Thinking Folly by Eckhart Tolle

Topic
This article is a persuasive text written by Eckhart Tolle, a well-known spiritual
author. This article is about the state of our thinking that can affect our action in
daily lives. He mentioned that humans need to stop thinking too much in order to
achieve a better life. This article is also to inform us that the mind is controlling us
and not vice versa.

Content
This article focuses on how Eckhart informed people, especially those who are
having crisis with their way of thinking. Based on the article, he addressed his
thoughts on how people are thinking too much on certain things that they cannot
handle. As the result, people will have a conflict within their minds. He mentioned
that the mind had controlled us which resulted into unnecessary action that we may
not realized. The way of thinking have made us become distant from happiness.

Source
The article was taken from Eckhart Tolles reading material entitled The Power of
Now. This book was published in 1997, became one of the best-sellers and was
promoted by Oprah Winfrey. The content of this book is methods of self-help for our
daily lives that highlighted the importance of living in the present. He stated that
we cannot be dependent on our past and future as those thoughts will affect our life
in the present.

Audience
The audience for this article is for everyone generally but also focuses on those who
are facing problems with their own minds, which can slowly change their attitude
and behavior. This can be seen in the excerpt, The instrument has taken you over.
You are unconsciously identified with it, so you dont even know that you are its
slave.(Tolle, 1997) This proved that the mind have controlled us and not the other
way around.

Rhetorical Function
Tis reading is written to convince the people especially those who are facing crisis
with their way of thinking that we did not have any power on our mind. It is also
mentioned that the mind has control our emotion that can affected our daily lives.
You begin to realize that all the things that truly matter-beauty, love, creativity, joy,

inner peace-arise from beyond the mind. Only then you begin to be awakened.
(Tolle, 1997) From this excerpt, we can say that the only way to escape from our
mind, is to think about the true meaning of life. By that, you will be free from your
mind.
Purpose
The purpose of this article is to advise the human population, specifically those who
are having dilemmas with their thoughts, that we have been controlled by our
minds and there are ways to prevent us from being its slave. Hence, these people
must take immediate action as these unhealthy way of thinking can affect them in
their daily lives.

Perspective
The writer believed that the reason that we humans could not think of a solution to
solve our problems is due to the fact that our brain cannot stop thinking. Thus, that
will caused us to be controlled by our minds which can lead us to be affected and
also living in the past or future, rather than living in the present. We think that we
are using our mind to think of solutions, but its the other way around. To put it
more accurately, it is not so much that you use your mind wrongly-you usually dont
use it at alit uses you. That is the disease. (Tolle, 1997).
I agree with his point of view as we humans are easily affected by our minds due to
our feelings that we face every day. The life that we are currently living is harsh and
brutal, which leads us to face different emotions. After facing these emotions, our
mind will not become stable and thats when the mind took over our thoughts. We
will remind about our past and thinking for the future only, whereas we should
consider about the present too More recent studies have shown that a host of
physical actions and sensations trigger psychological states that are metaphorically
related to those behaviors and feelings. (Bargh, 2014).
Besides, our mind has controlled us due to our emotion which is a nature for us.
This statement has been supported by Gilbert (2010) that our basic physical and
social desires are constructed by our range of emotions which had been built into us
by nature.

Positioning
The article portrayed the truth behind our minds and that it has been controlling us
without being noticed. The writer said that people nowadays are facing life crisis
that they tend to overthink their problems and lead them to unhappy thoughts. He
mentioned that emotions has also influenced us into thinking that way as these
feelings are built into us. Therefore, its not our fault. From my view, what he said is
correct as we humans tend to be stress with the daily life challenges, that we
somehow forget how to live again. We are lost in a world of thoughts until we have
been taken over by our own mind which can lead us to think unwisely or could not

come up with ideas. This can be seen in the excerpt by the author that the reason
why majority of scientists cannot find new discoveries is not due to their lack of
thinking, but its because they think too much.

Impact
The article will probably give an impact to the readers in terms of believing that the
mind has been controlling us without being notice. He pointed out that we stressed
ourselves with problems and solutions to it that make us over think. The writer is
also a well-known spiritual author with recognitions. So, this will further make
people believe of his stance.

Visual Literacy
The photo is significant to the article as it shows that due to the fact that people
overthink, they will forget their ability to imagine. Imagination is important as I t can
help our brains to become more creative, and it was proven as Einsteins
discoveries came from his state mind was free from any negative thoughts.

Reference list
1. Bargh, A. J. (2014). Unconscious impulses and desires impel what we think
and do in ways Freud never dreamed of. Our Unconscious Mind. Retrieved
from http://www.yale.edu/acmelab/articles/Bargh%202014,%20Our
%20unconscious%20mind.pdf
2. Gilbert, P. (2010). Training Our Minds in, with and for Compassion. Retrieved
from
http://www.compassionatemind.co.uk/downloads/training_materials/3.%20Cli
nical_patient_handout.pdf