Book · 1958 · Associations, institutions, etc
The True Believer
Thoughts on the Nature of Mass Movements
#195 of 16,793 books, ranked by how many different people bring it up on podcasts
- mentions
- 23
- people
- 14
- podcasts
- 11
- episodes
- 17
- critical mentions
- 0
Eric Hoffer, The True Believer, which is a book on the nature of mass movements and the psychology of what causes people to have strong beliefs.
What they say about it
- Nature of mass movements“the nature of mass movements”2
- Authored by Eric Hoffer“wrote a book called the true believer”2
- Discussed by Neil Oliver“in The True Believer and so on”2
The best things said about it
Everybody should read True Believer because it gets into all this and it's a real short book and the death of democracy.
In his book, The True Believer, Eric Hoffer explains that those who tear down the societies in which they live are typically what he terms inferiors.
Ben Shapiro The Ezra Klein Show · Sep 2025 He wrote so effectively about how every mass movement has sought to take away people's national identity and their personal identity.
Eric Hoffer in um in True Believer um the great longshoreman philosopher had this line back in the 1950s.
Jack Posobiec Timcast IRL · Sep 2021 There's another book called The True Believer where he talks about the nature of mass movements.
Nick Freitas The Shawn Ryan Show · Sep 2023 Where and when it comes up
Mentions per year
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How it comes up
14 people who brought it up
Marc Andreessen3 mentions · 1 rec
Graham Linehan1 mention · 1 rec- Jack Clark1 mention · 1 rec
- Robert Evans1 mention · 1 rec
- Tim Pool1 mention · 1 rec
- Neil Oliver3 mentions
- Jack Posobiec2 mentions
- Sheldon Solomon2 mentions
- Ben Shapiro1 mention
- Billy Oppenheimer1 mention
Douglas Murray1 mention
George Raveling1 mention
Why people recommend it
The True Believer by Eric Hoffer is a classic work of social psychology that examines the nature of mass movements, fanaticism, and the underlying motivations that drive individuals to embrace extreme collective beliefs. The book has been frequently cited and recommended by prominent commentators and technologists. Jack Clark recommended the text on The Ezra Klein Show to help explain the psychological dynamics behind intense beliefs and modern tech cultures. Graham Linehan praised the book on Timcast IRL for its insights into revolutionary movements, while Marc Andreessen called it the single best book on politics written in the twentieth century during an appearance on the Lex Fridman Podcast, later referencing it on the a16z Podcast to illustrate traditional characterizations of elites and masses. Additionally, Tim Pool and a guest discussed the book on Timcast IRL in response to viewer comments, and Robert Evans strongly recommended it on Behind the Bastards for its brief yet profound exploration of the psychological vulnerabilities that can accompany the decline of democratic societies. James Fitzgerald also mentioned the volume on The Megyn Kelly Show when analyzing the mindset of assassins and fanatics. Across these diverse conversations, speakers emphasized the book's enduring relevance in decoding collective behavior and political zealotry.
Every mention
Marc Andreessen And here the best book is called "The True Believer," which is the Eric Hoffer book. 3
Discussed
“No, I was just going to say yeah, I know like what Ben said is yeah, so like this is a I posted a link to a book called The True Believer that kind of talk talks about this is, you know, the the old characterization is elites and masses”
Discussed
“And here the best book is called The True Believer, which is the Eric Hoffer book.”
Recommended
“And here the best book is called "The True Believer," which is the Eric Hoffer book.”
Graham Linehan Everybody who's followed me on podcast is going to be so bored of me bringing him up, but he wrote a book c… 1
Recommended
“Everybody who's followed me on podcast is going to be so bored of me bringing him up, but he wrote a book called The True Believer.”
Jack Clark Eric Hoffer, "The True Believer," which is a book on the nature of mass movements and the psychology of wha… 1
Recommended
“Eric Hoffer, "The True Believer," which is a book on the nature of mass movements and the psychology of what causes people to have strong beliefs, which I read because I think that I technologists have strong beliefs and maybe part of a strong culture that includes the word cult. And so you need to understand the science and psychology”
Robert Evans Everybody should read True Believer because it gets into all this and it's a real short book and the death… 1
Recommended
“Everybody should read True Believer because it gets into all this and it's a real short book and the death of democracy.”
Tim Pool Mike says people who bike the hand that feeds them usually lick the boot that kicks them Eric Hoffer check… 1
Recommended
“Mike says people who bike the hand that feeds them usually lick the boot that kicks them Eric Hoffer check out the book the true believer”
Neil Oliver and you know people and it Hofer in the true believer and so on. You know he he wrote so effectively about… 3
Discussed
“and you know people and it Hofer in the true believer and so on. You know he he wrote so effectively about how every mass movement has sought to.”
Discussed
“You know, people, in Hofer, in The True Believer and so on, you know, he wrote so effectively about how every mass movement has sought to take away people's national identity and their personal identity.”
Discussed
“as Hofer explains, and true believer, they all apply the same tools to get people disconnected until you're just a a lone individual that's ready to donate uniform and do something new in the face of utopia.”
Jack Posobiec Eric Hoffer in um in True Believer um the great longshoreman philosopher had this line back in the 1950s 2
Discussed
“Eric Hoffer in um in True Believer um the great longshoreman philosopher had this line back in the 1950s”
Discussed
“and i talk about um eric hoffer who's sort of the you know the working-class philosopher of the 1950s he wrote this book called true believers”
Sheldon Solomon Another guy i like a lot eric hoffer wrote a book called the true believer and what all these kind of leade… 2
Discussed
“Another guy i like a lot eric hoffer wrote a book called the true believer and what all these kind of leaders do”
Discussed
“another guy i like a lot eric hoffer wrote a book called the true believer and what all these kind of leaders do”
Ben Shapiro In his book, The True Believer, Eric Hoffer explains that those who tear down the societies in which they l… 1
Discussed
“In his book, The True Believer, Eric Hoffer explains that those who tear down the societies in which they live are typically what he terms inferiors.”
Billy Oppenheimer Eisenhower like mentioned his book the True Believer or something 1
Discussed
“Eisenhower like mentioned his book the True Believer or something”
Douglas Murray and eric hoffer who is a sort of self-taught amazing um not the ultra didactic writer the true believer and… 1
Discussed
“and eric hoffer who is a sort of self-taught amazing um not the ultra didactic writer the true believer and so on”
George Raveling the true believer by Eric Haase wasn't another book the owners tons of books I could make 1
Discussed
“the true believer by Eric Haase wasn't another book the owners tons of books I could make”
James Fitzgerald One of the few books cited by the unibto was the true believer by Eric Haer. 1
Discussed
“One of the few books cited by the unibto was the true believer by Eric Haer.”
Nick Freitas A revolution is not a dinner party there's another book called The True Believer where he talks about the n… 1
Discussed
“A revolution is not a dinner party there's another book called The True Believer where he talks about the nature of mass movements”
Mentioned on the show without a named speaker3
Discussed
“Hey Phil cast have you read the True Believer by Eric Hoffer Apparently revolutions happen when the when things are getting better Last episode was great I have not read that um but I am interested now so tweet that at me and I'll take a look”
Discussed
“hey Phil cast have you read the True Believer by Eric Hoffer apparently revolutions happen when the when things are getting better”
Recommended
“check out the book the true believer Eric Hoffer”
Also mentioned in the same episodes
Other mentions (2: passing, ad reads, own books)
Passing
“When he was young, the future general James Mattis hitched hike to San Francisco to meet Eric Hoffer, the philosopher most famous for his book, The True Believer.”
Passing
“mass movements can rise and spread without belief in a god but never without a belief in a devil eric hoffer the true believer”