the secret + the law of attraction
 

i tried doing a search but couldn't find any other threads, so sorry if this has been discussed already. Any body here believe in the secret? I do believe that all truely sucessfull people do apply positive thinking and that certainly helps one become sucessfull but I'm having a hard time believing that is the sole reason they are sucessfull. However, I'm thinking of just giving it a try because in the very least if it doesn't work, at least i'll still be thinking positive.

Re: the secret + the law of attraction
 

I just heard about The Secret and I think it's utter bullsh*t. It often advocates blaming the victim for everything that goes wrong in his/her life.

Obviously if you try to think positive thoughts you will interpret things in a positive light and therefore be happier and more optimistic. People want to be around happy and optimistic people and tend to trust them more, etc. Likewise if you constantly dwell on the negative you will find flaws in everything and probably get mildly depressed.

The problem comes in when it is suggested that bad things happen to people with bad thoughts and good things happen to people with good thoughts. This just isn't true. Bad things happen and good things happen, it's all how you deal with the highs and lows.

Re: the secret + the law of attraction
 

As ignorant and hateful a scam as I've ever seen. It is absolutely evil crap. But if you can't see that for yourself just from the first few pages of such books, then you aren't intelligent enough to understand an explanation of why it's crap.

Re: the secret + the law of attraction
 

just now i looked up "the secret" on wikipedia.

here is my personal take on it:
given that the world exists outside of "you," (that is, that if your consciousness ceased to exist, the world would continue as you observe it now), "the secret" cannot be true.

however, if you believe that YOU are the creator of the world - for instance, the world is a dream you are having, or the material world is created from consciousness, or there are infinite parallel worlds, and time does not exist etc...then "the secret" could be reality, in effect.

Re: the secret + the law of attraction
 

My view on The Secret is that it is complete BS. That so many people bought it is depressing.

Re: the secret + the law of attraction
 

track down the people that bought it and ask how much better things are going for them.

Re: the secret + the law of attraction
 

There is a certain amount of truth to the "self fulfilling prophecy" concept. Also depression can be self perpetuating.

But yeah this book looks like nonsense.

I'd say it was harmless, but it may work toward furthering the already present "bad things happen to people who deserve them and vice versa" bias, which discourages altruism.

Re: the secret + the law of attraction
 

It should also be noted that people suffering from real depression aren't going to be helped much by some placebo [censored]. Thankfully, I'm not severely depressed any more and have no personal experience with the followers of this view, but I can only imagine the kind of harmful crap they spew towards people suffering from real illness. And some people who need treatment may opt for this approach instead.

Quack "cures" of any kind do real damage.

Re: the secret + the law of attraction
 

Books like that have been around forever. The main bebefit in thinking positive is it keeps one open to situational and networking opportunities that would not present themselves or be noticed if one were continually negative.

Re: the secret + the law of attraction
 

Good points. Also, religions (both mainstream and fringe) attract many people who just need antidepressant medication.