It is the acquisition of skills in particular, irrespective of their utility, that is potent in making life meaningful. Since man has no inborn skills, the survival of the species has depended on the ability to acquire and perfect skills. Hence the mastery of skills is a uniquely human activity and yields deep satisfaction.

Between the Devil and the Dragon: The Best Essays and Aphorisms of Eric Hoffer (ed. HarperCollins Publishers, 1982)