The True Believer is a classic study on the rise and spread of mass movements along with a psychological profile of the fanatics who drive these violent political and social upheavals. Although the political landscape of 1951 is far different from that of the present era, Eric Hoffer's book has nevertheless provided us with remarkable descriptions that fit the kinds of people who join various extremist mass movements today. It is a terrifying portrait of the mind of the fanatic. All it takes to lure people into mass movements is something to attract those with a sense of personal failure. These misfits and outcasts are offered the opportunity of joining a cause that allows them to forget their own perceived defects. By joining a righteous cause, the individual believes he has transcended his inferior self. He disappears into "the movement" and takes on a new identity. By destroying the past and present, the fanatic seeks to build a future utopia that will make his former identity seem trivial. It is a frightening prospect, and potential followers are always at hand.