasizes the importance of comprehending the nature and potential impact of individuals who are unwaveringly devoted to a particular set of beliefs or ideologies, whether one supports or opposes them. It is crucial to acknowledge their unbridled narcissism as, you know, it can destroy our kid’s brains.