“Freedom released the energies of the masses not by exhilarating but by unbalancing, irritating, and goading.”

When the spirit, mind, body, etc. are free, the natural release of energy is exhilarating.

I believe that the intent of the statement is to say that a priori the need to upset people's complacency is the necessary catalyst for social action and change. As long as people are content with the status quo not much is going to happen to change anything. However, the aftermath may indeed be exhilarating, if not eupohric.

Well put EGL.

Mike and EGL make good points. I still agree that when freedom flourishes, the order imposed by the class that attempts to rule is difficult to enforce.

Freedom unbalances, irritates and goads those who would stifle our liberties.

The slow march of socialistic indoctrination over the course of the past 75 years or so, the world now witnesses in America how corrupting centralized government can be. When brought to light as today around the world, the brush fires of liberty rekindled cause a great knee jerk reaction on a global stage. This when freedom of action to revolt is exercised against such harsh blatant overreach of a Freed people. Waking up the mass is in full swing !

That idiot Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, and habitual screw-up Joe Biden need to read the following:
"Freedom released the energies of the masses not by exhilarating but by unbalancing, irritating, and goading." -- Eric Hoffer
(1902-1983) American author, philosopher, awarded Presidential Medal of Freedom
http://libertytree.ca/quotes/Eric.Hoffer.Quote.DEB1

To destroy coherence, logic, order is freedom?