If you are going to engage in repeating yourself with nothing new, I think I'm just gonna take to cutting and pasting from earlier posts instead of wasting my time with new arguments.

Yes, May's 'four stages' analysis of personality facets underlies most of the 'personality testing' systems now in use.    I'm not sure he should really be classed as an 'existentialist' though.....  Incidentally, his '4 stages' bear a strong resemblance ot the '4 species' analysis of the Jewish community (see '4 sons' in Passover Seder for another version)  In fact, if May were from a Jewish background, that's exactly what I'd suppose was an inspiration for his exposition.  But then he's a big follower of Otto Rank, so that may be the connection.

I'm lazy:  I'd have to do way more reading in philosophy than I'd ever want to, to track that back.....but I've got a college friend who went into philosophy and I could ask her about that.

In a way, May is a 'micro' analyst, while Hoffer is a 'macro' analyst.  And then there's another great book also from the '50's - Oscar Lewis' 'The Culture of Poverty':  that explains why some people who don't have money really aren't 'poor'. 

Hoping the merits of such great books will prompt some mercy from the mods for the digression here.....  I suppose I could throw in a shameless 'appeal to authority' by insisting we should include 'The Art of War' by Sun-Tzu   as well?  : ))

OK, I'll try : ))  

 The description of 'True Believers' given by Hoffer goes far to explain the mindset of people unwaveringly supporting 'the party line' provided by the Floptilla organizers.

Theanalysis of individual personalities from May's book provides further insight into the 4 basic 'approaches to life' which any individual runs on at any given moment (IE, it also explains people's 'apathy').

Oscar Lewis teaches us that 'poverty' is as much a state of MIND as of money - and I believe that can be useful in seeking to understand what people inside Gaza might be thinking, as well as understanding whole populations which have never historically felt empowered.

And Sun-Tzu?  He speaks to the 'war of words' being waged against Israel - purportedly on behalf of the people of Gaza! - the presentation of ALL Gazan misery as being not merely the 'fault' of Israel, but of 'deliberate' Israeli desire to cause harm inside Gaza.

LeahOne said:  "...The description of 'True Believers' given by Hoffer goes far to explain the mindset of people unwaveringly supporting 'the party line' provided by the Floptilla organizers..."

A key example being:

"..., I expect the Flotillas bore you the same way, saving LIFE of those in Gaza, what the seek, must be really boring to keep reading about. But those Flotillas, they are never going to stop until Israel stops taking LIFE in Gaza. All life has not value..."

I say LeahOne just hit one straight out of the ball bark...