Some of the worst tyrannies of our day genuinely are “vowed” to the service of mankind, yet can function only by pitting neighbor against neighbor. The all-seeing eye of a totalitarian regime is usually the watchful eye of the next-door neighbor. In a Communist state love of neighbor may be classed as counter-revolutionary.
Eric Hoffer, The Ordeal of Change (1963)
Eric Hoffer is one of my favorite authors. His True Believer helped me to see that a religion I was involved on was actually a dangerous cult.
Hoffer’s True Believer was required reading for Civics taught at my all female R. Catholic prep school in the mid 1960s. Wonder if it’s required reading at any secondary school now?