Every extreme attitude is a flight from the self

From The Passionate State of Mind by Eric Hoffer.

8

There is even in the most selfish passion a large element of self-abnegation. It is startling to realize that what we call extreme self-seeking is actually self-renunciation. The miser, health addict, glory chaser and their like are not far behind the selfless in the exercise of self-sacrifice.

Every extreme attitude is a flight from the self.