One Thought Too Many
Most people are happy to go through life in a carefree, thoughtless manner, but Hector Gropp was different. He prided himself on being a dedicated thinker. He kept his mind at a peak of intellectual sharpness, and never acted without thinking of what he was doing. While other people were busy doing the sort of things that other people do, Hector was thinking, thinking, thinking.
Hector always had a number of serious thoughts in his head. He would pursue each thought, one at a time, until they all had been pursued to the fullest degree. As soon as one thought was pursued and dismissed, another quickly would appear, which kept Hector constantly engaged in a perpetual habit of deep thought.
One day, while Hector was relaxing in his usual way, ardently testing the strength of his brain by attempting to devise answers to a host of unanswerable questions, he overdid it. Finally, Hector had one thought too many, and reached a dangerous condition of total burnout.
Hector felt quite dizzy, and for a short period he was unable to think at all. He could not even remember his own name. Once Hector was able to hold a solid thought again, it was clear to him that he had pushed his mind too far. He could see that a complete change in his outlook was required.
"I think that I have been thinking too much," Hector declared.
Hector soon became an entirely new person. He shunned all forms of deliberate thought, choosing instead to spend his life in an easygoing state of blissful slow-wittedness. He found that everything was more enjoyable without the constant strain of thinking. He also found that, as an amiable dunce, he fit in much better with those around him.
Hector always had a number of serious thoughts in his head. He would pursue each thought, one at a time, until they all had been pursued to the fullest degree. As soon as one thought was pursued and dismissed, another quickly would appear, which kept Hector constantly engaged in a perpetual habit of deep thought.
One day, while Hector was relaxing in his usual way, ardently testing the strength of his brain by attempting to devise answers to a host of unanswerable questions, he overdid it. Finally, Hector had one thought too many, and reached a dangerous condition of total burnout.
Hector felt quite dizzy, and for a short period he was unable to think at all. He could not even remember his own name. Once Hector was able to hold a solid thought again, it was clear to him that he had pushed his mind too far. He could see that a complete change in his outlook was required.
"I think that I have been thinking too much," Hector declared.
Hector soon became an entirely new person. He shunned all forms of deliberate thought, choosing instead to spend his life in an easygoing state of blissful slow-wittedness. He found that everything was more enjoyable without the constant strain of thinking. He also found that, as an amiable dunce, he fit in much better with those around him.