True Believer.

This is coolbert:

Here is another statement concerning war by a non-military man that seems to be right on the money.

"You can discover what your enemy fears most by observing the means he uses to frighten you." - - Eric Hoffer - - longshoreman/philosopher.

Eric Hoffer, an autodidact, commentator on American life, a respected figure from the 1960's. Volunteered for the World War Two war effort but was turned down on account of physical disability. Worked as a longshoreman lading munitions, serving the war effort as best he could.

"autodidact - - n : a person who is self-taught"

A man whose down-to-earth observations seemed to have the ring of truth about them.

For instance:

"Years ago, Eric Hofer, the longshoreman-philosopher, entered the debate about the significance of the hand patterns in Cro-Magnon caves like Altamira. The anthropologists were having a merry debate about why so many digits were missing from the prints, which were made by placing the palm on the wall and blowing pigment over the hand: tribal identifiers? religious sacrifices?

Go down to the docks, Hofer sniffed, and you'll find many digits missing.

True enough. College professors probably average pretty close to 10 fingers, farmers and carpenters and other people who use their hands in rough work considerably fewer."

It is said that his best known work, "The True Believer", is being dusted off and being read by many high ranking officers at the Pentagon.

The True Believer. The sort of person personified by the current jihadi.

"I am right and my cause is right."

"All you others are wrong and evil."

"Accept my way or else."

Etc.

Now, as for the quote of Hoffer. I leave it to the reader to decide what he means. Who can describe this to me?

Also, how does this quote apply to the Islamic jihadi?

Comments invited.

coolbert.