In The True Believer: Thoughts on The Nature of Mass Movements, Eric Hoffer writes:
“A man is likely to mind his own business when it is worth minding. When it is not, he takes his mind off his own meaningless affairs by minding other people’s business.
This minding of other people’s business expresses itself in gossip, snooping and meddling, and also in feverish interest in communal, national and racial affairs. In running away from ourselves we either fall on our neighbor’s shoulder or fly at his throat.”
I love the last line of that section. Such truth in that! In my experience, when someone is bored or unhappy with their life, they are more likely to meddle in yours. Most people who give me advice (generally uninvited and in the form of an order or gospel truth) are the last people I would want to take advice from.
This book was originally published in 1951 but Hoffer’s insights easily apply to the world today.
