The real secret of positive thinking
While at a house party a few months back, a girl cornered me with a nice bottle of wine, and started telling me about ‘The Secret’ – a bestselling book and film . I sat and listened, sipping my wine, as the well-educated City financier explained the principles of universal attraction, without any sense of irony .
It was a treat. A true dissertation on the worst kind of magical thinking . Essentially, this chick (and many of her friends) believe that they are telekinetic, and can receive whatever they want just by hoping for it. Needless to say, i re-filled my glass and excused myself. I’d heard about voodoo before.
This ‘universal attraction’ idea is at the core of many belief systems and comforts people who feel powerless. Religion has made a business out of it. But in practice, it does not work.
If you’re falling out of an airplane, the law of gravity trumps the law of attraction.
- Vinny Verelli
In truth, the real goal of positive thinking is positive thinking. However, at some point, it always becomes clear that thinking alone is futile. In response, weak-willed people then say something like: ‘It wasn’t meant to be.’
One of the most famous legends around this relates to Muhammed, the founder of Islam, who replied to being asked to give proof of his teachings by ordering Mount Safa to come to him. When the mountain did not comply, Muhammed raised his hands toward heaven and said, ‘God is merciful. Had it obeyed my words, it would have fallen on us to our destruction. I will therefore go to the mountain and thank God that he has had mercy on a stiff-necked generation.’
If the mountain won’t come to Muhammad, Muhammad will go to the mountain.
- Francis Bacon
Such is life. The universe does not act on your behalf, and never will. You must take action, and be prepared for the pitfalls and opportunities that your positive thinking may have missed. To do this, your imagination must be informed, and your thoughts must consider alternative scenarios. In that way, you are aware of what is improbable. And you do not waste time and energy on the impossible. Ambition alone does not create success. This is the real secret.
The universe is not required to be in perfect harmony with human ambition.
- Carl Sagan
ps: If the legend is true, I suspect that from the moment that Muhammed knew that the mountain would not come to him, he used the remaining time spent looking skywards trying to figure out how he would achieve his real objective: retaining power. Western nations are doing the same thing right now, as they attempt to resuscitate the economy.
credit: kimonomania
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Dec 31st 2008 • 00:12
by Peter
I agree. It is wise to be sceptical of teachers who ‘diminish or destroy critical thinking skills’. A peculiar issue of our age however, arises due to information overload. There is so much noise out there, that it takes a certain amount of stamina to locate and imbibe wisdom. I wonder what percentage of our population are able to defend themselves against the onslaught of self-interested advertising – whether for ‘self-help’ books or ‘self-help’ diets. A major problem is that we as a species tend to be followers, rather than leaders.
Dec 30th 2008 • 14:12
by John Curtis
The Secret is the latest and by far the worst example of a HIGHLY profitable trend where self-help gurus with fabricated new age titles and little relevant education, credentials or legitimate expertise brainwash us into believing that they know what is best for us, our marriages and our families.
Often their only contribution to society is introducing some exotic sounding, new age philosophy. However, they often cleverly form an incestuous group of like-minded “experts” who cross-promote each other by swearing their success is due to following the beliefs of another member of their “cult!” All the while, they ply the airwaves jockeying for an ever-larger audience by appearing in the national media to garner third-party endorsements.
The Self-Help Movement has become the Self-Destruct Movement by diminishing or destroying our critical thinking skills to choose and evolve on our own. We have given up the freedom to build healthy lives, marriages and families based on our unique history and life experience. Instead many victims, blinded to the value of their own life experiences, are attracted to the latest secret in self-help, in an attempt to find out what they should think, feel and how they should act… this is the definition of a cult.
The solution is a return to our (common) senses! The best way out of this learned “self-helplessness” is to go cold turkey. Stop following ALL self-help gurus now. Begin, instead, to reclaim your natural, God-given ability to think for yourself. The common sense that was once readily available to all of us is still there free of charge and waiting to be applied to just about any challenge we might face in life… all you have to do is use it.
Please, let’s all work together to stop the flock of “sheepeople” who blindly move from one UNPROVEN concept to the next, looking for the answers to life’s challenges that you already possess and that is the OBVIOUS!