Very good summary. Hoffer's book is prescient with regard to our modern day to an uncomfortable degree, and definitely deserves a read by everyone even vaguely interested in these matters.
The points about the close similarities of the radicals and reactionaries are something I am quite keen on. It can be hard to tell whether one who opposes the radicals falls into the realm of reactionary or merely a sensible person who recognizes that the radicals are nuts. One thing I have noticed is that many of the modern set of reactionaries are themselves simply becoming the opposite of the radicals, effectively screaming "Whatever the radicals like, I hate!" This is obviously itself silly, but even worse when out modern leftist radicals are so keen to misuse words and claim to be the opposite of what their ideology entails, such as being pro-individual or against racism, and then the reactionaries declare that they are proudly anti-individual and racist.
It recalls to me a scene in Pratchett's "The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents", where Dangerous Beans denies the Rat King who wishes unending war on humanity, stating (roughly) "You are not the epitome of ratdom, but merely another broken thing made by humans." Radicals create reactionaries who are themselves no more wise, correct or seekers of truth, but merely another broken thing created by radicals.
Very good summary. Hoffer's book is prescient with regard to our modern day to an uncomfortable degree, and definitely deserves a read by everyone even vaguely interested in these matters.
The points about the close similarities of the radicals and reactionaries are something I am quite keen on. It can be hard to tell whether one who opposes the radicals falls into the realm of reactionary or merely a sensible person who recognizes that the radicals are nuts. One thing I have noticed is that many of the modern set of reactionaries are themselves simply becoming the opposite of the radicals, effectively screaming "Whatever the radicals like, I hate!" This is obviously itself silly, but even worse when out modern leftist radicals are so keen to misuse words and claim to be the opposite of what their ideology entails, such as being pro-individual or against racism, and then the reactionaries declare that they are proudly anti-individual and racist.
It recalls to me a scene in Pratchett's "The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents", where Dangerous Beans denies the Rat King who wishes unending war on humanity, stating (roughly) "You are not the epitome of ratdom, but merely another broken thing made by humans." Radicals create reactionaries who are themselves no more wise, correct or seekers of truth, but merely another broken thing created by radicals.