Why Eckhart Tolle’s Evolutionary Activism Won’t Save Us

[Wombaticus Rex]

Actually, I don't think anyone is calling Tolle dangerous -- my whole beef is that he's harmless, in fact.

[Canadian_watcher]

However teachings like Tolle's also encourages a sort of passivity .... At some point that navel grazing has to result in action otherwise it's just selfish mental masturbation in my view.

I couldn't get into Tolle. It brought back too much of my former cult, ...
Unfortunately often such people are broken down and molded into being something others believe will help usher in the new consciousness while millions continue to suffer.

Bingo! I suspect there is much in Tolle's teachings that mirrors classic thought reform/marketing/PR techniques. Not unlike some of the popular conspiratologists, Tolle draws from the tool kit of those "evil" forces he would purport to stand apart from.

how do you interpret these quotes then? I see them as a direct inference that Tolle uses the same toolkit used by "evil" forces to do thought reform on unsuspecting people and that those people end up navel gazing rather than doing anything useful.

Is that sort of thing "dangerous" ? it must be somewhat disconcerting bordering on frightening or there oughtn't be a whole thread warning us against it. Unless that's not what this thread is.. but if it isn't then I'm WAY too dense to continue participating here.

[slimmouse]

I think for anyone truly "survival of consciousness" inclined, the best approach might be to think deeply about the spiritual consequence of your own very personal retribution, and then gently ask yourself....

Am I truly giving this life my best shot?

I wouldnt dispute for one minute, that there are any amount of people out there who are living their lives in this very way, whilst at the same time supporting a system that is clearly unfair to anyone who is more astutely aware of how it actually works.

I say this, because I'd like people to appreciate that in the vast majority of cases, the perception deception that we are exposed to by way of course has caught so many honourable people in its majik . Wonderful reference thereto from Cuda earlier.

On an individual level meanwhile, Having understood the problems that you believe we face, then any kind of action that helps to remedy this whole situation, both for ourselves and others is an iddy biddy change in the overall frontier of our current collective consciousness.

This might actually include sitting on a park bench and feeling good about yourself for a while, but what about the rest of the day?
As I walk out of the park past the homeless guy under the bush, I cant imagine my latest feelgood effort being of any real benefit to him.

Finally, to borrow an opinion that I fully endorse from Coffin Dodger , then sentience on earth at least, is heading towards a tipping point.

And strangely enough I might add, in order to offer some real spice to CD's premise, at a time when its probably most needed.

[American Dream]

However teachings like Tolle's also encourages a sort of passivity .... At some point that navel grazing has to result in action otherwise it's just selfish mental masturbation in my view.

I couldn't get into Tolle. It brought back too much of my former cult, ...
Unfortunately often such people are broken down and molded into being something others believe will help usher in the new consciousness while millions continue to suffer.

Bingo! I suspect there is much in Tolle's teachings that mirrors classic thought reform/marketing/PR techniques. Not unlike some of the popular conspiratologists, Tolle draws from the tool kit of those "evil" forces he would purport to stand apart from.

how do you interpret these quotes then? I see them as a direct inference that Tolle uses the same toolkit used by "evil" forces to do thought reform on unsuspecting people and that those people end up navel gazing rather than doing anything useful.

Is that sort of thing "dangerous" ? it must be somewhat disconcerting bordering on frightening or there oughtn't be a whole thread warning us against it. Unless that's not what this thread is.. but if it isn't then I'm WAY too dense to continue participating here.

To me, Tolle is not the fount of all evil but rather the tip of the New Age iceberg.

"Dangerous" is not the first word that comes to mind, but "effed-up" definitely comes to mind...

[Wombaticus Rex]

CW: Quite so! One example of an implied danger, and one explicit statement of danger. I stand corrected.

[slimmouse]

Tolle is not the fount of all evil but rather the tip of the New Age iceberg.

And to put that metaphor into some very real context AD, that particularly deceptive newage iceberg has also long since melted.

Like everything else, its undergone change.

Get with the change.

[American Dream]

Tolle is not the fount of all evil but rather the tip of the New Age iceberg.

And to put that metaphor into some very real context AD, that particularly deceptive newage iceberg has also long since melted.

Like everything else, its undergone change.

Get with the change.

Are you kidding???

Evidence, please...

[slimmouse]

Tolle is not the fount of all evil but rather the tip of the New Age iceberg.

And to put that metaphor into some very real context AD, that particularly deceptive newage iceberg has also long since melted.

Like everything else, its undergone change.

Get with the change.

Are you kidding???

Evidence, please...

I think Wombaticus provided some evidence of it in this thread. I also think that if you look around this board, you will find evidence of it everywhere.

Tolls concept of simply abandoning the ego to make things right, is clearly not the overall perceptions of current paraculture.

AD, I seriously believe that we're very shortly going to witness the true power of current paraculture.

The inmates are going to confront the owners of the assylum in a very serious but responsible way, informing them that the assylum they have created is not really very fair.

The owners arent going to like this, and theyre going to huff and puff, and maybe do any number of dastardly deeds, who knows.

As an activist yourself of many years, I really think you should be far more encouraged by whats going on in paraculture than you are.

[American Dream]

Tolle is not the fount of all evil but rather the tip of the New Age iceberg.

And to put that metaphor into some very real context AD, that particularly deceptive newage iceberg has also long since melted.

Like everything else, its undergone change.

Get with the change.

Are you kidding???

Evidence, please...

I think Wombaticus provided some evidence of it in this thread. I also think that if you look around this board, you will find evidence of it everywhere.

Tolls concept of simply abandoning the ego to make things right, is clearly not the overall perceptions of current paraculture.

AD, I seriously believe that we're very shortly going to witness the true power of current paraculture.

It's going to confront the owners of the assylum in a very serious but responsible way,

The owners arent going to like this, and theyre going to huff and puff, and maybe do any number of dastardly deeds, who knows.

As an activist yourself of many years, I really think you should be far more encouraged by whats going on in paraculture than you are.

Firstly, you haven't yet cited any specific evidence to support your assertions.

Now you're making vague claims about the great things that are coming in "paraculture".

Who, pray tell, is doing all this amazing stuff, be it in spirituality or conpiracy?

Surely not David Icke?

[slimmouse]

Tolle is not the fount of all evil but rather the tip of the New Age iceberg.

And to put that metaphor into some very real context AD, that particularly deceptive newage iceberg has also long since melted.

Like everything else, its undergone change.

Get with the change.

Are you kidding???

Evidence, please...

I think Wombaticus provided some evidence of it in this thread. I also think that if you look around this board, you will find evidence of it everywhere.

Tolls concept of simply abandoning the ego to make things right, is clearly not the overall perceptions of current paraculture.

AD, I seriously believe that we're very shortly going to witness the true power of current paraculture.

It's going to confront the owners of the assylum in a very serious but responsible way,

The owners arent going to like this, and theyre going to huff and puff, and maybe do any number of dastardly deeds, who knows.

As an activist yourself of many years, I really think you should be far more encouraged by whats going on in paraculture than you are.

Firstly, you haven't yet cited any specific evidence to support your assertions.

Now you're making vague claims about the great things that are coming in "paraculture".

Who, pray tell, is doing all this amazing stuff, be it in spirituality or conpiracy?

Surely not David Icke?

No mate, you are. And i do mean that most genuinely.

[Canadian_watcher]

Tolle is not the fount of all evil but rather the tip of the New Age iceberg.

And to put that metaphor into some very real context AD, that particularly deceptive newage iceberg has also long since melted.

Like everything else, its undergone change.

Get with the change.

I'd have to agree (great thought, slimmouse "melted".. I love it)... Tolle is a rather late comer to the new age game if memory is serving. I mean just off the top of my head there's Louise Hay but I'm sure there are much earlier examples that I'm too young (he he) to know of. Even Castaneda can be grouped in if one is so inclined.

[American Dream]

Tolle is not the fount of all evil but rather the tip of the New Age iceberg.

And to put that metaphor into some very real context AD, that particularly deceptive newage iceberg has also long since melted.

Like everything else, its undergone change.

Get with the change.

Are you kidding???

Evidence, please...

I think Wombaticus provided some evidence of it in this thread. I also think that if you look around this board, you will find evidence of it everywhere.

Tolls concept of simply abandoning the ego to make things right, is clearly not the overall perceptions of current paraculture.

AD, I seriously believe that we're very shortly going to witness the true power of current paraculture.

It's going to confront the owners of the assylum in a very serious but responsible way,

The owners arent going to like this, and theyre going to huff and puff, and maybe do any number of dastardly deeds, who knows.

As an activist yourself of many years, I really think you should be far more encouraged by whats going on in paraculture than you are.

Firstly, you haven't yet cited any specific evidence to support your assertions.

Now you're making vague claims about the great things that are coming in "paraculture".

Who, pray tell, is doing all this amazing stuff, be it in spirituality or conpiracy?

Surely not David Icke?

No mate, you are. And i do mean that most genuinely.

The vagueness of your claims and your inability to be specific makes your claims seem extremely vague and slippery...

[seemslikeadream]

on edit:

oops gotta censor myself here forgot I'm not allowed to post in this thread..

[slimmouse]

The vagueness of your claims and your inability to be specific makes your claims seem [i]extremely [b]vague and slippery[

I guess that makes me some vague and slippery kind of guy, who isnt really interested in making things better, but instead sits here posting and trying to make it appear that I do?

[American Dream]

The vagueness of your claims and your inability to be specific makes your claims seem extremely vague and slippery.

I guess that makes me some vague and slippery kind of guy, who isnt really interested in making things better, but instead sits here posting and trying to make it appear that I do?

Maybe we should go back to the original post!

We first need to ask, when one becomes free of egoic delusion what will their positions be on abortion, health care or foreign policy? Won’t this “new world” merely reflect the views of those who describe it, like Tolle? Egoic delusion is vague and it’s unclear what this means in the context of social transformation. In an interview Tolle admits to have $4 million dollars just sitting in the bank. What is the best “ego-free” use of that money? Becoming free of egoic delusion does nothing to provide answers to the most complex moral questions we face. Thus, it is inaccurate to suggest that once we are all free of ego we will inhabit a new world. In order to believe Tolle, you have to think that anyone who “awakens” will necessarily share the exact same social, political and cultural ideology. Secondly, forget about ethical systems, community, protesting or frameworks for engaging with others, everything one needs to play his or her part in the creation of a new world can be found within. He states, “The light of consciousness is all that is necessary. You are that light.” Global transformation has never been easier.