--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Thinking has become a superfluous…" description: "\"Thinking has become a superfluous exercise... purely internal, without compelling force, more or less a game.\" — Jacques Ellul" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a35/jacques-ellul-4407_compelling_thinking-has-become-a-superfluous-exerci_1495664.jpg" --- # Thinking has become a superfluous exercise... purely… ![“Thinking has become a superfluous exercise... purely internal, without compelling force, more or less a game.” quote by Jacques Ellul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a35/jacques-ellul-4407_compelling_thinking-has-become-a-superfluous-exerci_1495664.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a35/jacques-ellul-4407_compelling_thinking-has-become-a-superfluous-exerci_1495664.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a35/jacques-ellul-4407_compelling_thinking-has-become-a-superfluous-exerci_1495664.jpg) > “Thinking has become a superfluous exercise... purely internal, without compelling force, more or less a game.” [Jacques Ellul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-ellul/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Thinking is reduced to empty mental activity lacking purpose, becoming a mere game rather than a forceful, meaningful practice. **In simple terms:** Thoughts are idle and purposeless. Key Takeaway Seek purposeful, action‑oriented thinking. Themes meaninglessness introspection purpose Mood reflective critical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - academic work - personal decision‑making - creative projects Key Concepts Existentialism critical theory Questions to Reflect On - How can you turn idle thought into purposeful action? - What drives meaningful thinking? A Different Perspective It may still inspire insight despite its emptiness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Exercise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exercise/) [Fitness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fitness/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [“War, it will be seen, is now a purely internal affair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/war-it-will-be-seen-is-now-a-purely-internal-affair/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [When grubbing for necessities man is still an animal. He becomes uniquely human when he reaches out for the superfluous and extravagant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/when-grubbing-for-necessities-man-is-still-an-animal-he-becomes/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [All sorts of articles and letters appear in the papers about women. Profound questions are raised concerning them. Should they smoke? Should they work?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-macaulay/all-sorts-of-articles-and-letters-appear-in-the-papers-about-women/) [Rose Macaulay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-macaulay/) > [We can hardly expect the nation-state to make itself superfluous, at least not overnight. 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First we manufacture indigent and superfluous people by legal monopolies in land, money…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurance-labadie/the-health-education-and-welfare-section-of-government-is-another/) [Laurance Labadie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurance-labadie/) > [It is for the superfluous we sweat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/it-is-for-the-superfluous-we-sweat/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [Many a poem is marred by a superfluous word.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/many-a-poem-is-marred-by-a-superfluous-word/) [Henry Wadsworth Longfellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/) ## More by Jacques Ellul > [The individual, by means of the discipline imposed on him by sport, not only plays and finds relaxation from the various compulsions to which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-ellul/the-individual-by-means-of-the-discipline-imposed-on-him-by-sport-not/) [Jacques Ellul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-ellul/) > [Propaganda begins when dialogue ends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-ellul/propaganda-begins-when-dialogue-ends/) [Jacques Ellul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-ellul/) > [Christians were never meant to be normal. We’ve always been holy troublemakers, we’ve always been creators of uncertainty, agents of dimension that’s incompatible with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-ellul/christians-were-never-meant-to-be-normal-we-ve-always-been-holy/) [Jacques Ellul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-ellul/) > [It is inconceivable that the God who gives Himself in His Son to save us, should have created some people ordained to evil and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-ellul/it-is-inconceivable-that-the-god-who-gives-himself-in-his-son-to-save/) [Jacques Ellul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-ellul/) > [Technological society leads to increasing numbers of people who cannot adapt to the inhuman rhythm of modern life with its emphasis on specialization. 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Man has set out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-ellul/no-one-knows-where-we-are-going-the-aim-of-life-has-been-forgotten/) [Jacques Ellul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-ellul/) [Explore all 106 Jacques Ellul quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-ellul/) ## More Compelling quotes > [In early drafts, one of the trickiest things for me to do was to realize that the techniques and devices that make readable and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-rooney/in-early-drafts-one-of-the-trickiest-things-for-me-to-do-was-to/) [Kathleen Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-rooney/) > [In writing, I want to be remembered for telling good stories in beautiful and powerful language, using the poetry of words to reflect the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-edwards/in-writing-i-want-to-be-remembered-for-telling-good-stories-in/) [Kim Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-edwards/) > [The epic poet has behind him a tradition of matter and a tradition of style; and that is what every other poet has behind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lascelles-abercrombie/the-epic-poet-has-behind-him-a-tradition-of-matter-and-a-tradition-of/) [Lascelles Abercrombie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lascelles-abercrombie/) > [Lexicon grabbed me with the opening lines, and never let go. 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