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AlterNet / By Courtney E. Martin
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Oprah's 'Secret' Could Be Your Downfall

Why is The Secret, an Oprah Winfrey-endorsed documentary film and book package with a simplistic message that leads to more consumerism, topping Amazon's bestselling DVD list?
March 26, 2007  |  
 
 
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Through wildly successful viral marketing and a faithful fan base spreading the word, The Secret, a documentary film explaining the "law of attraction" tops Amazon's bestselling DVD list. The companion book of the same name -- and as far as I can tell, an almost word-for-word transcript of the film -- just had the largest reorder in Simon & Schuster history (2 million copies) and is #1 on the New York Times Self Help Bestseller list.

If you are one of like three people left who haven't heard about The Secret -- come on, it was even on Oprah -- let me explain. Australian talk show producer Rhonda Byrne read The Science of Getting Rich, a book written in 1910 by Wallace D. Wattles, in her darkest hour and discovered what she believes is the essential truth -- that "your current thoughts are creating your future life. Your thoughts become things." Translation: if you are thinking about how bad your life is, bad things will continue to happen; if you start thinking about great things, they will inevitably manifest.

Byrne went around with a camera and manifested her own motley crew of entrepreneurs, financial gurus, and pop psychologists -- including the king of the Chicken Soup for the Soul dynasty, Jack Canfield -- to attest to the truth of this claim. I have no qualms with the power of positive thinking. There is sound research that confirms that envisioning yourself succeeding has a real impact on your performance, sports being the most prescient example. At a time when a violent, morally-messy war is going on four years and the gap between rich and poor continues to widen, who doesn't need a good dose of wide-eyed idealism?

But idealism is not all the fast-talking "experts" behind The Secret are dishing out. They are also articulating a dangerous message about conspicuous consumption and distracting people from crippling systemic problems.

Both the film and the book are filled with promises about the secret's capacity to attract wealth and "things" -- fancy cars, huge mansions, Rolex watches -- into your life. For example, the book reads: "Make it your intention to look at everything you like and say to yourself, 'I can afford that. I can buy that.'" In a country where the average household consumer debt is $8,000, it appears most of us need no encouragement in pretending we have more money than we do.

John Assarof, founder of a company called One Coach, stars in a hokey reenactment sequence in the film in which he realizes that he has miraculously attracted his new, unconscionably large home into his life. As he is unpacking boxes beside his five year old son, Assarof pulls out his "vision board" -- on which he had pasted images of things he wanted to attract into his life years earlier -- and finds the exact picture of the mansion he newly owns. He explains, "I looked at that house and started to cry, because I was just blown away." His son asked, "Why are you crying?" and he answered, "I finally understand how the law of attraction works."

What is the message to this five year old? What is the message to us all? That the secret to life is the capacity to desire "things" without regard to the environmental or spiritual consequences? That these "things" will somehow satisfy that deep and most universal of desires -- to matter in the world?

I cringe when I think about copies of both the DVD and books flying off the shelves and into debt-ridden, exhausted, and hopeless folks' hands. It is not just the exploitation of their dissatisfaction with their lives that offends me, but the distraction that promoters of The Secret are creating from the very real, systemic issues undergirding poverty.

The book boldly and ignorantly states, "The only reason any person does not have enough money is because they are blocking money from coming to them with their thoughts." Tell that to the 36 million Americans living in poverty. Even worse, tell that to the 3 billion people worldwide who live on less that $2 a day.

If The Secret's logic is to be believed, then those who are hungry are not envisioning food hard enough, those without running water aren't imagining the feeling of satiation with enough enthusiasm. It doesn't matter if you are born in the Sudan or San Francisco, according to The Secret's catch-all claim; you can always fantasize your way into "massive wealth."

This point of view neglects the effects of government policy, class, race, gender, geography, and a host of other systemic influences on the kind of wealth -- and life -- one is able to create. It is the good ol' American Dream delusion supersized into ridiculousness. Now you don't even have to work for your wealth, you just have to sit back and dream it into existence. No matter if you are from a poor family, living in a war zone, or a thousand miles from the nearest medical clinic.

In another particularly offensive sequence, Bill Harris, a teacher and founder of Counterpointe Research Institute talks about a gay student who was harassed about his sexual orientation by coworkers and strangers on the streets. Harris explained the law of attraction to the frustrated young man: "He started taking this thing about focusing on what you want to heart...what happened within the next six to eight weeks was an absolute miracle." All the harassment, reportedly, ceased.

Sure, those who look scared are sometimes picked out as easy targets by homophobic jerks with some self-hating steam to blow off, but that doesn't take the responsibility for harassment off of the harasser. This argument is tantamount to saying that those women who fear rape are asking for it.

The idea that people invite abuse or oppression with their thoughts is insulting. The Secret crew only acknowledges this interpretation briefly: "Often when people first hear this...they recall events in history where masses of lives were lost, and they find it incomprehensible that so many people could have attracted themselves to the event. If people believe they can be in the wrong place at the wrong time...those thoughts of fear, separation, and powerlessness, if persistent, can attract them to being in the wrong place at the wrong time." I can't begin to imagine how offensive this claim must be to those who have lost family members under horrific circumstances, like the massacres in Rwanda or the events of September 11th.

If the creators of The Secret wanted to truly empower people, they would focus more on the part of their message that invites people to dream about their best, most joyful lives. This invitation is mentioned in the work, but feels sullied by all of the talk of covetous accumulation and innocent people essentially "asking for it."

The promise of future money is a surefire way to get people to spend money now. Perhaps the purveyors of The Secret see the money message as the sugar that makes the medicine go down, but it seems hypocritical for a group of people purportedly committed to enlightenment to dwell in the material.

I would never claim to know the secret to life, but I have a hunch it has something to do with love, community, joy, and purpose -- not the size of your mansion or the brand of your watch. Further, I think it probably has something to do with alleviating suffering and inequality, encouraging people to think about changing the systems which keep them poor or in danger, not internalizing their failures -- financial or otherwise -- as proof of their own anemic imaginations.

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Courtney E. Martin is a writer living in Brooklyn. Her book, Perfect Girls, Starving Daughters: The Frightening New Normalcy of Hating Your Body, will be published by Simon & Schuster's Free Press next month. Read more about her work at www.courtneyemartin.com.
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See more stories tagged with: wealth, the secret, law of attraction, wallace d. wattles

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Wait...I like this:
[Report this comment]
Posted by: Robba29 on Mar 26, 2007 12:47 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
I am imagining the impeachment of GWB.
I am imagining withdrawal from Iraq...

Uh, I am Imagining...
All the people, living life in peace

You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one...

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» RE: Wait...I like this: Posted by: yeimaya
» RE: Wait...I like this: Posted by: Robba29
» RE: Wait...I like this: Posted by: NAYDAR
» RE: Wait...I like this: Posted by: Solar Wind
» visualize world peace Posted by: hopeforpeace
» RE: visualize world peace Posted by: green1

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No Secret
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Posted by: Lector on Mar 26, 2007 1:05 AM   
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Getting an Oprah Winfrey endorsed book or film is like money in the bank. Oprah has done some great things but at the same time she also contributes to feeding the consumer society with things they don't always need to pay for. The idea in The Secret is nothing new or secret.

The "law of attrtaction" idea has been around for at least fifty years and year after year supposedly altruistic people are making money off of it from self-help instruction. You really want to learn about the law of attraction you can learn about it for nothing in Buddhism or Zen or a number of belief systems. That's probably where these authors got it from.

Robert L. Lightfoot

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» RE: No Secret Posted by: VannaLaRoche
» RE: No Secret Posted by: gerry632000
» RE: No Secret Posted by: Lauren
» The Teachings of Abraham Posted by: Shakti
» RE: No Secret Posted by: jazz35

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This book is powerful and right on!
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Posted by: Bobsays on Mar 26, 2007 1:07 AM   
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I have experimented with my own life on the power of positive thinking: and it works. There is a direct correlation in my own life between times when I have been successful - and the stuff just floods in - and when I have allowed negative, mostly lefty, thoughts to pollute my mind.

While it is true the world is a screwed up place with many systemic problems, you will have next no impact on them if you remain a disempowered ball of negativity. You must become positive and successful in order to shape the world around you. That is the secret.

This means ditching or firewalling anybody in your life who is negative and is not wishing you well. That may sound cruel, but you will pay a heavy price for letting these people stay in your life.

Remember this: at the end of the day, when friends and colleagues have come and gone, when people have passed on, the only real friend you will have is money. And money is the friend who will take you out to dinner at a nice restaurant. It won't be Al Gore, or Bill Clinton, or a good friend from ten years ago who thinks you are a loser.

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» well said, Jory Posted by: off-the-radar 2
» Avalon Seeker Posted by: Lady X
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» "Money can't buy me Love" Posted by: mr. green

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The Noble Truths
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Posted by: wildeyes on Mar 26, 2007 2:27 AM   
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The first noble truth is that suffering exists. We have all experienced this in one form or another, be it material or spiritual deprivation.
The second noble truth is that suffering is caused by attachment. This can be attachment to things, materials, ideas, expectations, or even particular senses of identities.
The third noble truth is that suffering can be alleviated by letting go of these attachments.
The fourth noble truth is the eightfold path, which says that if we follow a plan with the right orientation, we can alleviate our own suffering, and through this, alleviate the suffering of others (as we become more compassionate beings in the process).

So in a way, this book and idea are premised on some good ideas, namely that a shift in the way we think can better our lives, but it seems to do so only in the sense that a change in thinking will naturally bring about external changes which will in some way make us happy. But a true internal transformation leads one to realize that there is a wellspring of happiness within us that is not reliant on these outside forces to be unlocked. We can do it ourselves, right here, right now.

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Anyone who believes this crap is an idiot
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Posted by: jwc on Mar 26, 2007 3:12 AM   
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need i say more?

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to have and to be
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Posted by: Poederbach on Mar 26, 2007 3:30 AM   
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Welcome to the world of grabbers and ignorance.
Think about the difference between to have and to be, imagine to have being the the dark soil of the earth and to be the stars the sun the birds in the sky or stronger and more religiuos hell and heaven. It all falls back to education.

I agree anyone believeng this Secret crap is an idiot, how many idots are out there? Ask the publisher.

Some one is making money about the ignorence of others, this should be a criminal offence though.

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Your beliefs determine your reality...
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Posted by: helgerry on Mar 26, 2007 3:38 AM   
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I watched the Secret, I'm not too impressed by it although it's a good step in the right direction (of empowering people). Not long ago I attended a workshop for something along the same line but much more effective called Psych-K...
Then I became convinced of the power of the unconscious mind. And when you finally learn how to correctly program the unconscious with the beliefs you want, the results will be amazing! Simple but powerful techniques!
We're indeed co-creators of our reality (individually and collectively)! When you know that, then you take responsibility for your thoughts and your actions (no more victim mentality) and you stop giving your power to external sources (authority figures, role models or an imaginary "out there" kind of God). That's the real Secret!!

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I am imagining...
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Posted by: xbj on Mar 26, 2007 3:42 AM   
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I am imagining a world where a Bush, a Cheney, a Rumsfeld, a Rice, a Rove would never ever come even CLOSE to power, or if they did, they would be assassinated long before they could order their brainless "patriot" minions to kill a single defenseless innocent child.

I am imaginging an America that they couldn't EVER turn Nazi, a Pacifist Christianity that couldn't ever be perverted into a Nazi Regime (Israel) supporting political movement supporting genocide of Islam "evildoers" while supporting a war mongering war profiteering US government that was doing EVERYTHING IN ITS POWER to TURN ALL OF ISLAM into "Jihadists" to the last man, woman, and child, and declare that "Those who are not for us are against us" and "We will wipe all evildoers [we have created AND WILL CONTINUE TO CREATE by OUR violence] from the face of the earth."

I am imagining an America leading a world so highly evolved that NO ONE WAS ALLOWED TO EVER MAKE A SINGLE PENNY OF PROFIT off war and killing. EVER.

I am imagining an America where political contributions are limited to US citizens, one contribution per one candidate per one campaign only in the amount of $500. No exceptions, no corporations, no foreign citizens, no foreign governments, no PEOPLE OF DUAL CITIZENSHIP could ever contribute a single penny to any political campaign or group or organization.

Will I attract that America to me by imagining all this?

Here is your answer:

Now I am imagining America nuked from sea to shining sea by everything the rest of the world can throw at it in just retribution for all the US government has done since 1948 and all the innocents that have been murdered while all the Americans merely stood silently by, hands over hearts, waving flags and watching Ted Mack's "Amateur Hour" morph through "The Gong Show" and "Star Search" into "American Idol."

Now I am imagining how the rest of the world will cheer, and the very universe itself will heave a sigh of relief that, for a short time at least, a malignant cancer that otherwise would have proven undoubtedly fatal had finally been excised from the planet earth.

That's what I'm imagining, Oprah.

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» RE: I am imagining... Posted by: makeadifference
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» RE: I am imagining... Posted by: xbj

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to be and to have 2
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Posted by: Poederbach on Mar 26, 2007 3:45 AM   
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Once written on the school's blackboard,
the verb to have and the verb to be;
with this were time, were eternity given;
one reality, the other varnish

To have is nothing, is war, is not to live,
belonging to the world and its gods.
To be is, elevated over those things
and be stricken with heavenly pain.

To have is tough, is body, is two breasts,
is to be hungry and thirsty for the soil,
is just senses, solely dull duty.

To be is the soul, is listening, is yielding,
is to become a child and watch the stars
and slowly being lifted there.


Poem by Ed Hoornick

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» RE: You missed the point... Posted by: HeroesAll
» RE: You missed the point... Posted by: dangerouslysane
» RE: You missed the point... Posted by: pingoo
» RE: You missed the point... Posted by: boing007
» Selling Hope Posted by: mtspace

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Rod Parsley for the rest of the world
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Posted by: browsercat on Mar 26, 2007 4:20 AM   
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"Name it and claim it' in a different guise. The popularity of this material should help explain why huckster TV preachers are so popular: they promise wealth, health and all the rest ['for your seed faith love offering of whatever you believe God for].

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Wrong Market
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Posted by: Urstrly on Mar 26, 2007 4:53 AM   
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Interesting isn't it, that we're not sharing The Secret with those starving folks in Darfur or the civilians in Iraq. This is bound to be popular in New Orleans, so much simpler than addressing the structural issues that contribute to people's misery.

I fear Oprah's been rich so long she really wants to believe that everyone has access to the wealth she enjoys. A few years ago, I caught her pushing Juicy Couture one afternoon, and I thought how could any woman be so dumb as to allow a designer to advertise on her butt? As you know, many women followed her lead. I guess those designers were thinking positive.

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» RE: Wrong Market Posted by: huggybean

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I have been
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Posted by: Fat Man at the Buffet Line on Mar 26, 2007 5:01 AM   
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experimenting with this stuff. It is very hard to grasp, but it is true. If you think negative thoughts the reality is negative. Yeah bad shit happens all the time thats true, but if you never stop being a positive thinker the wave of positve results will follow you. It is all just a matter of changing and being aware of your thoughts and the results....How many of you really would like to make that nagging fear in the back of your thoughts just stop. I know I would, so I am consciously slowly changing from negative to positive... and ya know what? It works.

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» RE: I have been Posted by: jwc
» Nothing New.... Posted by: CatDad
» Reprehensible Oprah Posted by: Domokun

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Another corporate idea?
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Posted by: setterwoman on Mar 26, 2007 5:32 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
I can't help but wonder what corporation sponsored this idea and book. Yes, positive thinking is a good thing, but it's also a guilt trip for the poor, a denial of what's good for the environment, a denial of what power does to keep people in poverty.

I have seen the harm this idea does when it's a prescription for everything among "charismatic" Christians and New Age groups. I have seen the guilt trips, the judgment, the denial of social ills caused by corruption in government and corporate power.

I've experienced the inability to think positively due to chemical/hormonal imbalance. Correct it and positive thinking is back.

This idea denies the value of experiencing some pain that can make a person deeper and more compassionate. It denies reality when taken to this extreme. It denies an avenue for personal growth. It makes people superficial...and consumer driven.

I'd rather have compassion and integrity than be a positive thinking drivel-driven, consumer-driven communicator.

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» Very powerful words.... Posted by: CatDad

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shallow
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Posted by: mcat on Mar 26, 2007 5:36 AM   
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Shallow


There’s no end to what we want.
The windows are full and the mind is thin.
Look at the accessories; we have what we sought.

Don’t assume there’s a deeper plot
or pretend the clouds are close; again
there’s no end to what we want.

In the malls, our arms carry what we were taught
by our mothers and fathers: avarice is not a sin…
Gaze at all these accessories; the glee to have what we sought.

These plush easy years between have got
to end sometime. Forget the 1930s, soup lines, the depression
since there’s no end to what we want:

fashion, trinkets, more stuff than anyone could want.
Waiter, bring us 2 more martinis for fun
and don’t leer at our accessories; you can’t have what we want.


Outside under the trees, the cold days wait
teeter and mumble; we cannot purchase the sun?
There’s no end to what we want.
Look at my accessories; we have what we sought.

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» RE: shallow Posted by: dangerouslysane

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Totally absurd, dangerously so
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Posted by: HeWhoProfesses on Mar 26, 2007 5:47 AM   
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Being positive and having healthy thoughts increases the chances of success?

Look at all the warped people who are or have been highly "successful."

George W. Bush - He's delusional and a moron, and if he weren't the son of a president, he probably would have gone nowhere. Yet, he is President, and has often had his way as President, and in that sense he is successful.

Adolf Hitler - He wasn't a very positive character by a long shot. But he became dictator of Germany and conquered most of Europe, and halfway succeeded in his goal of killing all the Jews in Europe. By the standard of his own goals, he was, for a time, successful.

Joseph Stalin - Not exactly a bundle of joy, either. But he was the most powerful dictator in world history. He transformed Russia from an agricultural society into an industrial powerhouse. By his own goals, considering that he was power hungry and did have some real communist-utopian idealism, he was successful.

The list of warped people who are or have been highly successful - according to whatever cracked vision they hold - goes on and on. Many of them fell from grace, but they still have a place in the history books and will be, in this sense, immortal. And let's not discount the fact that many people with towering ambition will accept infamy over positive popularity.

Here's a few more samples from the list.

Nixon

Mao

Dick Cheney - Originally from a poor family, then a millionaire CEO, then Vice President.

Donald Rumsfeld

Ronald Reagan - From a poor family, then an actor (even if in second-rate movies), then President.

On the whole, these fellows were not terribly positive - even if Reagan could act like a supposed great communicator in front of the cameras. And although they were, in a way, successful, their notions of success ran the gamut of ignorance, callousness, and even atrocity.

So: A positive outlook is not necessary for success. Moreover, there are many forms of success, and definitions of success are to some extent subjective, in that other people might regard one man's vision of success as quite something else.

The two main points of the book - positive thinking gets you to success, and you should be seeking success - are contradicted by rather startling evidence.

Now, most people don't want a form of personal success that will damage others or the natural environment. I hyperbolized above to illustrate the twin fallacies of the book's premises. But why buy into such an argument even while looking for more mundane results?

This book promotes the concept of the triumph of the will. It promotes hard-headedness and hard-heartedness - have a goal, obsess with it, block out bad thoughts (like considerations of the negative consequences of that goal), live in a linear dream world. Such a world would be a mental prison - a little island of fantasy within an ocean of neglected reality. What this book promotes is, essentially, fascism-lite.

Simple people, who enjoy the basic things in life, are usually the best people.

I've mainly discussed the moral and logical fallacies of this book's arguments. I won't even go into its total neglect of physics and natural science.

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» Brilliant Posted by: CatDad

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More Babbit-ism
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Posted by: ekwhite on Mar 26, 2007 5:48 AM   
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'The Secret' seems to take spiritual truths and add a materialistic spin to them. It seems to equate money with happiness, when money is demonstrably NOT equal to happiness (if so, then Prince Siddhartha would never have left his palace).

The truth, as I see it, is that what you think does matter, but only if you act on those thoughts. I believe that what you do matters more than what you think. If you act with love and kindness, love and kindness will come back to you. If you act selfishly, you will reap your rewards in kind.

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» bingo Posted by: MartianBachelor

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Happiness
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Posted by: eltiki on Mar 26, 2007 5:57 AM   
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The problem is that people desire happiness but equate that with material wealth. It is true that material wealth makes life easier, but it doesn't guarantee happiness. With the Secret, people may be barking up the wrong tree. It's better to imagine what makes you happy, and to focus on that. A Tibetan monk was once asked about what he thought about celebrities pursuing Buddhism, and he said it was great because they of all people know that fame and wealth does not make them happy. When I visualize success, I imagine doing what I love best, and often it is true that it takes no money to achieve that.

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» RE: Happiness Posted by: JoshuaLudd
» RE: Happiness Posted by: Lauren

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The dark side of the American dream
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Posted by: KeepsonTickn on Mar 26, 2007 6:22 AM   
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I glanced through "The Secret," and I have to admit it was tempting. What an easy fix to all my problems. It is full of quotes from exceedingly smart, capable people saying "You can be just like me if you just have the right attitude, or think the right thoughts."

Strangely, no matter how I massage and manipulate my attitude and my thoughts, I find that I am no smarter and no more capable as a result. The flip side of this belief system is that any failure to succeed comes from a failure to think the "right" thoughts - a new age adaptation of the Puritan ethic.

Even the crippled and mentally challenged among us have Forest Gump to look to. So even those who struggle to keep minimum wage jobs can share in the collective guilt of unmet potential.

Read "The Bell Curve" if you would like to find what the real secret behind success and failure is. A breathtaking range of social problems are intimately tied to low intelligence. If we could develop a system that offset these disadvantages for a significant portion of our population, then we would truly have found "The Secret."

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Magic
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Posted by: Lizmv on Mar 26, 2007 6:32 AM   
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"Magic is the art of changing consciousness at will" - Dion Fortune

This is a basic tenant of my personal spiritual path. However, as I am bound by the Rede: If it harm none, do as you will. In other words, I must be sure that all my acts will harm no living being or even the Earth itself. (Not that I am perfect in this practice!)

At the last big ritual I attended, 200 witches gathered to make magic. Yes, personal gain was in mind. But the ritual was for healing the destruction caused by the toxins we are pouring on the Earth. So the personal gain is a clean environment.

I'm not against using the power of positive thinking or "magic" for personal gain. We all have needs to be met. But a big house filled with toys is not a NEED.

Imagine a world where people prayed, meditated, worked "magic" for their needs to be instead of their wants.

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» RE: Magic Posted by: Lauren

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Midas
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Posted by: Suzen on Mar 26, 2007 6:33 AM   
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Perhaps this would be a good time to look again at the story of King Midas. He chose to turn everything into gold so he would be the richest man in the world. The day he touched his beloved daughter and turned her into gold, he really got a face full of what it means to have material riches . The price was to give up what he valued most in his heart -- his child.

We are told the Universe will deliver what we want - it will also extract from us what the Native Americans call a ' give away'. In other words nothing is free. Before choosing a big house or fancy car, perhaps it would be a good idea to look at what you might have to give up to have such things. "The Secret" seems like an introduction to self examination of the highest order. By giving people what they think they want, the Universe will show people what they really need.

The laws of physics are the laws of Nature. The Laws of the Universe are those same laws. We have free will to draw to ourselves whatever we want, but at what expense? Bottom line ---- be very careful what you wish for.

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Same old message...
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Posted by: JoshuaLudd on Mar 26, 2007 6:34 AM   
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To be happy.. to be fulfilled... you just NEED MORE STUFF!

Gee.. why is this message so popular? Partly because it is a whole lot easier than the alternative that leads to true happiness. That being, appreciating what you do have, persuing having "enough" only after first developing an actual understanding of what is "enough" and what is "too much", finding your relationships with other people to be of supreme value... because when something bad does happen the things you own can't give you any support and they certainly can't put their arms around you or tell you it will all be alright eventually.

Don't bother with anyone who claims they can make you rich (why are they having to schlep their book/DVD to you if they actually knew how to get rich... except by... schlepping you their book/DVD) and certainly don't bother with anyone who claims they can make you happy... by making you rich.

Being rich might be nice in some ways... but without addressing the real reasons you are unhappy with your life, no amount of money is going to change that for very long, if at all.

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» RE: Same old message... Posted by: MartianBachelor
» RE: Same old message... Posted by: Lauren

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Oprah and Consumerism
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Posted by: roy.parker on Mar 26, 2007 6:42 AM   
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Oprah is a great proponent of consumerism hence her wealth. But as with all things there are two sides to this 'Secret'.
To desire the means of acquiring 'things' is surely not a bad thing- rather than just desiring the things. Things need to be maintained and wealth is required for that.
However I seem to see that indigent people do lack desire.
Perhaps they have been beaten down too much.

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85 years ago
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Posted by: Lloyd Drako on Mar 26, 2007 6:56 AM   
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a little Frenchman by the name of Emile Coue made a bundle selling Americans on the idea of "self-mastery through conscious auto-suggestion," to be attained through incessant repetition of the words, "Every day in every way, I am getting better and better." Like market bubbles that rise when those who can remember the last bust have passed on, this stuff just keeps coming back in new packages every generation or so.

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» RE: Emile Coue and Hypnotism Posted by: saywhat
» RE: 85 years ago Posted by: Lauren

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It's okay to be rich...
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Posted by: BeeGee on Mar 26, 2007 6:58 AM   
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I first read Wattle's book Financial Success about 10 years ago. The first time I read it, I got a bonus at work. The next few readings culminated in my receiving over half a million dollars in stock option profit. In short, it worked in my case. And the words expressed in his book, and The Secret, refer back to many of Jesus' parables in the New Testament of the Bible. These statements of the Law of Attraction, with reference to the Bible, are a staple of Ernest Holmes' wonderful writings uopn which the Science of Mind and Church of Religious Science churches are based. However, one thing this article overlooks is that when Wattles, Holmes, and Jesus are talking about attraction, they aren't necessarily talking about attracting McMansions. They talk about attracting knowledge, wisdom, compassion, enlightenment, and even money that can be used to serve -- to eliminate hunger, poverty, and sickness in the world. Is that such a bad thing?

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» RE: It's okay to be rich... Posted by: redjenny
» There is no 'Law of Attraction' Posted by: MartianBachelor

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a substitute for religion
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Posted by: zooeyhall on Mar 26, 2007 7:02 AM   
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This shameless huksterism is no different in princple then what you get from some of the religions in this country. The message from both of them is that if you simply really truly BELIEVE strong enough then all your problems will magically disappear.

They also have a flip side implying that if you are not successful, then obviously there is some moral failing on your part. You just didn't friggin' believe in Jesus-Oprah- enough!

As for Oprah, I haven't watched her in years, after I came to the conclusion that she is nothing more than a shameless selfpromoter and typical of the crap for what passes as entertainment today.

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A NOTE FROM ONE OF THOSE THREE PEOPLE
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Posted by: VZEQICVA on Mar 26, 2007 7:04 AM   
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I haven't heard of "The Secret" but I sure know who Oprah is. Since the beginning of time there have been million dollar ideas. And people buy into it. I hope Oprah isn't crossing over a line here and taking advantage of people who truly trust and admire her. She has an unprecedented following and is a decent woman. But she knows that success takes more than buying the right book or DVD. And it is about BUYING.
Thanks, ANNA

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I believe the number is wrong
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Posted by: bookmonger on Mar 26, 2007 7:04 AM   
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If you are one of like three people left who haven't heard about The Secret

Opened the article, read it, asked the significant other, neither of us has ever heard of it. I strongly suspect... oh - silly me. I forget that we live in a cave. Gosh, we don't even own cellphones ! I suppose the concept of working to earn something is beyond consideration, saving up to pay in full anathema.

Wait, wait, I know ! "What is work ? What is saving ?" hahaha

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Visualize in-tact polar ice caps, glaciers, ice bergs and polar bears.
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Posted by: veggiegrrrl on Mar 26, 2007 7:06 AM   
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Visualize in-tact polar ice caps, glaciers, ice bergs and polar bears.

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» Visualize a solar and wind economy Posted by: veggiegrrrl
» Visualize clean water Posted by: veggiegrrrl
» ekipnrut Posted by: veggiegrrrl
» RE: ekipnrut Posted by: ekipnrut

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"Name It and Claim It".......
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Posted by: picket on Mar 26, 2007 7:25 AM   
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Elmer Gantry types have been the downfall of many. Like sheep the followers are led astray to lives of physical or emotional death.

Oprah is an interesting study in human nature. She has the background to relate to the oppressed and gives many hope and energy to strive forward out of poverty BUT her heart is more and more with Hollywood and the Stars. She promotes ideas that are like a religion.

Still ......."it is good to know that no man or woman of the humblest sort can really be strong, gentle, pure, and good, without the world being better for it, without somebody being helped and comforted by the very existence of that goodness." Phillip Brooks[1835-1893]

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New Age Cult of Oprah
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Posted by: NoPCZone on Mar 26, 2007 7:27 AM   
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Orca (I'm sorry Oprah) Winfrey got her big break when Phil Donohue decided to leave Chicago for the Big Crapple & his ultimate video demise. While not as lowbrow as all the other talkers, Orca (sorry again) was way more touchy feely and avoided most of what were staples of Donohue. Where Donohue would have authors of real books on- Orca (there it goes again) specializes in the literary equivalent of Lifetime TV- or worse.

Like most who get some level of success and notoriety, she began to subscribe to her own BS and PR. To me she, more than Geraldo Rivera or Maury Povitch, is the poster child for what is wrong with the media. Lining her pockets for pumping the same old BS that embraces everything and stands for nothing.

I'm here calling BS on Orca (I hate it when it does that), her cult and whatever life changing face cream she is pimping today. The Empress of daytime TV has no clothes & I'm saying put some clothes on.

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» RE: New Age Cult of Oprah Posted by: rwmk12
» RE: New Age Cult of Oprah Posted by: particle
» Oprah Windbag and the problem w/no name Posted by: MartianBachelor
» RE: New Age Cult of Oprah Posted by: Lauren
» RE: New Age Cult of Oprah Posted by: dangerouslysane
» RE: New Age Cult of Oprah Posted by: huggybean

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Secret Lies
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Posted by: rwmk12 on Mar 26, 2007 7:32 AM   
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The fact that this lady got rich off of offering the public a smig of esoteric teachings, which are largely perverted by the film, is troubling. She is as shameless as the kabbalah center. I think Ken Wilber said it best when he called the secret an extension of boomeritis, which is his observation of the promotion of "me"/narcissism in the boomer generation, and even more so in the echo generation. Magick, a la the Secret, is merely an extension of the ultimate ego boost - 666 - the number of your self/Ego--- the beast, or your beast nature. "I am the universal mind and what I desire will be fulfilled". This is what is known as black magic, or magic that aims to promote the material self, versus the spirit's compliance with divine will, which would be White Magick. That said, you don't have to look to esotericism to find such matters. Mind over matter (Plato/Plotinus/Hermes x3), and I am my habits/actions (Aristotle), are all you need to dwell on to derive the real benefits of such said secrets.

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» RE: Secret Lies Posted by: Lauren

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More hokum
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Posted by: nopuppy on Mar 26, 2007 7:34 AM   
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This is an old, old bit of chicanery, and it always seems to work. Yes, visualizing some things make them more likely to happen - obviously, if you can't visualize success, or love, or making a lot of money, you have less chance of getting them. But to extrapolate this simple bit of common sense to a personal philosophy is evidence of the vast self-delusion the human mind is capable of. For most of us it will lead to some financial trouble and despair; for others, like Bobsays above, it leads to nasty pettiness, cruelty, and the selfish inanity that is the worst of Republicanism.

No, people, reality is NOT created by your desires. Your life is not all there is to the world. Human life is not all there is to the world. The world exists whether you do or not. It was around long before humans stomped upon it, it will be here long after we've incinerated ourselves. Instead of cowering in dread of reality and embracing this kind of empty-headed secular bull, or the equally empty-headed theological bull that the Falwells and Haggards and Popes preach, come to grips with the fact that you aren't in control of everything that happens.

Study philosophy to see what conclusions the smartest people who ever lived came to about how to cope with the startling fact that we are not in charge of the universe. Come up with your own philosophy, don't buy it from a half-assed self-help DVD or book. Dealing with reality is the true victory. That's what real bravery is. That's what intelligence is for. That's what being human is all about.

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» RE: More hokum Posted by: Theriomorph
» Read Nopuppy's sensible assessment Posted by: Jerichomorning

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Insightful Review
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Posted by: Gravitas on Mar 26, 2007 7:35 AM   
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Wonderful review. Anyone who buys into The Secret is not a bright person. It takes some profound philosophy and simplifies it to its most basic marketable level. It is nothing more than a gimmick. The author is also gutless! For instance, she says if you don't want to be fat, don't look at fat people. Since fatness is a popular prejudice she can get away with it. But by that logic, if you don't want cancer later on in life, avoid your friends who have cancer etc. That is the logical implication, yet she would never have the cojones to say it. I have also lost much respect for Oprah over the decades. She started off with some true spiritual leaders, like Gary Zucoff! But now all she poplularizes are quacks who sell like Dr. Phil. I guess keeping it simple for the public is her way to big bucks! I'll stick with the work of the mystic Edgar Cayce who advocated the power of thought much sooner than this bimbo. But he also advocated social justice and action along with those thoughts!

"Weight obsession is a social disease. If we cared more about CO2 than BMI there would still be time."

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» Edgar Cayce Posted by: makeadifference

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great article
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Posted by: karyse on Mar 26, 2007 7:41 AM   
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First, this was a great article and well written.

Second, man-o-man-o-man, do I feel sorry for some of the posters who think that having stuff is the indicator of success., and I feel even sorrier for their friends, family, and acquaintences who may have hit upon hard times or illness, or both.

Third, I wonder how many people in my life believe that it was something I did, or didn't do, that caused my breast cancer, got my husband killed in an accident, or took away all my money.

I am so grateful for my friends, who help me on a daily basis with my daily needs (which doesn't include replacing my old jalopy of a car). I love them all and they love me (warts and all).

Don't these people who want all this stuff understand "It's a Wonderful Life" every year?"

I am imagining a world where everyone understands that unlike money, love is available to everyone in unlimited quantity.

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» RE: great article Posted by: raymondg
» RE: great article Posted by: karyse

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Downside of "The Secret" But Basic Concept Remains Powerful
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Posted by: drricklippin on Mar 26, 2007 7:58 AM   
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Courtney Martin has written well on the downside of "The Secret" phenom.

But don't throw the baby out with the bathwater!

The law of attraction and the power of human intention are very powerful forces.

It's about time they became popularized.

But I agree our intentions need to be values based. We will mature as a culture when we finally discover that people are more important than things.

Dr. Rick Lippin
Southampton, Pa

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Envisioning a Paycheck
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Posted by: lynned2002 on Mar 26, 2007 8:04 AM   
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Thank you for this great article. It articulated so many of the things I felt about the movie. I bought into some of it but then once it was clear it was all about money money money I was totally turned off.
I work for a start-up and we haven't had a paycheck for four months. Every time I ask the CEO what is going on he invokes "The Secret". eg, I need to dare to dream, or the guilt trip: if I think negative thoughts the company won't get money. Sadly I think he actually believes it. Now, I am envisioning a lawyer.

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» Victimize the Victim Posted by: makeadifference
» RE: Victimize the Victim Posted by: redjenny
» RE: nvisioning a Paycheck Posted by: mememe

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You don't sell enlightenment
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Posted by: VannaLaRoche on Mar 26, 2007 8:32 AM   
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I've been proselytized by any number of New Age healers, shamans, seekers, philosophers, cult members. They all talked in emotional terms about how their meditation/visualization/thought-training techniques made them better people and how the investment of money was always, always, always worth it. And they all said, "It's not about spending money--it's about making an investment in your life."

They presented their message to me in the most crisis-driven terms, as something they were anointed to spread to as many people as possible, to help this wounded world before it is too late! Because if everyone just followed their principles, well, the whole of humanity would benefit.

But they would withhold this humanity-saving information until I had the money for their fee. No, they couldn't possibly give it away. It had monetary value, a specific monetary value, and they couldn't deviate from that. There were other activities that needed to be supported, and the essential eternal message could not be given gratis. Sorry. But--financing is available!

Spiritual mercantilism is an oxymoron.

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It's called magical thinking
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Posted by: kathat on Mar 26, 2007 8:44 AM   
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it seems to me that a great many people are always searching for a way to elevate themselves from the norm.
You see it in religion, cults and in a 100 different ways in the way people live. They just don't want to accept that we are all in the same boat and no matter how financially successful we become, we are still just like everyone else.
Theres even a 'bad thinds don't happen to good people' belief known in psychology, that shows that people who have this belief are the least able to cope with tragic and catastrophic events in their lives.i.e... "How could this happen to me, I have done everything right!"

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Consider the target audience
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Posted by: ateo on Mar 26, 2007 9:22 AM   
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Housewives are disconnected from reality almost by definition (who can afford to be a house wife these days?).

If they want to sit on the couch thinking about expensive things and think those thoughts will somehow make their husband make more money then let them.

However, the book itself is clearly complete and utter garbage.

Positive thinking in general though, is at worst no better than negative thinking and in general demonstrably better.

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Great Article!
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Posted by: Bignerd27 on Mar 26, 2007 9:34 AM   
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I'm all for positive thinking, yes; but I totally agree with the author that positive thinking alone will not alleviate poverty, disease, sexism, homophobia, assault, rape or all the other atrocities inherent in systems. The "positive thinking changes everything" mentality wreaks of victim-blaming. To suggest that someone living in poverty is there because they just don't want "it" (ie, money, wealth, success) enough or that someone who is harassed, assaulted, raped, or murdered is somehow putting out the energy to invite that aggression in is irresponsible and downright cruel. It completely takes the responsibility off of the aggressors in these scenarios. I'm sick of the perpetuation of this belief that if one wishes for "it" enough and pulls themself up firmly by their bootstraps that they'll achieve that ridiculous dream of wealth and success. It's impossible in a hierarchical system (ie, capitalism) for EVERYONE to achieve that highest level. Capitalism thrives off the people scraping by on the bottom tier. I'd like to believe Oprah has good intentions by spewing this stuff, but really, it's condescending, unrealistic, and frighteningly dangerous.

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Norman Vincent Peale. Didn't he write all kinds of books about
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Posted by: albrechtkrausse on Mar 26, 2007 9:40 AM   
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this years ago? Seems like this lady is just recycling his old ideas (that are sorta common sense philosophy but added the element of training/hyponotising yourself to think in the positive patterns.)

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Buy Low, Sell High
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Posted by: pckurp on Mar 26, 2007 9:40 AM   
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I agree with the underlying premise of The Secret; I just couldn't get through the movie because the materialistic aspects of it were too nauseating and the rest of it was too simplistic.

The concept of creating your own reality/taking back your power has been around for eons -- it's usually presented WITHOUT the materialistic slant and focused more on spiritual/positive energy.

You can create change and bring what you want into your life, but not just by thinking about it. Sitting on the couch eating chocolates while strongly visualizing that next job probably won't work as well as networking, calling friends and acquaintances, posting to job boards, creating a website, doing whatever possible to make contacts -- all the time envisioning the work/career wanted and remaining as positive as possible about it.

Visualizing the kind of experience you want is important, but it also takes a plan, creativity, independent research, willpower, flexibility, patience and perseverance. The Secret reminded me of so many get-rich-quick schemes or the appeal of magic pills to cure all problems (aka: laziness/denial).

It is similar to organized religion, government and big corporations sending/selling the message that if you give away your power to them, let them make your decisions for you and control you, give them your money, just have faith and believe in them, all you have to do is sit back and everything will be fine because they'll take care of it! The man in the sky will make everything happen, the next political party in "power," etc. Someone or something else can't do it for you and it isn't magically going to fall from the sky just because you prayed or envisioned it.

It doesn't mean that if bad things happen to you, it's your fault because you're not positive enough or visualizing correctly either (e.g., illness, job loss, bankruptcy, death of loved ones, etc.). Maybe you made poor choices or it was just out of your control.

I think being true to yourself -- what you like, what you don't like, what you believe -- and making conscience choices that reflect that is The Secret. If you can address any fears of the unknown, fears of failure, fears of success and forge ahead anyway, well, that's also The Secret...

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The Law of Karma
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Posted by: anonimus1 on Mar 26, 2007 9:49 AM   
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It amazes me how IGNORANT Westerners are of the world around them. The concept of the law of karma not only predates "the Secret" by several thousand years, it is REALITY. It is truth. The truth is already readily available. Having to repackage it in a useless format is testament to how useless the modern pseudo-Christianity is to its believers, and how they will do anything to adopt other belief systems that really work, in order to make Christianity work.

It's DISGUSTING!!!!

From Wikipedia --

Karma is a sum of all that an individual has done, is currently doing and will do. The results or "fruits" of actions are called karma-phala. Karma is not about retribution, vengeance, punishment or reward, karma simply deals with what is. The effects of all deeds actively create past, present and future experiences, thus making one responsible for one's own life, and the pain and joy it brings to others. In religions that incorporate reincarnation, karma extends through one's present life and all past and future lives as well. It is cumulative.

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Who cares?
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Posted by: Boomerang on Mar 26, 2007 9:51 AM   
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For the record, I own a copy of The Secret. My mother, an eternal optimist, gave it to me for Christmas.

That said, who cares if a book full of nonsense is #1 on the bestseller list? It's not like this is the first time this has happened. This is a stupid, stupid article. The book is pushing materialism? So? People push books that says the President is part of a secret group of lizard men. People sell books about aliens and the Illuminati conspiring to rule the world via mind control. People can publish books about anything they want, it doesn't make it true. The only real advice in the book is "think positive," which really isn't bad advice at all. Stop denouncing everything that strikes you as a little bit strange just because you don't like it.

And if someone living in poverty is dumb enough to think that just thinking good thoughts about the future is going to drag them out of poverty rather than working hard and bettering themselves, then I'm sorry to burst your utopian bubble, but that dumbass deserves to be poor. The only way to have the things you want (or even need) is to go out and work for them, period.

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I thought that liberals didn't have thick skulls, but I was wrong...
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Posted by: Idunno on Mar 26, 2007 9:57 AM   
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I'm assuming that mostly liberals read Alternet and now I'm perplexed as to why this group dosen't understand "The Secret". The author, Alternet, and it's readers seem to see consumerism and self-centered thinking in "The Secret" (and condemn and name-call those who have faith in it just like those Republicans beride liberals with name-calling when they haven't a leg to stand on), but I see only solutions to these and other problems. Right thinking can bring you what you really want. If where you're currently at is self-centered consumerism and your self defense mechanisms make you blind to see this, and instead you "think" you're a "for the common man liberal" then I think that "The Secret" could expose those self-centered desires and derail those self defense mechanisms. I'm into service to others, and "The Secret" has given me a quantum leap in my ability to serve others and that, of course, brings me more joy and bliss... a connection with God. Oh, and by the way... monetary wealth too. If more of us had spiritual and monetary wealth, the world's woes would vanish. Alternet, and its readers should be ashamed that they've spent precious time not looking for answers, and instead reverted to name-calling and knocking down something that they don't understand... just like a thick headed Republican.

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Secret Revealed Only to Those Ready For It
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Posted by: gerry632000 on Mar 26, 2007 10:06 AM   
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The secret is much like an optical illusion. You may never see the real picture until you are mentally ready for it. A negative mind set will never know the secret even when given all the ingredients and instructions. The "Law of Attraction" works everyday just as gravity does. It works just as well for good results as it does for bad results. Mix a little bad with a little good, and you get a net zero. But when one realizes he is the creator of his own experience, and that cognition plus emotion equals thought, and thought precedes form, regardless of governments or impoverished conditions, he then intends (commit to action) to mannifest his thought. We observe this occurring everyday before our own eyes. Most observers never analyze the process of creation. They just see and marvel, and the secret remains a secret as long as the negative prevails.

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» The emperor has no clothes... Posted by: JoshuaLudd

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The human brain does not control the universe.
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Posted by: fanny666 on Mar 26, 2007 10:07 AM   
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I appreciate some of the points made here. Barbara Ehrenreich made some of the same points long before this movie came out- that so many of the "Success Workshops" come very close to a blame-the-victim dogma. If you can't find a job it's not the failings of the pseudo-market system, it's your poopy attitude. My roommate was obsessed with The Secret, but I think has found some balance with the idea of positive thinking- which *is* important, but not everything.
( He runs the website Creative Power of Thought )

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» Krotos! Posted by: fanny666

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RE: The Secret
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Posted by: lovlilips on Mar 26, 2007 10:27 AM   
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Byrne and "The Secret" did not suggest that people should sit around dreaming their desires into existence. It specifically stated that people must actively take steps towards achieving there goals while simultaneously believing that those goals can be achieved.

Dreaming is passive. The individuals involved with this documentary never suggested that anyone be passive. It was stated that people MUST TAKE ACTION as well as dream to get the desired results.

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Hmmmm, let's see.......
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Posted by: hannah on Mar 26, 2007 10:28 AM   
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if I write this book telling people how to imagine themselves acquiring "things", then maybe they will imagine themselves acquiring my book, making me filthy rich in just days, JUST LIKE I IMAGINED!!!!!

Do you think she figured out that there's a fool born every minute??

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» RE: Hmmmm, let's see....... Posted by: mythbuster
» RE: Hmmmm, let's see....... Posted by: MartianBachelor

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Perhaps....
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Posted by: hannah on Mar 26, 2007 10:34 AM   
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it's not the content of her book that is attracting so many readers, maybe it's the title that holds the key. Afterall, how many humans aren't clamoring to learn a "secret"? She just picked the most perfect book title ever thought of. Afterall, the content of the book is all basically just common sense.

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Magick by any other name...
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Posted by: billjv on Mar 26, 2007 11:24 AM   
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"The Secret" is really just a small portion of what esoteric groups have been doing for many years. The problem with "The Secret" is that it only talks about the materialistic side of the puzzle. The whole idea of Magick is to do the inner work required to - first of all - understand what your true will actually IS, before trying to use the power of your mind to change your circumstances. Only then are you mentally prepared to understand what will really benefit you in your life, and not be focused on materialistic goals which benefit nobody, including yourself most of the time (if not all).

A practical example would be quitting smoking - you can buy the gum, patch, or any nicotine substitute to replace the act of smoking - but until you've mentally prepared for giving up smoking completely you will never be successful, although you may have temporarily set them aside. You must do the inner work required to "know thyself" before you can really understand what it is in life that you REALLY need. Some of that may be material in nature, but I think most who do this work realize that the materialistic stuff gets put waaay down on the priority list.

Selling the sizzle is what "The Secret" boils down to - using positive mental processes such as "The Secret" you CAN change your life, and help you get what you want, but be careful what you wish for. You may find yourself more miserable than before if all you do is focus on materialistic needs and not your own true will, which can only be discovered through hard inner/psychological work and self-analyzation. There are no shortcuts. It's no surprise tho that Americans are eating this stuff up - most all of them looking for a shortcut. For anyone considering this type of magickal thinking, I would first recommend that you learn more about what you are really doing, and understand how it can affect you, both positively and negatively. Everything has a balance, and nothing is without consequence.

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What are you afraid of?
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Posted by: Chellee on Mar 26, 2007 11:31 AM   
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The message in "The Secret" has been around forever, it's true, and it's also true that it could have been put in more spiritual terms, but the language of spirituality has a way of turning some people off, whereas money (only the first topic discussed) interests most everyone.

I first learned about the flow of energy and how we have control over it when I read James Redfield's books, "The Celestine Prophecy," "The Tenth Insight," and (coincidentally) "The Secret of Shambalah," books that changed my life and taught me that, indeed, what I put out there comes back ten-fold.

How can anyone dispute that everything is pure energy (scientific fact), that thoughts are energy that can be measured, that prayers have power, and that visualizing success (with strong belief behind it) creates success? The Secret is entirely true, there's not a disputable comment in the whole thing.

As the old saying goes, "Don't knock it til you try it." And I suspect that skeptics will only try half-heartedly and will not see results. That negativity, however, need not cloud the vision of the rest of us. Let those who feel comfort in despair hold on to it as long as they wish.

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» RE: What are you afraid of? Posted by: Krotos
» RE: What are you afraid of? Posted by: Chellee
» RE: What are you afraid of? Posted by: Krotos

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ATTENTION CREDIT GUILT FAULT I U ME WE THEY THEM SELF OTHER
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Posted by: timeless on Mar 26, 2007 11:46 AM   
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ALL WORDS EQUAL PALOMA..OMNIPRESENCE ALL..AH AHO GO TO MESSENGERS BLOG ON SOULCAST.COM OR DO WHAT EVER IT TAKES TO REALIZE THE RESULTS...SON..DAUGHTER..SELF EQUALS ZERO OTHERS ALL LEFT OVER EQUAL ZERO ...ZERO WORLD WITHOUT SIDEDS..ALL RECIEVED EQUAL SHARE WOULD BE 4000000 FOR EVERY YEAR OF BIRTH...LOOKING FOR ANOTHER OTHER TO FULLFILL THE VOID AVOID JOKE SON/DAUGHTER CHILD OF MATTER ALREADY ALOHA

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ANCIENT OCCULT -- HOW TO CREATE MANIFEST REALITY (DETAILS HERE)
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Posted by: anonimus1 on Mar 26, 2007 11:54 AM   
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Check this out --

http://www.thecobrasnose.com/xxghost/tulpa.html

This group and several groups like them around the world have created LIVING BEINGS and MATERIAL OBJECTS using pure thought, alone. The world "tul-pa" means "thought form," or literally "pattern replication." This concept comes from the Bon religion of Tibet -- the second oldest (9,000+ years) religion in existence today.

If you can replicate the frequency of something, you can create it. Replicating the frequency of a person (living or imaginary) or thing requires acting as if the thing is present. You must converse with the "idea" or "vision" of the thing and then know how to give it energy (usually sexual energy that is stored up through abstinence). The work of Ken Batcheldor discusses how to trick the mind into believing something exists, which is the key method for freeing up energy that would otherwise be blocked, preventing the manifestation from happening.

There are groups all over the world right now that are creating tulpas to do various deeds. However, recognize that Jesus and Christianity are also powerful tulpas, as are the focus of any large group effort.

I have been studying this phenomena for many years, and this is real. This is a very very advanced yoga practice, as well -- creating material objects and people, and then destroying them by removing their energy source (your own mind). This teaches the student about the true nature of reality.

As it turns out, when you really do your in-depth research on this topic, all of the world we experience and know is a tulpa, or thought form. All people and living beings are tulpas. A group agreed-upon thought form has more tangibleness and rigidity than one created by a single individual. This is why group mind and beliefs are powerful, as compared to the work of a single individual.

A tulpa that does not go through the "agreed upon" human birth process is known as a "tul-ka(h)." The Dalai Lama and many other lamas are such beings. They are literally "willed" into existence by others. They are born outside of the womb (immaculate conception). All processes in this world are "optional" in other words. Overcoming your ties to them is a matter of discipline, focus, collecting energy and having the right instructor or access to knowledge such as what I have posted here.

For historical info on tulpas, read this --
http://lkwdpl.org/wildideas/archegre.html

Tulpas are also known throughout history as egregores, homonculus, djinnis (genies), shoggoths, elementals, etc. Tulpas are intelligent and may in turn create their own tulpas, known as yang-tul and (if a yang-tul creates a tulpa) sprul-pa.

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» Nonsense Posted by: Krotos
» RE: Truth Posted by: anonimus1
» RE: Truth Posted by: Krotos
» RE: Truth Posted by: anonimus1
» RE: Truth Posted by: Lady X
» Kronos Posted by: anonimus1

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I lost all respect for Oprah when she had on Bill O'Lielly
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Posted by: Ellie1 on Mar 26, 2007 12:34 PM   
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as an expert on child abuse. He of the porn taping, porn loving, and Faux News liar. THAT O'L(R)ielly who stated that a young victim of a kidnapper probably enjoyed his experience. What is wrong with this woman? Has all of her money gone to her head? I have written complaints to her many times, and never received an answer. What a hypocrit they both are.

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I found out how I could have become richer...
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Posted by: Cheri on Mar 26, 2007 1:05 PM   
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I could have saved my money and not bought this book! I was looking for something spiritual, something enlightening and instead I found averice and bigotry. I find it a corruption of a wonderful principle to concentrate on the material like this book does. It's about nothing more that a shallow, selfish existance. It also promotes bigotry by advocating, as the way to lose weight, not looking at fat people. How silly, childish and shameful! No wonder Rhonda Byrne has dropped out of sight, she's embarrassed. The book began losing me early on when it "guarenteed" the law of attraction would work. Guarentee...oh please! The author took a very old idea and simply repackaged it for our modern, materialistic society! Anyone with common sense knows that positive thinking can "help" you attain your goals when coupled with dedication, hard work and vision but according the Rhonda Byrne all you need do is want it. Forget hard work or applying yourself! Just close your eyes, wish and click the heels of your ruby slippers together...

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discover a new secret you never knew about yourself
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Posted by: losho on Mar 26, 2007 1:13 PM   
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Whether you think it's good or bad, you're thinking about it. So all of you out there feeling so passionately that it's a bunch of crap...guess what...you are spending your value time and energy talking about crap then.

Most of us dismiss things we think are stupid and don't give them another ounce of our energy. So I ask you, why are you? So the secret isn't for you? Why not just give a little chuckle and go on with your life? What is it that drives you to write your passionate bash against it? Answer that and you'll learn a new secret about yourself.

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The Secret has disturbed a lot of people. But why?
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Posted by: helgerry on Mar 26, 2007 1:27 PM   
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Therefore there must be something to it... It's been attacked in just about every mainstream media outlet you can think of (NY Times, Wash. Post, Newsweek...) and now Alternet! What are you folks so afraid of about the Secret? Hmm... I wonder...

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» non sequitur Posted by: Krotos

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graehound
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Posted by: grae on Mar 26, 2007 2:05 PM   
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be careful what you wish for...you just might get it..
i can be your downfall

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visual world peace
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Posted by: hopeforpeace on Mar 26, 2007 2:50 PM   
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I am disappointed that The Secret DVD focuses so much on bringing wealth and possessions into your life. I use it to bring happiness and health and good relationships into mine. But I do think they're onto something - just imagine if there were only PEACE rallies rather than anti-war rallies. When they were on Oprah, Jack Canfield said that Mother Teresa was asked if she'd like to join an anti-war rally, and she said "no, but if you have a peace rally, I'll come." There is too much focus on the war and what everyone hates about it - if everyone hopes for peace, it WILL make a difference. He also said that the reason the least popular candidate often wins is because people give too much energy to hating the opponent of their favorite candidate. Look at all the energy that was focused towards George Bush - he won (though that's to be debated). If we give more positive energy to the candidate we want to win, rather than hating the opponent, maybe we can make a difference. But of course, it has to be done universally, not just by a few people.

I agree that the DVD focuses way too much on buying that huge mansion, or driving that Mercedes or wearing that diamond necklace. Health and happiness are so much more important. Money doesn't buy you happiness, it only gets you more stuff. If you're sitting in your mansion completely miserable, what's the point?

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A small bit of Zen-Taoist-Tantric
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Posted by: drblack on Mar 26, 2007 3:30 PM   
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These ides are OLD. Often attributed to the Indus river cities of 6 thousand years ago. It is where the non-theistic philosophies like Tantra-Taoism-Zen came from.
Some think jesus may have visited some of the yogi practicioners of these ides since some of his stuff sounds like theirs.
It certainly helps to be positive ...how anyone needs some book to tell them this common sense is beyond me. I believe Depak Chopra had some of these ideas,Celestine Prophesey, Linda Goodman.
I have studied this kind of hocus pocus for sometime. Every few years it comes along. The law of probability says that if millions buy this book then some will think it helped them because many people will have things work out after reading it. Most will have no such success.
Hard work ,common sense and some positive thinking are good....knowledge is the key.

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Capitalist Porn!
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Posted by: animalleaderisgreat on Mar 26, 2007 5:04 PM   
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I seem to recall Oprah giving away 100 new cars, and it made all the recipients FRESH and YOUNG and HAPPY and they were all so damn pretty I peed in my vicuna coat!

The really creepy thing about this line of thinking is it's about 1/3 of a step away from that whole Hay "having a fatal disease is the very best thing that could ever have happened to you, you young thing you!" and aren't we all so lucky AIDS and cancer are still with us so we, too, if we think really really really hard, can be just as wonderful as everyone who has fallen to those illnesses.

And are they for real? "Puttin' It Out There"??? Honey, I'm givin' it away!

I vomit on these people. And that's a truly positive thought.

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» RE: Capitalist Porn! Posted by: dangerouslysane

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here's the secret!
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Posted by: eosrk on Mar 26, 2007 6:10 PM   
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the secret is.....don't waste the money, and however you're managing your life is just fine, espically if you're saving money, remember all this book is to get somone who dosen't have anything better to do than to make money off other's misery, like....the goverment!

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Matter can be neither created nor destroyed
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Posted by: inothatcat on Mar 26, 2007 6:27 PM   
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Good rant on this very subject the other day on Theriomorph. The problem with the intrinsic laws of materialization through thought as miraculously revealed in THE SECRET (from what I can gather from all the copy generated, not because I shelled out cash to actually read it) is not that that the universe does NOT operate by this rule, but that it DOES. This principle is the basis of empire, enterprise, and capitalism, i.e., GETTING SOMETHING FOR NOTHING, an undertaking to which the authors have harnessed themselves quite snugly and smugly. They, like most of the Western World don't seem to be bothered by the fact that in order for one man to profit, another man must suffer. Those dollar bills they keep materializing in front of their eyes always and eternally come out of someone else's pocket. Ugly.

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Are There No Philosophy Classes About "Philosophical Idealism" Anymore?
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Posted by: thirdmg on Mar 26, 2007 7:30 PM   
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I'm surprised that no one has yet mentioned "philosophical idealism" in relation to this article and its subject. When I was in college, it wasn't possible to talk about or understand major portions of Western philosophy and most of Eastern religious philosophies without discussing "philosophical idealism" (which is the antithesis of "philosophical realism"). Although it has many expressions, it's basically the belief that reality is a function of mind. For background on it, just do an Internet search for the term.

Although "The Secret" may be shallow, simplistic, possibly even irresponsible, consumer philosophy, it is clearly a re-packaged version of that more venerable tradition.

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the analysis is as simplistic as the video being critiqued
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Posted by: mrnoyb on Mar 26, 2007 7:32 PM   
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with all due respect, while I agree that the secret video is rather cheezy, with ridiculous recreations of kids imagining new bicycles into being and what not, I think we, as a culture, particularly the so-called thoughtful, environmentally, politically enaged among us, tend to be really judgemental about anything that doesn't appear to be espousing totally selfless values. I think it's dishonest to suggest that anyone who hopes to have a better house, car, is shallow or has shallow aims. Ultimately, the underlying desire in any desire is peace, well-being, happiness, etc. I think as people get more attuned to that, their desires change, and I don't think it's very thoughtful to be criticizing someone for being focussed on a better car rather than world peace. By the way, the two aren't mutually exclusive; maybe they'd like both things-- what a concept! Maybe they have to start small, personal, before they can have the faith and momentum to make the bigger, more global desires personal. Give people a break. You would never criticize a homeless person for wanting a home, but somehow a middle-class person wanting a better home is offensive. In your world, how poor do you have to be for it to be ok to want material things? When does it become "disturbing values?" I don't believe for a second that you've never wished for better "material" conditions, whether it's a home, a car, better job, better working conditions, etc. I think we have to stop being dishonest about the range of desires people have, material and otherwise, personal and global, and stop with the judgemental b.s. that suggests if you're not wishing for peace on earth above everything else, you're shallow, with bad values. That's judgemental and simplistic thinking. The lesson to the boy when he sees the picture of the house in his father's vision board (or whatever it's called) is perhaps a powerful one about creation and the influence of one's thoughts, focus and state of mind. Maybe if he learns that, he may choose one day not only to vision a better house, but to vision a better world.

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Jimbo
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Posted by: ibilde on Mar 26, 2007 8:27 PM   
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This sounds like a secular version of the Word of Faith theology first put forward by E.W. Kenyon in the early 20th Century and championed since by Kenneth Hagin, Creflo Dollar and Kenneth Copeland, to name some of the better known. And it's just as flawed.

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If Wishes Were Horses. . . .Beggars Would Get Trampled.
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Posted by: monkeywrench on Mar 26, 2007 8:33 PM   
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From the article:

"It is the good ol' American Dream delusion supersized into ridiculousness."

. . .So why should we be surprised that it would appear on Oprah? The only thing that surprises me is that Oprah continues, as she does, to dupe a gullible public into thinking that she is some kind of arbitor of taste and culture. She is Jerry Springer without the flying chairs; purveyor of snake-oil remedies and bromides, and the occasional warmed-over get-rich scheme – like "The Secret."

How are the techniques presented in "The Secret" different than Dale Carnegie's "How to Win Friends and Influence People?" Or, more to the point, how is "The Secret" different than the "Cargo Culture?" Perhaps you've heard of them: the primative south-sea island natives who believed that if they set up the desks and files that had washed ashore from a wrecked ship into an "office" on the beach, they would be successful businessmen?

"The Secret" is hardly different, hardly less than another example of superstitious, magical thinking, and those who fall for this claptrap are hardly less desperate – or ignorant. When will we stop trying to get something for nothing and get to the real business of fixing our country and our communities? Oh, wait. . .I forgot. . .that takes real work. . . .

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» Superman Posted by: Melvin

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typical white entitlement bullshit
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Posted by: DaBear on Mar 26, 2007 8:45 PM   
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Sounds like that assinine movie, "What the Bleep Do We Know?"

The Laws of Attraction as a Buddhist premise has largely been corrupted by 'Merikaans who prove daily they are incapable of understanding Eastern philosophies.

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» "What The Bleep Do We Know?" Posted by: freebie_grabber

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Oprah backtrack attempt
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Posted by: mrnoyb on Mar 26, 2007 9:05 PM   
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By the way, did anyone else see Oprah trying to backtrack from her unqualified support for "the secret?" she had someone on the show diagnosed w/cancer who decided not to do traditional treatment after watching the secret-- well that's how Oprah framed it. Seems to me that the woman looked at her options, and decided to try an alternative approach. Nevertheless, the big O decided to put this woman on the show to try to convince her to at least consider tradtional methods, and used her story as a way to say that "the secret" was not perfect, and that she had some issues with the film. First that plagiarist, now this. Maybe this is the Law of Attraction teaching Oprah to humble herself....?

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Fewer & fewer
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Posted by: Melvin on Mar 26, 2007 9:15 PM   
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Gee; I guess it boils down to winner take all!
There are only so many dollars available in this world & they go to fewer & fewer people. Now thats positive.

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If positive thoughts ...
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Posted by: Bbear41 on Mar 26, 2007 10:06 PM   
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...Motavate one to take action, that is one thing. Expecting positive visualization to produce results by itself is expecting magic. In fact, the rituals of a witch or wizard just serves to amplify the positive though prosess. If one works, so does the other

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Positive Attitude well and it is a deep subject
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Posted by: Jackieo on Mar 26, 2007 10:09 PM   
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Positive attitude is basically how we think about ourselves before we graduated from high school. Then the real truth set in, what you mean I have to work for my self? That is the beginning of a true positive attitude, when one is willing to put action in place, to start somewhere doesn't matter but eventually they will for sure find the job that is just right for them for they have that inert experience that is life and it only comes from within. Yes we all have it and it is just that some have become so lazy they don't to work for it, oh well says I that is their lot, they asked for it and they got it, so be it. We are all in the same boat really some get it by gleaning from others, especially the poor and down trodden, so as far as I am concerned it is time to learn how to say NO! and that is for sure. It is a hard word but it sure pays off in the end, thankyou very much.

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Glass Half Full/Half Empty
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Posted by: Bouldercreeker on Mar 26, 2007 10:24 PM   
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The Secret has been a secret to me until reading about it here. (No TV and no friends talking about it.) Through some combination of nature and nurture, I've always been a lemonade-out-of lemons, glass-half-full kind of gal . . . even through my personal hardships and even as I stay open to the painful state of the world. This attitude has helped me persist in discouraging moments and is probably partly responsible for my 'success' in my work: co-creating grassroots health organizations with virtually no start up funds, just pure conviction. On a personal note, I feel grateful every morning I wake up to a new day; I understand that the 'best things in life' aren't things, but my connections with people, other animals, and the natural world. (Naturally, I'm hooked by the consumer culture myself: too many books and too many irresistible thrift store bargains.) I'm currently reading 'The Soul of Money,' an interesting book on a similar theme with a very different 'twist,' by Lynn Twist, a woman who works with The Hunger Project. The chapter I'm reading now talks about the misery of wealthy people who clutch at their possessions and funds. Sounds like a better book to buy.

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I've discovered the SECRET too!
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Posted by: Colton on Mar 27, 2007 12:11 AM   
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I've never been more happy since I've discovered "The Secret" and I'll let you all in on it!

You see, first you have to come up with a logical idea, but something you have to not sacrifice for (like a fad diet asks you to).

Second: You make it a 'secret' - you whisper it so that everyone wants to be in on it !

Third: You throw in a bit of a conspiracy, other people out there don't want you to know what the SECRET is!

Fourth: You allow everyone from conservative to hippy moon-beam alike to exercise their inner bigot, since once YOU know the secret all those 'other' people DESERVE what they get, up to (and including) starvation, homelessness, rape and death... but that's OK since they are just 'those' people and I didn't like them anyway - those sad fools! It's all their fault they didn't believe the SECRET. Now I can just tell myself it's ALL THEIR OWN FAULT and I don't have to feel bad for not caring anymore!

and finally: You sell your secret to everyone for $39.95+ S/H

I CAN"T BELIEVE HOW EASILY THE RICHES HAVE FLOWN INTO MY LIFE NOW THAT I KNOW THE SECRET!

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Guillible people [with wads of cash in hand] seduced by idiotic, pseudoscientific conjecture
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Posted by: Aufklaerung_Baboon on Mar 27, 2007 1:00 AM   
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No doubt about it -- women are MUCH more easily herded than men in to spending their money on useless shit on a mass-scale. Same applies to much of the advertising on TV.

No wonder the mass exodus of women from the home in to the workplace has been 'so good for the economy.'

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thanks
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Posted by: mcat on Mar 27, 2007 5:33 AM   
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tHANKS

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Law of attraction is not about thinking, it's about feeling/vibration!
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Posted by: iadgru on Mar 27, 2007 6:30 AM   
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Part of the reason is that what "The Secret" does so well is what it also is weak at. By successfully simplifying Law of Attraction (LOA) down to a catchy sound bite, people walk away from the movie with the diluted belief that LOA is simply "think about what you want it will come". That's been repeated in all the articles I've seen on the movie. But that's only partly true. There is one teacher of Law of Attraction -- Esther Hicks (http://www.abraham-hicks.com) -- who is by far the best one out there. She was actually in the first version of the movie (as the main teacher) but then opted out when she noticed the more commercial nature of the movie. So the movie was redone and her parts were replaced by Lisa Nichols and Marci Shimoff. So the version that everyone is now seeing (including Oprah and the media) is this "new" version, which may explain the incomplete view of LOA that's being spread.

Esther's message has always been that it's your feelings (vibration) is what attracts. And that's a HUGE distinction. I can think a "positive" thought, but if my feelings don't match it, the Universe will always respond to the vibration, not the words. Just like when someone tells you "I love you" but they're doing it out of obligation and it sounds cold -- you trust the feeling more than you trust the words themselves. We've had the idea of "think positive thoughts and get positive results", but what LOA is saying is feel genuinely positive feelings and get positive results.

For me, whether you agree with Law of Attraction or think it's all a bunch of doggie doo-doo there is one fact that is undeniable: The actions that one person takes while thinking POSITIVE thoughts will be dramatically different than actions one takes while thinking NEGATIVE thoughts. The mental and emotional state you are in will determine the access you will have to the ideas, people, resources, insights you need to achieve what you want. Strip away any religious or spiritual layers to Law of Attraction and you get this fundamental principle.

Also, I think The Secret is best served as a primer to LOA and the "you create your own reality" concept. Sort of like a big signpost telling people that there is another direction they can go in their life. There are many more ways to understand LOA that an initial glimpse at the movie might bring up -- particularly on issues on war, disease, murder, rape, etc. It's a simple concept but it can bring up some complex questions.

What makes some people get so worked up and verbally hostile about the fact that some people have a belief system/world view that is different than yours? Who cares? I think it comes more from a place of fear and lack, than anything else.

The whole point of Law of Attraction is that everyone is responsible for his or her own vibration. We're not here to convince or persuade other people to believe or not believe in "The Secret". That's totally beside the point! If I believe in Law of Attration, great. If you don't, that's great too! It really is!

There are MANY ways of being and looking at the world. To believe in LOA and then push against those who do not, just creates resistance and block your own flow of well-being. Same goes for non-LOA believers who try to "help" LOA believers see it's falsehood. In either case, you're pushing against and creating more stress/suffering/resistance FOR YOURSELF.

The Secret is NOT about creating yet another avenue for people to be self-righteous, believing that LOA is the right way to live. There are MANY paths to joy. Pick one that works for you and allow others do the same.

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Perusing for Truth
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Posted by: Darrell Kern on Mar 27, 2007 7:57 AM   
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Okay, I have been cyber searching for years now and have come across just about every opinion on about every subject. Its so funny that people like David Icke (the number one conspiracy theorist) have taken the exact same sensationlization of media to promote their agenda as the government propaganda machine. If you follow closely and faithfully they all end up the same:

Selling massive amounts of books, videos and countless other gadgets, merchandise and about everything you can imagine under the sun!

And it can all be yours at twice the price!

David Icke is the Oprah Winfrey of his world and has even managed to promote an alien conspiracy DVD about Jude Kemper that closely resembles "The Blair Witch" project- in this hocus pocus tribute it reveals Dick Cheney and the entire administration as reptilian aliens in human form come to destroy the world and corral humanity to be processed as some sort of inter-galactic pizza topping!

Believe it or not this idiotic video is selling!!!!!

People actually believe this shit!

Now enter the Secret. This is where I am in agreement with the author of this article as well as several comment bloggers on Alternet.

The only reason Oprah is promoting The Secret is because she is getting a piece of it. Whether she donates her piece or whatever she does with her share- She gets one none the less.

I must say, at least the Secret is a possitive message- it is still "feel good" metaphysics- which is short-term relief at best.

What about an infant or a toddler that gets sexually molested by a perverted uncle. Are we to truly believe that it is ultimately the fault of that child and that the child drew that sick sonofabitch into its life to get diddled?

I suppose baby Jessica visualised herself falling into a well- and Jon Bonet Ramsey secretly desired to be done away with.

The people of Darfur have always prayed and visualized their extermination by genocide.

The native Americans of this country Secretly manifested the white man's arrival- so that eventually they would gain through bead trade that fine Rolex watch- which would lead them into the ideal lifestyle of disillusioned wandering drunks.

It is heartbreaking how many people that are so desparate to survive- and that the majority of the world's population truly desire peace, love and harmony- and yet the minority rule the world, robbing all natural resources and control the entire wealth of the planet by simply willing it into their lives.

The Secret is the biggest crock of shit in the most beautifully wrapped package to come along in years!

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from the department of social control
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Posted by: Theriomorph on Mar 27, 2007 10:24 AM   
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If anyone's interested in further reading, I did a post about this a while back - it includes links to several other articles, and focuses on why it's dangerous to just dismiss this stuff as something anyone with two brain cells to rub together would know is consumerist crap.

Narcissism, abuse of power, and magical thinking: why 'The Secret' is actively destructive, rather than just plain stupid

"This argument is tantamount to saying that those women who fear rape are asking for it."

They do, in fact. Here's the second post I did, which includes the transcripts of interviews with 'The Secret' peddlers (from Larry King Live), in which they say precisely this sort of thing and more.

New material on 'The Secret'

It's a mistake to minimize the actual impact this kind of cult-dynamic/viral marketing/'create your own reality' thing has on real people.

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The Book of Job
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Posted by: MLO on Mar 27, 2007 10:36 AM   
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Whether they are going on about "The Power of Positive Thinking" or "The Secret" or whatever religious variation of whatever this is, they all ignore the lessons of Job.

Job was a positive man who was plagued by plagues. No matter how good he was disaster befell him through OUTSIDE forces. It was not within his power.

The idea that we control all of our destiny is dangerous. We only control what we control - nothing more, nothing less. To believe otherwise or do otherwise (as Bushie Co. has) leads to disaster.

Pax,

MLO

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rewrite an old book--make millions!
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Posted by: cynicl on Mar 27, 2007 10:54 AM   
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The only thing this author did was rewrite a book from 1906 and apply great marketing skills. The original book can be read on the web. Thought Vibration-Or the law of Attraction in the the thought world. William Walker Atkinson, 1906.

So, did she "attract" all the money she's raking in or did she attract the suckers to buy her book?

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Dagny
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Posted by: shoosta on Mar 27, 2007 11:18 AM   
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The universe is a strange and pretty much unknown place, ask any particle physicist or cosmologist. That humans possess conciousness is a totally unexplained phenomenon. Certainly every person has experienced odd or unexplained happenings at some point in their life, actually most of us experience odd occurances daily, we just don't make note of them. Say you're driving and some fool cuts dangerously close in front of you. You becaome agitated, perhaps angry. Your focus has just shifted. Because of this focus shift, you may forget to turn where you had previously planned to turn. Or perhaps you will now miss every green light on you route. The person who turned in front of you is not responsible for every light that you have missed or a missed turn or the wrong turn that you have made. One can only wonder how the trip may have been different if you had not shifted your focus. Our conciousness is responsible for every single physical manifestation in our society. It is our conciousness that brought forth houses, cars, tv, computers, gardens, wheat fields, plastic cups, garbage cans, etc. These manifestations were thought before they were physically produced. The idea that "positive thinking" can bring forth riches or happiness is perhaps too simplistic or perhaps our interpretation is too complex, such as leaping to the concept that in order for positivity to succeed all negative people must be removed from our lives, as other commenters have suggested. Perhaps the rather simple idea of conciously grasping happiness and holding onto it above and regardless of all else really works. That sounds simple, I suspect however, that that is not quite so simple a task to accomplish, just as building a house or a plastic cup is not really that easy to do. But it might be worth trying.

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» RE: Dagny Posted by: MartianBachelor
» RE: Dagny Posted by: ekipnrut

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money is the life-sucking death star
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Posted by: mr.E on Mar 27, 2007 12:43 PM   
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of your life...

how can money save you when its just paper? when the shit goes down and the stores close you´ll find out you cant eat money. money cant keep you warm, you cant converse with money and you sure as hell cant have sex and reproduce with money.

it may seem like its your only friend but thats an illusion. when you really need it to be, when everything else is gone, its worthless.

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Old wine...new bottle..........
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Posted by: ekipnrut on Mar 27, 2007 2:03 PM   
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JANIS JOPLIN LYRICS
"Mercedes Benz"
Oh Lord, won�t you buy me a Mercedes Benz ?
My friends all drive Porsches, I must make amends.
Worked hard all my lifetime, no help from my friends,
So Lord, won�t you buy me a Mercedes Benz ?

Oh Lord, won�t you buy me a color TV ?
Dialing For Dollars is trying to find me.
I wait for delivery each day until three,
So oh Lord, won�t you buy me a color TV ?
Oh Lord, won�t you buy me a night on the town ?
I�m counting on you, Lord, please don�t let me down.
Prove that you love me and buy the next round,
Oh Lord, won�t you buy me a night on the town ?
Everybody!
Oh Lord, won�t you buy me a Mercedes Benz ?
My friends all drive Porsches, I must make amends,
Worked hard all my lifetime, no help from my friends,
So oh Lord, won�t you buy me a Mercedes Benz ?

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Sad
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Posted by: Iconoclast421 on Mar 27, 2007 2:10 PM   
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The only thing Sad about "The Secret" is that people are paying for what they should already know by now.

However I do not believe that anyone who spends $2x dollars for this will be worse off.

Also, if everyone knows something, then it is no longer a secret!

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simple wisdom is better
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Posted by: Blue Heron on Mar 27, 2007 2:50 PM   
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I prefer the beautiful simplicity presented in the timeless Tao Te Ching:

9

Fill your bowl to the brim
and it will spill.
Keep sharpening your knife
and it will blunt.
Chase after money and security
and your heart will never unclench.
Care about people's approval
and you will be their prisoner.

Do your work, then step back.
The only path to serenity.

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» RE: simple wisdom is better Posted by: GrapefruityTikbit

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Ah consumerism
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Posted by: GrapefruityTikbit on Mar 27, 2007 4:56 PM   
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I had mixed feelings about Oprah, but she is a major conduit of consumerism. My ultimate assessment of Oprah is that she is somewhat of a positive influence, but equally a hindrance to the maturation of the American consciousness.

Most Americans it seems are blind to consumerism. It is part of the background and not up for discussion.

This new video/book sounds a whole lot like the Inspi(red) campaign by Bono and Oprah. I think it's an inspired idea, but go to your local gap. The "red" clothing section is a tiny table with a couple of tees and some clothing knick knacks of a generally uninspired style. While my wife and I were shopping for an ipod, we tried to find the red one, no avail.

The effect is simple: people think they're really doing a lot to help third world countries, when in fact they're just shopping, just being self-interested predictable Westerners who, when it really comes down to it, don't give a lick about anything outside of their continent that isn't a caucasian.

The people with enough resources to buy inspi(red) clothing would serve their good intentions better if they saved their money by buying less and buying second-hand and then sponsoring a child.

Oprah, though a true philanthropist I think, is ultimately an instrument of perpetuating blind consumption. Good article.

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I despise The Secret and its message...
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Posted by: jessyratfink on Mar 27, 2007 5:24 PM   
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I work in a used bookstore. We've only gotten one copy sold to us so far but everyday people are asking after it - we probably have at least 10-15 people every single day going nuts because we don't have it.

I hate the message. I don't understand why people think living in ignorance is okay. It's not going to make you any happier. The secret is basically this: don't even think about your problems. If you think about bills, the universe is only going to send you more bills. If you say "I don't want any more bills" the universe is too stupid to know the difference and will send you more bills anyway - so the only option is not to think about bills at all. Go ahead, stop paying those important bills that come every month. Obviously they'll just stop if you don't think about them.

I understand that this is a "postive thinking" type of self help. But I feel this to be a very dangerous way to go about it. It is almost like religion in that way - it tells people to put their lives in someone else's hands... be it a astoundingly unintelligent universe or the God of their choosing.

The people involved in this are making tons of money as well, profiting from other peoples' stupidity and blind hope... just look up any of those involved. They have their own websites where they offer their services and discuss in length how wonderful and intelligent and wealthy they are - and guess what? You can (never) be just like them if you lie to yourself, be a good little over-consumer and buy their books!

I could go on and on about how disturbing I find this. I really cannot believe that so many people are buying it. Between this and What The Bleep Do We Know, I've dealt with enough bullshit.

I suggest instead that people start actively making their life better. Get a better job. Research your options. Find something you love. Eat better, sleep more, exercise. Don't wait for the universe or a God to do it for you. It doesn't work like that.

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"Money Cant Buy Me love"
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Posted by: mr. green on Mar 27, 2007 6:19 PM   
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well my friend, if you are dreaming of dinner at a nice restaraunt with your lovely fulfilling friend Cash, I hope the best for you and pray you can get laid on the first date without getting any papercuts.

cheers.

mr. green

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This Author doesn't get the message . . .
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Posted by: marknie on Mar 27, 2007 9:36 PM   
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The Secret is not about materialism. It's not about having things. It's about Quantum Physics and the nature of Quantum Physics as it relates to mind. If one watches :What the Bleep do we know" the extended version, you will understand more fully what is being said here. Its about working with the fundamental laws of the new discovery of Quantum physics and creating balance and abundance instead of working against it. Stay positive and flow with the energy of the universe. The ultimate truth of this is that we dont need materialism and we d need to be in balance with nature. That will not happen with chronic negative thinking, whether we are materialistic or not. It's so typical that young females are so fixated on negative thinking. I pray for the end of their suffering, so they too can feel the power of Positive and balanced thinking.

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It's truly NOT about quantum physics
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Posted by: Theriomorph on Mar 28, 2007 8:08 AM   
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Quantum physics is the last thing 'The Secret' or '...Bleep...' are about. The co-option of a few of the simplest principles of physics taken out of context and dumbed-down past all recognition or accuracy in the service of 'buy my product and achieve instant spiritual fitness without having to work or study for it!' is completely moronic and offensive on many fronts.

As is the propaganda that 'The Secret' comes from the 'greatest minds of history' when what that actually means is the inclusion in the swill of a handful of public-domain quotes from Socrates and the like taken out of context and co-opted into the service of the book and movie.

'The Secret' is nothing more or less than a re-issue of a positive-thinking snake oil developed in 1906 to make a different cat a pile of money on the backs of the desperate and gullible uneducated who lack the skills for critical thought.

If you want comfort and a sense of agency in your life, get active, get involved, get political, get educated, get busy.

This 'we create our own realities' stuff is geared to make you passive (and who does that serve? Gee, I wonder). And that, as much as the fact that it's delusional and narcissistic, is why it's dangerous.

A corporate propaganda onslaught-cum-religion teaching total passivity, avoidance of news and information that could make you 'feel bad,' and relentless self-centeredness at this particular moment in history?

What, we're surprised?

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Oprah's name led to the book's success.
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Posted by: Reader11722 on Mar 28, 2007 1:15 PM   
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Oprah hates America (even though she profits greatly from it) and Amazon censors books (America Deceived (book) ). They both suck and are a match made in heaven.

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The man who says he can't and the man who says he can are both right...
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Posted by: ahoffman on Mar 29, 2007 6:19 AM   
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FOE THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T BELIEVE in "The Secret" you are correct as our actions are dictated by our attitudes; or, put another way, the "case studies have already been written." How you feel about yourself and others directly corresponds to how you will ACT towards yourself and others. No mystery or secret there; no need to connect to the Universe.

If you are relatively happy -- as everyone must determine what happiness is for them -- your attitude towards others and life's challenges will be overall positive. If, on the other hand, you are unhappy, then you will not believe or see good in much of anything therefore the world will usually seem bleak -- as least from your perspective. Again, no mystery there, no need to connect to the Universe.

FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DO BELIEVE in “The Secret” you are correct, but remember, the Laws of Attraction are such that they do not discriminate. My success is not necessarily what you would "wish" for. For example, let's examine Hitler, who is oft quoted in this comment section, if one of his deepest desires was to kill as many of the Jewish faith, or those that looked most like him, then wasn't his plan a SUCCESS based on HIS CONVICTIONS? You may not like the answer but this was his master plan no matter how ugly and brutal it may seem to others.

I have often heard it quoted that a weakness found in altogether too many people, is the habit of measuring EVERYTHING and EVERYBODY, by THEIR OWN impressions and beliefs. Unbelievably, not EVERYONE cares if there is peace on earth or if the planet's ecology is unraveling. I know this may be a difficult concept for some to accept, but, yes, some people's deepest desires are to be ultra rich (and, they believe they can be although the average person (including "Secret" believers) can't even imagine achieving substantial wealth, therefore, cannot, and will not wish such good fortune on others). Some people are VERY comfortable in acquiring things (and you cannot assume they are unhappy) and yet other people's desires will be viewed as "negative" based on our OWN moral compasses. For example, there were those who believed slavery of Africans was moral, others, however, did not; get the picture?

People are drawn to what they believe in most as evident in our choice of friends, religion, social circles, activities, ideas, etc. Moreover, sometimes our thoughts and ultimately actions clash with others thoughts and actions and they may even seem destructive to ourselves or others, whether we like this reality or not.

Most of us have cloudy thoughts and petty jealousies whether we are Secret worshippers or not. Our thoughts and outward energies are more on what our neighbor just acquired or lost, so forth and so on, and then we spew forth peace on earth, goodwill towards men hypocrisy (see, I don't really want what my neighbor has, my thoughts are always altruistic).

Ten years from now, many of you will be in the same place (spirituality, socially, financially) that you are in now; the real question is does that thought make you cringe or smile. Change your attitude, change your life.

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It can become confusing at times
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Posted by: olivia on Mar 29, 2007 1:25 PM   
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I read the whole blog and thought I would put my two sense in. I am an organic farmer and sponser a child and give to charities like SPCA and Wildlife funds. I have also been studying Kadampa Buddhism for 6 months. I saw the secret and liked it but I have seen all this stuff before and realized that if you really want to get the goods on it you must look at the source first. I downloaded a copy of Wallace D Wattles. He does indeed give the same priniciples that are in the secret but he wrote the book in 1910. His views of wealth are you need it to be healthy and to help others. Not neccessarily to acquire as much stuff as possible which I find offensive and ethically immoral. The funny thing was is I read the book faithfully for 5 days as he said to do. I visualized a sewing machine. I thought everyday how it was on its way to me and that I was very grateful that it was coming and I would be using it soon. On the sixth day a friend said she had a sewing machine underneath her desk that was collecting dust and I could have it. Well it is a small example but I think I will try this with a garden co-op in my town. I think the lesson for me here is that thinking this way does benefit you but personally I will stick with the idea of positive thinking to attrack abundance to my life but always with the compassion and best wishes for all living being and the planet earth. We could all benefit from this line of thought.

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» Attraction Posted by: rollo

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Misunderstood
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Posted by: gogreen on Mar 29, 2007 2:31 PM   
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I haven't seen 'The Secret' yet but I can guess already that
those who trash the basic idea behind it (the law of attraction)
don't seem to have a good grasp of the concept. That being said,
it is not surprising that the movie and the idea behind it have
been distorted and manipulated in order for many to hype
it or of course, to make a buck off of it.

Last week there was a story on ABC world news tonight I think
dealing with the phenomenon of 'the secret'. Of course they
basically boiled the whole thing down to 'the power of positive
thinking' which is a major oversimplification of the idea. Yes, if you just wish for something it will magically appear in your life. Sorry but it aint that easy.

The major thing that seems to be left out is the need for
ACTION on your part. You can't just sit around and wait for
things to happen. You must take action. This is why the law
of attraction will fail for most people because the purveyors of
books, videos etc have made this out to be a simple effortless
concept.

Another reason the law of attraction doesn't work for many
people is that they have a conflict between what they THINK
they want and what they REALLY want--a conflict between
their conscious and unconscious desires. When there is a
conflict the unconscious always wins out.

The law of attraction I think largely does work and it is
really not a new, or even 50 year old concept. it's just that
pop culture as usual misses the point. I think a lot of people could benefit from EFT(www.emofree.org) or the Sedona
method to help deal with their internal conflicts and thus
learn to manifest more of what they want in their lives.

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» RE: Misunderstood Posted by: jags105

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IF YOU DESIRE A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING..
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Posted by: Astroboy on Apr 1, 2007 10:42 AM   
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For those who appreciate the premise of "The Secret" and for those who rail against it, I suggest a much more articulate and expansive explanation of this concept.

SETH

Author Jane Roberts and husband Robert Butts wrote/transcribed more than twenty books on this, and related subjects, begining in the mid-sixties, predating Ester Hicks, Shakti Gawain, Deepak Chopra, etc.

SETH has influenced them all, and they will freely admit it.

If you want the basics, read: "SETH SPEAKS: The Eternal Validity of the Soul".

To understand how we create our own reality, read: "THE NATURE OF PERSONAL REALITY".

To understand the nature of the collective unconsciousness, read: "THE INDIVIDUAL AND THE NATURE OF MASS EVENTS".

To understand human sexuality, love, and death, read: "THE NATURE OF THE PSYCHE - It's Human Expression".

To understand dreams, altered states of awareness, and how they assist in "creating physical reality", read: "DREAMS AND THE PROJECTION OF CONSCIOUSNESS"

To understand the science behind ALL these teachings, read: "THE UNKNOWN REALITY", VOL 1 and VOL 2.

These books will only resonate with those who are ready for them. Others will write them all off as "new age" pablum or too esoteric to allow into their belief system, for these books will definately challenge it.

I understand the problems that many commentors have with "The Secret". It is only one brief paragraph from the greater encyclopedia of knowledge available to those who seek it.

I have read all of Jane Roberts' books several times, and some, more than ten. The more you read, the more you understand.

For those interested, I suggest as the first read, "SETH SPEAKS", for it will lay some neccessary groundwork. If it appeals to you, please continue your quest.

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NOT MATERIALISM AT ALL------AUTHOR MISSES THE POINT
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Posted by: jags105 on Apr 1, 2007 3:25 PM   
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This movie has nothing to do with mere "envisioning" yourself as a athlete would do before an event. It is not mere positive thinking either.
The author , I believe is a little naive.
This movie is all about the fact that we ALL are "co - creators". Physicists now believe this. We are always creating our own rality that we experience whether we are aware of it or not. This is done partly through choices that we make in everything we do. And make no mistake we are always making choices, either consciously or unconsicously. Not to choose is a choice in itself. Since this is so, why not make choices that benefit us rather than choices we don't. We can't literally make things happen, at least most of us can't, but we CAN attract the "energetic blueprint" for things to be the way we want. This allows what is possible to occur. The universe is an abundant place and wants us all to share in this bounty. Gratitude is key, just as the movie stated. Would you want to give something to someone who didn't ask for it and was ungrateful. To an extent , in very simplified terms, the universe operates along those same fundamental premises.
The author need to research this way of thinking instead of writing a thoughtless, reactive 'movie revue". They could start by reding Dr. Bruce Lipton or Gregg Braden. both can be found on the web.

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OK, you've got the Secret. What do you want to do with it?
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Posted by: Jerichomorning on Apr 2, 2007 7:21 AM   
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I don't know of a single enlightened and compassionate human being in the history of the world who said that they accomplished what they did because they had the power to create reality according to their vision. Jesus died on a cross rather than exercise that kind of power -- in fact, this was one of his three temptations. The Buddha walked out on riches, power, and temporal authority, and never looked back. Martin Luther King had a Dream, but he didn't exercise mind-magic to begin to realise that Dream; he won the heart of the nation through blood, sweat, tears, a keen intellect, a great heart, and an unshakeable set of values honed over time for the good of all.

Yes, of course, there are lots of billionaires and tyrants and celebrities who clamour aboard and claim that their power to envision themselves in high places took them the distance, but this doesn't seem to be the case with people who actually work to help create a better world. Changing the world for the better requires insight, intelligence, and compassion -- and probably a sense of humour. It is an exercise in love and joy, determination and dedication; not in magicking a house or car or sewing machine into existence. Our hours are so precious: are we going to waste them learning the power to bend spoons, or are we going to learn to think clearly, to observe the world with an eye of compassion, to cultivate a compassionate clear set of values, and to act responsibly in the light of our observations and our values? Are we going to be part of the problem in an age that is very nearly maxed out on conspicuous consumption, or are we going to be part of the solution?

People who have faith in the Secret often say that those who point out problems with it simply "don't get it". But it is never made clear exactly what it is that we don't get -- it's all emotive frustration. Others who live by the Secret say "Hey, live and let live". But we need to raise our voices to this non-argument, because it is just this kind of vague and "hip" response that swept Hitler into power in the 1930's. Finally, other believers in the Secret say "Who knows? When people use the Secret to arrive at abundance and power, they can help themselves -- and others." Well, sometimes they do, and sometimes they do not. History shows us that, on the whole, they do not.

Yes, definitely, cultivating and sustaining a healthy and positive attitude is much more likely to reap us positive results than wading in a mire of our own negativity. And, yes, we would do well to be clear about what we want. But this is not what the Secret and other versions of this idea are telling us.

The Secret is not simply a method to psych oneself up to get ahead: it's something much trickier and stickier. It is a belief system without rooted values or principles and, as Nature abhors a vacuum, people who buy into the Secret are prey to any number of systems to fill that vacuum -- any number of purported signs and wonders. We can only hope that this vacuum will be filled with something benign, but, given that the cultivation of intelligence and compassion have no inherent value in the practice of the Secret, this seems unlikely. I hope for the best, however, and am grateful to have the opportunity to lend my voice; I hope it is helpful.

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Is this a joke or provocation?
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Posted by: Minimauled on Apr 2, 2007 12:27 PM   
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"Remember this: at the end of the day, when friends and colleagues have come and gone, when people have passed on, the only real friend you will have is money." The only real friend you will have, actually, is yourself. Would you want to spend time with a friendless, money-grubbing sociopath or someone who is balanced and full of compassion and understanding? OP, you are either a fool or a genius for your statement.

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Alternet Comments:

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Wait...I like this:
[Report this comment]
Posted by: Robba29 on Mar 26, 2007 12:47 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
I am imagining the impeachment of GWB.
I am imagining withdrawal from Iraq...

Uh, I am Imagining...
All the people, living life in peace

You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one...

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No Secret
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Posted by: Lector on Mar 26, 2007 1:05 AM   
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Getting an Oprah Winfrey endorsed book or film is like money in the bank. Oprah has done some great things but at the same time she also contributes to feeding the consumer society with things they don't always need to pay for. The idea in The Secret is nothing new or secret.

The "law of attrtaction" idea has been around for at least fifty years and year after year supposedly altruistic people are making money off of it from self-help instruction. You really want to learn about the law of attraction you can learn about it for nothing in Buddhism or Zen or a number of belief systems. That's probably where these authors got it from.

Robert L. Lightfoot

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This book is powerful and right on!
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Posted by: Bobsays on Mar 26, 2007 1:07 AM   
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I have experimented with my own life on the power of positive thinking: and it works. There is a direct correlation in my own life between times when I have been successful - and the stuff just floods in - and when I have allowed negative, mostly lefty, thoughts to pollute my mind.

While it is true the world is a screwed up place with many systemic problems, you will have next no impact on them if you remain a disempowered ball of negativity. You must become positive and successful in order to shape the world around you. That is the secret.

This means ditching or firewalling anybody in your life who is negative and is not wishing you well. That may sound cruel, but you will pay a heavy price for letting these people stay in your life.

Remember this: at the end of the day, when friends and colleagues have come and gone, when people have passed on, the only real friend you will have is money. And money is the friend who will take you out to dinner at a nice restaurant. It won't be Al Gore, or Bill Clinton, or a good friend from ten years ago who thinks you are a loser.

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The Noble Truths
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Posted by: wildeyes on Mar 26, 2007 2:27 AM   
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The first noble truth is that suffering exists. We have all experienced this in one form or another, be it material or spiritual deprivation.
The second noble truth is that suffering is caused by attachment. This can be attachment to things, materials, ideas, expectations, or even particular senses of identities.
The third noble truth is that suffering can be alleviated by letting go of these attachments.
The fourth noble truth is the eightfold path, which says that if we follow a plan with the right orientation, we can alleviate our own suffering, and through this, alleviate the suffering of others (as we become more compassionate beings in the process).

So in a way, this book and idea are premised on some good ideas, namely that a shift in the way we think can better our lives, but it seems to do so only in the sense that a change in thinking will naturally bring about external changes which will in some way make us happy. But a true internal transformation leads one to realize that there is a wellspring of happiness within us that is not reliant on these outside forces to be unlocked. We can do it ourselves, right here, right now.

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Anyone who believes this crap is an idiot
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Posted by: jwc on Mar 26, 2007 3:12 AM   
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need i say more?

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to have and to be
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Posted by: Poederbach on Mar 26, 2007 3:30 AM   
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Welcome to the world of grabbers and ignorance.
Think about the difference between to have and to be, imagine to have being the the dark soil of the earth and to be the stars the sun the birds in the sky or stronger and more religiuos hell and heaven. It all falls back to education.

I agree anyone believeng this Secret crap is an idiot, how many idots are out there? Ask the publisher.

Some one is making money about the ignorence of others, this should be a criminal offence though.

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Your beliefs determine your reality...
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Posted by: helgerry on Mar 26, 2007 3:38 AM   
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I watched the Secret, I'm not too impressed by it although it's a good step in the right direction (of empowering people). Not long ago I attended a workshop for something along the same line but much more effective called Psych-K...
Then I became convinced of the power of the unconscious mind. And when you finally learn how to correctly program the unconscious with the beliefs you want, the results will be amazing! Simple but powerful techniques!
We're indeed co-creators of our reality (individually and collectively)! When you know that, then you take responsibility for your thoughts and your actions (no more victim mentality) and you stop giving your power to external sources (authority figures, role models or an imaginary "out there" kind of God). That's the real Secret!!

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I am imagining...
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Posted by: xbj on Mar 26, 2007 3:42 AM   
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I am imagining a world where a Bush, a Cheney, a Rumsfeld, a Rice, a Rove would never ever come even CLOSE to power, or if they did, they would be assassinated long before they could order their brainless "patriot" minions to kill a single defenseless innocent child.

I am imaginging an America that they couldn't EVER turn Nazi, a Pacifist Christianity that couldn't ever be perverted into a Nazi Regime (Israel) supporting political movement supporting genocide of Islam "evildoers" while supporting a war mongering war profiteering US government that was doing EVERYTHING IN ITS POWER to TURN ALL OF ISLAM into "Jihadists" to the last man, woman, and child, and declare that "Those who are not for us are against us" and "We will wipe all evildoers [we have created AND WILL CONTINUE TO CREATE by OUR violence] from the face of the earth."

I am imagining an America leading a world so highly evolved that NO ONE WAS ALLOWED TO EVER MAKE A SINGLE PENNY OF PROFIT off war and killing. EVER.

I am imagining an America where political contributions are limited to US citizens, one contribution per one candidate per one campaign only in the amount of $500. No exceptions, no corporations, no foreign citizens, no foreign governments, no PEOPLE OF DUAL CITIZENSHIP could ever contribute a single penny to any political campaign or group or organization.

Will I attract that America to me by imagining all this?

Here is your answer:

Now I am imagining America nuked from sea to shining sea by everything the rest of the world can throw at it in just retribution for all the US government has done since 1948 and all the innocents that have been murdered while all the Americans merely stood silently by, hands over hearts, waving flags and watching Ted Mack's "Amateur Hour" morph through "The Gong Show" and "Star Search" into "American Idol."

Now I am imagining how the rest of the world will cheer, and the very universe itself will heave a sigh of relief that, for a short time at least, a malignant cancer that otherwise would have proven undoubtedly fatal had finally been excised from the planet earth.

That's what I'm imagining, Oprah.

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» RE: I am imagining... Posted by: makeadifference
» RE: the smell test Posted by: dangerouslysane
» RE: I am imagining... Posted by: xbj

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to be and to have 2
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Posted by: Poederbach on Mar 26, 2007 3:45 AM   
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Once written on the school's blackboard,
the verb to have and the verb to be;
with this were time, were eternity given;
one reality, the other varnish

To have is nothing, is war, is not to live,
belonging to the world and its gods.
To be is, elevated over those things
and be stricken with heavenly pain.

To have is tough, is body, is two breasts,
is to be hungry and thirsty for the soil,
is just senses, solely dull duty.

To be is the soul, is listening, is yielding,
is to become a child and watch the stars
and slowly being lifted there.


Poem by Ed Hoornick

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» RE: You missed the point... Posted by: HeroesAll
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» RE: You missed the point... Posted by: boing007
» Selling Hope Posted by: mtspace

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Rod Parsley for the rest of the world
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Posted by: browsercat on Mar 26, 2007 4:20 AM   
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"Name it and claim it' in a different guise. The popularity of this material should help explain why huckster TV preachers are so popular: they promise wealth, health and all the rest ['for your seed faith love offering of whatever you believe God for].

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Wrong Market
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Posted by: Urstrly on Mar 26, 2007 4:53 AM   
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Interesting isn't it, that we're not sharing The Secret with those starving folks in Darfur or the civilians in Iraq. This is bound to be popular in New Orleans, so much simpler than addressing the structural issues that contribute to people's misery.

I fear Oprah's been rich so long she really wants to believe that everyone has access to the wealth she enjoys. A few years ago, I caught her pushing Juicy Couture one afternoon, and I thought how could any woman be so dumb as to allow a designer to advertise on her butt? As you know, many women followed her lead. I guess those designers were thinking positive.

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» RE: Wrong Market Posted by: huggybean

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I have been
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Posted by: Fat Man at the Buffet Line on Mar 26, 2007 5:01 AM   
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experimenting with this stuff. It is very hard to grasp, but it is true. If you think negative thoughts the reality is negative. Yeah bad shit happens all the time thats true, but if you never stop being a positive thinker the wave of positve results will follow you. It is all just a matter of changing and being aware of your thoughts and the results....How many of you really would like to make that nagging fear in the back of your thoughts just stop. I know I would, so I am consciously slowly changing from negative to positive... and ya know what? It works.

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» RE: I have been Posted by: jwc
» Nothing New.... Posted by: CatDad
» Reprehensible Oprah Posted by: Domokun

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Another corporate idea?
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Posted by: setterwoman on Mar 26, 2007 5:32 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
I can't help but wonder what corporation sponsored this idea and book. Yes, positive thinking is a good thing, but it's also a guilt trip for the poor, a denial of what's good for the environment, a denial of what power does to keep people in poverty.

I have seen the harm this idea does when it's a prescription for everything among "charismatic" Christians and New Age groups. I have seen the guilt trips, the judgment, the denial of social ills caused by corruption in government and corporate power.

I've experienced the inability to think positively due to chemical/hormonal imbalance. Correct it and positive thinking is back.

This idea denies the value of experiencing some pain that can make a person deeper and more compassionate. It denies reality when taken to this extreme. It denies an avenue for personal growth. It makes people superficial...and consumer driven.

I'd rather have compassion and integrity than be a positive thinking drivel-driven, consumer-driven communicator.

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» Very powerful words.... Posted by: CatDad

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shallow
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Posted by: mcat on Mar 26, 2007 5:36 AM   
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Shallow


There’s no end to what we want.
The windows are full and the mind is thin.
Look at the accessories; we have what we sought.

Don’t assume there’s a deeper plot
or pretend the clouds are close; again
there’s no end to what we want.

In the malls, our arms carry what we were taught
by our mothers and fathers: avarice is not a sin…
Gaze at all these accessories; the glee to have what we sought.

These plush easy years between have got
to end sometime. Forget the 1930s, soup lines, the depression
since there’s no end to what we want:

fashion, trinkets, more stuff than anyone could want.
Waiter, bring us 2 more martinis for fun
and don’t leer at our accessories; you can’t have what we want.


Outside under the trees, the cold days wait
teeter and mumble; we cannot purchase the sun?
There’s no end to what we want.
Look at my accessories; we have what we sought.

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» RE: shallow Posted by: dangerouslysane

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Totally absurd, dangerously so
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Posted by: HeWhoProfesses on Mar 26, 2007 5:47 AM   
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Being positive and having healthy thoughts increases the chances of success?

Look at all the warped people who are or have been highly "successful."

George W. Bush - He's delusional and a moron, and if he weren't the son of a president, he probably would have gone nowhere. Yet, he is President, and has often had his way as President, and in that sense he is successful.

Adolf Hitler - He wasn't a very positive character by a long shot. But he became dictator of Germany and conquered most of Europe, and halfway succeeded in his goal of killing all the Jews in Europe. By the standard of his own goals, he was, for a time, successful.

Joseph Stalin - Not exactly a bundle of joy, either. But he was the most powerful dictator in world history. He transformed Russia from an agricultural society into an industrial powerhouse. By his own goals, considering that he was power hungry and did have some real communist-utopian idealism, he was successful.

The list of warped people who are or have been highly successful - according to whatever cracked vision they hold - goes on and on. Many of them fell from grace, but they still have a place in the history books and will be, in this sense, immortal. And let's not discount the fact that many people with towering ambition will accept infamy over positive popularity.

Here's a few more samples from the list.

Nixon

Mao

Dick Cheney - Originally from a poor family, then a millionaire CEO, then Vice President.

Donald Rumsfeld

Ronald Reagan - From a poor family, then an actor (even if in second-rate movies), then President.

On the whole, these fellows were not terribly positive - even if Reagan could act like a supposed great communicator in front of the cameras. And although they were, in a way, successful, their notions of success ran the gamut of ignorance, callousness, and even atrocity.

So: A positive outlook is not necessary for success. Moreover, there are many forms of success, and definitions of success are to some extent subjective, in that other people might regard one man's vision of success as quite something else.

The two main points of the book - positive thinking gets you to success, and you should be seeking success - are contradicted by rather startling evidence.

Now, most people don't want a form of personal success that will damage others or the natural environment. I hyperbolized above to illustrate the twin fallacies of the book's premises. But why buy into such an argument even while looking for more mundane results?

This book promotes the concept of the triumph of the will. It promotes hard-headedness and hard-heartedness - have a goal, obsess with it, block out bad thoughts (like considerations of the negative consequences of that goal), live in a linear dream world. Such a world would be a mental prison - a little island of fantasy within an ocean of neglected reality. What this book promotes is, essentially, fascism-lite.

Simple people, who enjoy the basic things in life, are usually the best people.

I've mainly discussed the moral and logical fallacies of this book's arguments. I won't even go into its total neglect of physics and natural science.

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» Brilliant Posted by: CatDad

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More Babbit-ism
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Posted by: ekwhite on Mar 26, 2007 5:48 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
'The Secret' seems to take spiritual truths and add a materialistic spin to them. It seems to equate money with happiness, when money is demonstrably NOT equal to happiness (if so, then Prince Siddhartha would never have left his palace).

The truth, as I see it, is that what you think does matter, but only if you act on those thoughts. I believe that what you do matters more than what you think. If you act with love and kindness, love and kindness will come back to you. If you act selfishly, you will reap your rewards in kind.

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» bingo Posted by: MartianBachelor

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Happiness
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Posted by: eltiki on Mar 26, 2007 5:57 AM   
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The problem is that people desire happiness but equate that with material wealth. It is true that material wealth makes life easier, but it doesn't guarantee happiness. With the Secret, people may be barking up the wrong tree. It's better to imagine what makes you happy, and to focus on that. A Tibetan monk was once asked about what he thought about celebrities pursuing Buddhism, and he said it was great because they of all people know that fame and wealth does not make them happy. When I visualize success, I imagine doing what I love best, and often it is true that it takes no money to achieve that.

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The dark side of the American dream
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Posted by: KeepsonTickn on Mar 26, 2007 6:22 AM   
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I glanced through "The Secret," and I have to admit it was tempting. What an easy fix to all my problems. It is full of quotes from exceedingly smart, capable people saying "You can be just like me if you just have the right attitude, or think the right thoughts."

Strangely, no matter how I massage and manipulate my attitude and my thoughts, I find that I am no smarter and no more capable as a result. The flip side of this belief system is that any failure to succeed comes from a failure to think the "right" thoughts - a new age adaptation of the Puritan ethic.

Even the crippled and mentally challenged among us have Forest Gump to look to. So even those who struggle to keep minimum wage jobs can share in the collective guilt of unmet potential.

Read "The Bell Curve" if you would like to find what the real secret behind success and failure is. A breathtaking range of social problems are intimately tied to low intelligence. If we could develop a system that offset these disadvantages for a significant portion of our population, then we would truly have found "The Secret."

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Magic
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Posted by: Lizmv on Mar 26, 2007 6:32 AM   
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"Magic is the art of changing consciousness at will" - Dion Fortune

This is a basic tenant of my personal spiritual path. However, as I am bound by the Rede: If it harm none, do as you will. In other words, I must be sure that all my acts will harm no living being or even the Earth itself. (Not that I am perfect in this practice!)

At the last big ritual I attended, 200 witches gathered to make magic. Yes, personal gain was in mind. But the ritual was for healing the destruction caused by the toxins we are pouring on the Earth. So the personal gain is a clean environment.

I'm not against using the power of positive thinking or "magic" for personal gain. We all have needs to be met. But a big house filled with toys is not a NEED.

Imagine a world where people prayed, meditated, worked "magic" for their needs to be instead of their wants.

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» RE: Magic Posted by: Lauren

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Midas
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Posted by: Suzen on Mar 26, 2007 6:33 AM   
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Perhaps this would be a good time to look again at the story of King Midas. He chose to turn everything into gold so he would be the richest man in the world. The day he touched his beloved daughter and turned her into gold, he really got a face full of what it means to have material riches . The price was to give up what he valued most in his heart -- his child.

We are told the Universe will deliver what we want - it will also extract from us what the Native Americans call a ' give away'. In other words nothing is free. Before choosing a big house or fancy car, perhaps it would be a good idea to look at what you might have to give up to have such things. "The Secret" seems like an introduction to self examination of the highest order. By giving people what they think they want, the Universe will show people what they really need.

The laws of physics are the laws of Nature. The Laws of the Universe are those same laws. We have free will to draw to ourselves whatever we want, but at what expense? Bottom line ---- be very careful what you wish for.

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Same old message...
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Posted by: JoshuaLudd on Mar 26, 2007 6:34 AM   
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To be happy.. to be fulfilled... you just NEED MORE STUFF!

Gee.. why is this message so popular? Partly because it is a whole lot easier than the alternative that leads to true happiness. That being, appreciating what you do have, persuing having "enough" only after first developing an actual understanding of what is "enough" and what is "too much", finding your relationships with other people to be of supreme value... because when something bad does happen the things you own can't give you any support and they certainly can't put their arms around you or tell you it will all be alright eventually.

Don't bother with anyone who claims they can make you rich (why are they having to schlep their book/DVD to you if they actually knew how to get rich... except by... schlepping you their book/DVD) and certainly don't bother with anyone who claims they can make you happy... by making you rich.

Being rich might be nice in some ways... but without addressing the real reasons you are unhappy with your life, no amount of money is going to change that for very long, if at all.

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» RE: Same old message... Posted by: MartianBachelor
» RE: Same old message... Posted by: Lauren

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Oprah and Consumerism
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Posted by: roy.parker on Mar 26, 2007 6:42 AM   
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Oprah is a great proponent of consumerism hence her wealth. But as with all things there are two sides to this 'Secret'.
To desire the means of acquiring 'things' is surely not a bad thing- rather than just desiring the things. Things need to be maintained and wealth is required for that.
However I seem to see that indigent people do lack desire.
Perhaps they have been beaten down too much.

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85 years ago
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Posted by: Lloyd Drako on Mar 26, 2007 6:56 AM   
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a little Frenchman by the name of Emile Coue made a bundle selling Americans on the idea of "self-mastery through conscious auto-suggestion," to be attained through incessant repetition of the words, "Every day in every way, I am getting better and better." Like market bubbles that rise when those who can remember the last bust have passed on, this stuff just keeps coming back in new packages every generation or so.

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» RE: Emile Coue and Hypnotism Posted by: saywhat
» RE: 85 years ago Posted by: Lauren

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It's okay to be rich...
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Posted by: BeeGee on Mar 26, 2007 6:58 AM   
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I first read Wattle's book Financial Success about 10 years ago. The first time I read it, I got a bonus at work. The next few readings culminated in my receiving over half a million dollars in stock option profit. In short, it worked in my case. And the words expressed in his book, and The Secret, refer back to many of Jesus' parables in the New Testament of the Bible. These statements of the Law of Attraction, with reference to the Bible, are a staple of Ernest Holmes' wonderful writings uopn which the Science of Mind and Church of Religious Science churches are based. However, one thing this article overlooks is that when Wattles, Holmes, and Jesus are talking about attraction, they aren't necessarily talking about attracting McMansions. They talk about attracting knowledge, wisdom, compassion, enlightenment, and even money that can be used to serve -- to eliminate hunger, poverty, and sickness in the world. Is that such a bad thing?

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» RE: It's okay to be rich... Posted by: redjenny
» There is no 'Law of Attraction' Posted by: MartianBachelor

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a substitute for religion
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Posted by: zooeyhall on Mar 26, 2007 7:02 AM   
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This shameless huksterism is no different in princple then what you get from some of the religions in this country. The message from both of them is that if you simply really truly BELIEVE strong enough then all your problems will magically disappear.

They also have a flip side implying that if you are not successful, then obviously there is some moral failing on your part. You just didn't friggin' believe in Jesus-Oprah- enough!

As for Oprah, I haven't watched her in years, after I came to the conclusion that she is nothing more than a shameless selfpromoter and typical of the crap for what passes as entertainment today.

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A NOTE FROM ONE OF THOSE THREE PEOPLE
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Posted by: VZEQICVA on Mar 26, 2007 7:04 AM   
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I haven't heard of "The Secret" but I sure know who Oprah is. Since the beginning of time there have been million dollar ideas. And people buy into it. I hope Oprah isn't crossing over a line here and taking advantage of people who truly trust and admire her. She has an unprecedented following and is a decent woman. But she knows that success takes more than buying the right book or DVD. And it is about BUYING.
Thanks, ANNA

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I believe the number is wrong
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Posted by: bookmonger on Mar 26, 2007 7:04 AM   
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If you are one of like three people left who haven't heard about The Secret

Opened the article, read it, asked the significant other, neither of us has ever heard of it. I strongly suspect... oh - silly me. I forget that we live in a cave. Gosh, we don't even own cellphones ! I suppose the concept of working to earn something is beyond consideration, saving up to pay in full anathema.

Wait, wait, I know ! "What is work ? What is saving ?" hahaha

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Visualize in-tact polar ice caps, glaciers, ice bergs and polar bears.
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Posted by: veggiegrrrl on Mar 26, 2007 7:06 AM   
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Visualize in-tact polar ice caps, glaciers, ice bergs and polar bears.

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» Visualize a solar and wind economy Posted by: veggiegrrrl
» Visualize clean water Posted by: veggiegrrrl
» ekipnrut Posted by: veggiegrrrl
» RE: ekipnrut Posted by: ekipnrut

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"Name It and Claim It".......
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Posted by: picket on Mar 26, 2007 7:25 AM   
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Elmer Gantry types have been the downfall of many. Like sheep the followers are led astray to lives of physical or emotional death.

Oprah is an interesting study in human nature. She has the background to relate to the oppressed and gives many hope and energy to strive forward out of poverty BUT her heart is more and more with Hollywood and the Stars. She promotes ideas that are like a religion.

Still ......."it is good to know that no man or woman of the humblest sort can really be strong, gentle, pure, and good, without the world being better for it, without somebody being helped and comforted by the very existence of that goodness." Phillip Brooks[1835-1893]

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New Age Cult of Oprah
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Posted by: NoPCZone on Mar 26, 2007 7:27 AM   
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Orca (I'm sorry Oprah) Winfrey got her big break when Phil Donohue decided to leave Chicago for the Big Crapple & his ultimate video demise. While not as lowbrow as all the other talkers, Orca (sorry again) was way more touchy feely and avoided most of what were staples of Donohue. Where Donohue would have authors of real books on- Orca (there it goes again) specializes in the literary equivalent of Lifetime TV- or worse.

Like most who get some level of success and notoriety, she began to subscribe to her own BS and PR. To me she, more than Geraldo Rivera or Maury Povitch, is the poster child for what is wrong with the media. Lining her pockets for pumping the same old BS that embraces everything and stands for nothing.

I'm here calling BS on Orca (I hate it when it does that), her cult and whatever life changing face cream she is pimping today. The Empress of daytime TV has no clothes & I'm saying put some clothes on.

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» RE: New Age Cult of Oprah Posted by: rwmk12
» RE: New Age Cult of Oprah Posted by: particle
» Oprah Windbag and the problem w/no name Posted by: MartianBachelor
» RE: New Age Cult of Oprah Posted by: Lauren
» RE: New Age Cult of Oprah Posted by: dangerouslysane
» RE: New Age Cult of Oprah Posted by: huggybean

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Secret Lies
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Posted by: rwmk12 on Mar 26, 2007 7:32 AM   
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The fact that this lady got rich off of offering the public a smig of esoteric teachings, which are largely perverted by the film, is troubling. She is as shameless as the kabbalah center. I think Ken Wilber said it best when he called the secret an extension of boomeritis, which is his observation of the promotion of "me"/narcissism in the boomer generation, and even more so in the echo generation. Magick, a la the Secret, is merely an extension of the ultimate ego boost - 666 - the number of your self/Ego--- the beast, or your beast nature. "I am the universal mind and what I desire will be fulfilled". This is what is known as black magic, or magic that aims to promote the material self, versus the spirit's compliance with divine will, which would be White Magick. That said, you don't have to look to esotericism to find such matters. Mind over matter (Plato/Plotinus/Hermes x3), and I am my habits/actions (Aristotle), are all you need to dwell on to derive the real benefits of such said secrets.

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» RE: Secret Lies Posted by: Lauren

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More hokum
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Posted by: nopuppy on Mar 26, 2007 7:34 AM   
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This is an old, old bit of chicanery, and it always seems to work. Yes, visualizing some things make them more likely to happen - obviously, if you can't visualize success, or love, or making a lot of money, you have less chance of getting them. But to extrapolate this simple bit of common sense to a personal philosophy is evidence of the vast self-delusion the human mind is capable of. For most of us it will lead to some financial trouble and despair; for others, like Bobsays above, it leads to nasty pettiness, cruelty, and the selfish inanity that is the worst of Republicanism.

No, people, reality is NOT created by your desires. Your life is not all there is to the world. Human life is not all there is to the world. The world exists whether you do or not. It was around long before humans stomped upon it, it will be here long after we've incinerated ourselves. Instead of cowering in dread of reality and embracing this kind of empty-headed secular bull, or the equally empty-headed theological bull that the Falwells and Haggards and Popes preach, come to grips with the fact that you aren't in control of everything that happens.

Study philosophy to see what conclusions the smartest people who ever lived came to about how to cope with the startling fact that we are not in charge of the universe. Come up with your own philosophy, don't buy it from a half-assed self-help DVD or book. Dealing with reality is the true victory. That's what real bravery is. That's what intelligence is for. That's what being human is all about.

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» RE: More hokum Posted by: Theriomorph
» Read Nopuppy's sensible assessment Posted by: Jerichomorning

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Insightful Review
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Posted by: Gravitas on Mar 26, 2007 7:35 AM   
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Wonderful review. Anyone who buys into The Secret is not a bright person. It takes some profound philosophy and simplifies it to its most basic marketable level. It is nothing more than a gimmick. The author is also gutless! For instance, she says if you don't want to be fat, don't look at fat people. Since fatness is a popular prejudice she can get away with it. But by that logic, if you don't want cancer later on in life, avoid your friends who have cancer etc. That is the logical implication, yet she would never have the cojones to say it. I have also lost much respect for Oprah over the decades. She started off with some true spiritual leaders, like Gary Zucoff! But now all she poplularizes are quacks who sell like Dr. Phil. I guess keeping it simple for the public is her way to big bucks! I'll stick with the work of the mystic Edgar Cayce who advocated the power of thought much sooner than this bimbo. But he also advocated social justice and action along with those thoughts!

"Weight obsession is a social disease. If we cared more about CO2 than BMI there would still be time."

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» Edgar Cayce Posted by: makeadifference

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great article
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Posted by: karyse on Mar 26, 2007 7:41 AM   
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First, this was a great article and well written.

Second, man-o-man-o-man, do I feel sorry for some of the posters who think that having stuff is the indicator of success., and I feel even sorrier for their friends, family, and acquaintences who may have hit upon hard times or illness, or both.

Third, I wonder how many people in my life believe that it was something I did, or didn't do, that caused my breast cancer, got my husband killed in an accident, or took away all my money.

I am so grateful for my friends, who help me on a daily basis with my daily needs (which doesn't include replacing my old jalopy of a car). I love them all and they love me (warts and all).

Don't these people who want all this stuff understand "It's a Wonderful Life" every year?"

I am imagining a world where everyone understands that unlike money, love is available to everyone in unlimited quantity.

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» RE: great article Posted by: raymondg
» RE: great article Posted by: karyse

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Downside of "The Secret" But Basic Concept Remains Powerful
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Posted by: drricklippin on Mar 26, 2007 7:58 AM   
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Courtney Martin has written well on the downside of "The Secret" phenom.

But don't throw the baby out with the bathwater!

The law of attraction and the power of human intention are very powerful forces.

It's about time they became popularized.

But I agree our intentions need to be values based. We will mature as a culture when we finally discover that people are more important than things.

Dr. Rick Lippin
Southampton, Pa

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Envisioning a Paycheck
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Posted by: lynned2002 on Mar 26, 2007 8:04 AM   
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Thank you for this great article. It articulated so many of the things I felt about the movie. I bought into some of it but then once it was clear it was all about money money money I was totally turned off.
I work for a start-up and we haven't had a paycheck for four months. Every time I ask the CEO what is going on he invokes "The Secret". eg, I need to dare to dream, or the guilt trip: if I think negative thoughts the company won't get money. Sadly I think he actually believes it. Now, I am envisioning a lawyer.

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» Victimize the Victim Posted by: makeadifference
» RE: Victimize the Victim Posted by: redjenny
» RE: nvisioning a Paycheck Posted by: mememe

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You don't sell enlightenment
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Posted by: VannaLaRoche on Mar 26, 2007 8:32 AM   
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I've been proselytized by any number of New Age healers, shamans, seekers, philosophers, cult members. They all talked in emotional terms about how their meditation/visualization/thought-training techniques made them better people and how the investment of money was always, always, always worth it. And they all said, "It's not about spending money--it's about making an investment in your life."

They presented their message to me in the most crisis-driven terms, as something they were anointed to spread to as many people as possible, to help this wounded world before it is too late! Because if everyone just followed their principles, well, the whole of humanity would benefit.

But they would withhold this humanity-saving information until I had the money for their fee. No, they couldn't possibly give it away. It had monetary value, a specific monetary value, and they couldn't deviate from that. There were other activities that needed to be supported, and the essential eternal message could not be given gratis. Sorry. But--financing is available!

Spiritual mercantilism is an oxymoron.

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It's called magical thinking
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Posted by: kathat on Mar 26, 2007 8:44 AM   
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it seems to me that a great many people are always searching for a way to elevate themselves from the norm.
You see it in religion, cults and in a 100 different ways in the way people live. They just don't want to accept that we are all in the same boat and no matter how financially successful we become, we are still just like everyone else.
Theres even a 'bad thinds don't happen to good people' belief known in psychology, that shows that people who have this belief are the least able to cope with tragic and catastrophic events in their lives.i.e... "How could this happen to me, I have done everything right!"

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Consider the target audience
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Posted by: ateo on Mar 26, 2007 9:22 AM   
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Housewives are disconnected from reality almost by definition (who can afford to be a house wife these days?).

If they want to sit on the couch thinking about expensive things and think those thoughts will somehow make their husband make more money then let them.

However, the book itself is clearly complete and utter garbage.

Positive thinking in general though, is at worst no better than negative thinking and in general demonstrably better.

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Great Article!
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Posted by: Bignerd27 on Mar 26, 2007 9:34 AM   
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I'm all for positive thinking, yes; but I totally agree with the author that positive thinking alone will not alleviate poverty, disease, sexism, homophobia, assault, rape or all the other atrocities inherent in systems. The "positive thinking changes everything" mentality wreaks of victim-blaming. To suggest that someone living in poverty is there because they just don't want "it" (ie, money, wealth, success) enough or that someone who is harassed, assaulted, raped, or murdered is somehow putting out the energy to invite that aggression in is irresponsible and downright cruel. It completely takes the responsibility off of the aggressors in these scenarios. I'm sick of the perpetuation of this belief that if one wishes for "it" enough and pulls themself up firmly by their bootstraps that they'll achieve that ridiculous dream of wealth and success. It's impossible in a hierarchical system (ie, capitalism) for EVERYONE to achieve that highest level. Capitalism thrives off the people scraping by on the bottom tier. I'd like to believe Oprah has good intentions by spewing this stuff, but really, it's condescending, unrealistic, and frighteningly dangerous.

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Norman Vincent Peale. Didn't he write all kinds of books about
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Posted by: albrechtkrausse on Mar 26, 2007 9:40 AM   
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this years ago? Seems like this lady is just recycling his old ideas (that are sorta common sense philosophy but added the element of training/hyponotising yourself to think in the positive patterns.)

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Buy Low, Sell High
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Posted by: pckurp on Mar 26, 2007 9:40 AM   
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I agree with the underlying premise of The Secret; I just couldn't get through the movie because the materialistic aspects of it were too nauseating and the rest of it was too simplistic.

The concept of creating your own reality/taking back your power has been around for eons -- it's usually presented WITHOUT the materialistic slant and focused more on spiritual/positive energy.

You can create change and bring what you want into your life, but not just by thinking about it. Sitting on the couch eating chocolates while strongly visualizing that next job probably won't work as well as networking, calling friends and acquaintances, posting to job boards, creating a website, doing whatever possible to make contacts -- all the time envisioning the work/career wanted and remaining as positive as possible about it.

Visualizing the kind of experience you want is important, but it also takes a plan, creativity, independent research, willpower, flexibility, patience and perseverance. The Secret reminded me of so many get-rich-quick schemes or the appeal of magic pills to cure all problems (aka: laziness/denial).

It is similar to organized religion, government and big corporations sending/selling the message that if you give away your power to them, let them make your decisions for you and control you, give them your money, just have faith and believe in them, all you have to do is sit back and everything will be fine because they'll take care of it! The man in the sky will make everything happen, the next political party in "power," etc. Someone or something else can't do it for you and it isn't magically going to fall from the sky just because you prayed or envisioned it.

It doesn't mean that if bad things happen to you, it's your fault because you're not positive enough or visualizing correctly either (e.g., illness, job loss, bankruptcy, death of loved ones, etc.). Maybe you made poor choices or it was just out of your control.

I think being true to yourself -- what you like, what you don't like, what you believe -- and making conscience choices that reflect that is The Secret. If you can address any fears of the unknown, fears of failure, fears of success and forge ahead anyway, well, that's also The Secret...

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The Law of Karma
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Posted by: anonimus1 on Mar 26, 2007 9:49 AM   
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It amazes me how IGNORANT Westerners are of the world around them. The concept of the law of karma not only predates "the Secret" by several thousand years, it is REALITY. It is truth. The truth is already readily available. Having to repackage it in a useless format is testament to how useless the modern pseudo-Christianity is to its believers, and how they will do anything to adopt other belief systems that really work, in order to make Christianity work.

It's DISGUSTING!!!!

From Wikipedia --

Karma is a sum of all that an individual has done, is currently doing and will do. The results or "fruits" of actions are called karma-phala. Karma is not about retribution, vengeance, punishment or reward, karma simply deals with what is. The effects of all deeds actively create past, present and future experiences, thus making one responsible for one's own life, and the pain and joy it brings to others. In religions that incorporate reincarnation, karma extends through one's present life and all past and future lives as well. It is cumulative.

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Who cares?
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Posted by: Boomerang on Mar 26, 2007 9:51 AM   
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For the record, I own a copy of The Secret. My mother, an eternal optimist, gave it to me for Christmas.

That said, who cares if a book full of nonsense is #1 on the bestseller list? It's not like this is the first time this has happened. This is a stupid, stupid article. The book is pushing materialism? So? People push books that says the President is part of a secret group of lizard men. People sell books about aliens and the Illuminati conspiring to rule the world via mind control. People can publish books about anything they want, it doesn't make it true. The only real advice in the book is "think positive," which really isn't bad advice at all. Stop denouncing everything that strikes you as a little bit strange just because you don't like it.

And if someone living in poverty is dumb enough to think that just thinking good thoughts about the future is going to drag them out of poverty rather than working hard and bettering themselves, then I'm sorry to burst your utopian bubble, but that dumbass deserves to be poor. The only way to have the things you want (or even need) is to go out and work for them, period.

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I thought that liberals didn't have thick skulls, but I was wrong...
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Posted by: Idunno on Mar 26, 2007 9:57 AM   
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I'm assuming that mostly liberals read Alternet and now I'm perplexed as to why this group dosen't understand "The Secret". The author, Alternet, and it's readers seem to see consumerism and self-centered thinking in "The Secret" (and condemn and name-call those who have faith in it just like those Republicans beride liberals with name-calling when they haven't a leg to stand on), but I see only solutions to these and other problems. Right thinking can bring you what you really want. If where you're currently at is self-centered consumerism and your self defense mechanisms make you blind to see this, and instead you "think" you're a "for the common man liberal" then I think that "The Secret" could expose those self-centered desires and derail those self defense mechanisms. I'm into service to others, and "The Secret" has given me a quantum leap in my ability to serve others and that, of course, brings me more joy and bliss... a connection with God. Oh, and by the way... monetary wealth too. If more of us had spiritual and monetary wealth, the world's woes would vanish. Alternet, and its readers should be ashamed that they've spent precious time not looking for answers, and instead reverted to name-calling and knocking down something that they don't understand... just like a thick headed Republican.

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Secret Revealed Only to Those Ready For It
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Posted by: gerry632000 on Mar 26, 2007 10:06 AM   
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The secret is much like an optical illusion. You may never see the real picture until you are mentally ready for it. A negative mind set will never know the secret even when given all the ingredients and instructions. The "Law of Attraction" works everyday just as gravity does. It works just as well for good results as it does for bad results. Mix a little bad with a little good, and you get a net zero. But when one realizes he is the creator of his own experience, and that cognition plus emotion equals thought, and thought precedes form, regardless of governments or impoverished conditions, he then intends (commit to action) to mannifest his thought. We observe this occurring everyday before our own eyes. Most observers never analyze the process of creation. They just see and marvel, and the secret remains a secret as long as the negative prevails.

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» The emperor has no clothes... Posted by: JoshuaLudd

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The human brain does not control the universe.
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Posted by: fanny666 on Mar 26, 2007 10:07 AM   
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I appreciate some of the points made here. Barbara Ehrenreich made some of the same points long before this movie came out- that so many of the "Success Workshops" come very close to a blame-the-victim dogma. If you can't find a job it's not the failings of the pseudo-market system, it's your poopy attitude. My roommate was obsessed with The Secret, but I think has found some balance with the idea of positive thinking- which *is* important, but not everything.
( He runs the website Creative Power of Thought )

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» Krotos! Posted by: fanny666

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RE: The Secret
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Posted by: lovlilips on Mar 26, 2007 10:27 AM   
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Byrne and "The Secret" did not suggest that people should sit around dreaming their desires into existence. It specifically stated that people must actively take steps towards achieving there goals while simultaneously believing that those goals can be achieved.

Dreaming is passive. The individuals involved with this documentary never suggested that anyone be passive. It was stated that people MUST TAKE ACTION as well as dream to get the desired results.

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Hmmmm, let's see.......
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Posted by: hannah on Mar 26, 2007 10:28 AM   
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if I write this book telling people how to imagine themselves acquiring "things", then maybe they will imagine themselves acquiring my book, making me filthy rich in just days, JUST LIKE I IMAGINED!!!!!

Do you think she figured out that there's a fool born every minute??

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» RE: Hmmmm, let's see....... Posted by: mythbuster
» RE: Hmmmm, let's see....... Posted by: MartianBachelor

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Perhaps....
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Posted by: hannah on Mar 26, 2007 10:34 AM   
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it's not the content of her book that is attracting so many readers, maybe it's the title that holds the key. Afterall, how many humans aren't clamoring to learn a "secret"? She just picked the most perfect book title ever thought of. Afterall, the content of the book is all basically just common sense.

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Magick by any other name...
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Posted by: billjv on Mar 26, 2007 11:24 AM   
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"The Secret" is really just a small portion of what esoteric groups have been doing for many years. The problem with "The Secret" is that it only talks about the materialistic side of the puzzle. The whole idea of Magick is to do the inner work required to - first of all - understand what your true will actually IS, before trying to use the power of your mind to change your circumstances. Only then are you mentally prepared to understand what will really benefit you in your life, and not be focused on materialistic goals which benefit nobody, including yourself most of the time (if not all).

A practical example would be quitting smoking - you can buy the gum, patch, or any nicotine substitute to replace the act of smoking - but until you've mentally prepared for giving up smoking completely you will never be successful, although you may have temporarily set them aside. You must do the inner work required to "know thyself" before you can really understand what it is in life that you REALLY need. Some of that may be material in nature, but I think most who do this work realize that the materialistic stuff gets put waaay down on the priority list.

Selling the sizzle is what "The Secret" boils down to - using positive mental processes such as "The Secret" you CAN change your life, and help you get what you want, but be careful what you wish for. You may find yourself more miserable than before if all you do is focus on materialistic needs and not your own true will, which can only be discovered through hard inner/psychological work and self-analyzation. There are no shortcuts. It's no surprise tho that Americans are eating this stuff up - most all of them looking for a shortcut. For anyone considering this type of magickal thinking, I would first recommend that you learn more about what you are really doing, and understand how it can affect you, both positively and negatively. Everything has a balance, and nothing is without consequence.

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What are you afraid of?
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Posted by: Chellee on Mar 26, 2007 11:31 AM   
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The message in "The Secret" has been around forever, it's true, and it's also true that it could have been put in more spiritual terms, but the language of spirituality has a way of turning some people off, whereas money (only the first topic discussed) interests most everyone.

I first learned about the flow of energy and how we have control over it when I read James Redfield's books, "The Celestine Prophecy," "The Tenth Insight," and (coincidentally) "The Secret of Shambalah," books that changed my life and taught me that, indeed, what I put out there comes back ten-fold.

How can anyone dispute that everything is pure energy (scientific fact), that thoughts are energy that can be measured, that prayers have power, and that visualizing success (with strong belief behind it) creates success? The Secret is entirely true, there's not a disputable comment in the whole thing.

As the old saying goes, "Don't knock it til you try it." And I suspect that skeptics will only try half-heartedly and will not see results. That negativity, however, need not cloud the vision of the rest of us. Let those who feel comfort in despair hold on to it as long as they wish.

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» RE: What are you afraid of? Posted by: Krotos
» RE: What are you afraid of? Posted by: Chellee
» RE: What are you afraid of? Posted by: Krotos

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ATTENTION CREDIT GUILT FAULT I U ME WE THEY THEM SELF OTHER
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Posted by: timeless on Mar 26, 2007 11:46 AM   
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ALL WORDS EQUAL PALOMA..OMNIPRESENCE ALL..AH AHO GO TO MESSENGERS BLOG ON SOULCAST.COM OR DO WHAT EVER IT TAKES TO REALIZE THE RESULTS...SON..DAUGHTER..SELF EQUALS ZERO OTHERS ALL LEFT OVER EQUAL ZERO ...ZERO WORLD WITHOUT SIDEDS..ALL RECIEVED EQUAL SHARE WOULD BE 4000000 FOR EVERY YEAR OF BIRTH...LOOKING FOR ANOTHER OTHER TO FULLFILL THE VOID AVOID JOKE SON/DAUGHTER CHILD OF MATTER ALREADY ALOHA

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ANCIENT OCCULT -- HOW TO CREATE MANIFEST REALITY (DETAILS HERE)
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Posted by: anonimus1 on Mar 26, 2007 11:54 AM   
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Check this out --

http://www.thecobrasnose.com/xxghost/tulpa.html

This group and several groups like them around the world have created LIVING BEINGS and MATERIAL OBJECTS using pure thought, alone. The world "tul-pa" means "thought form," or literally "pattern replication." This concept comes from the Bon religion of Tibet -- the second oldest (9,000+ years) religion in existence today.

If you can replicate the frequency of something, you can create it. Replicating the frequency of a person (living or imaginary) or thing requires acting as if the thing is present. You must converse with the "idea" or "vision" of the thing and then know how to give it energy (usually sexual energy that is stored up through abstinence). The work of Ken Batcheldor discusses how to trick the mind into believing something exists, which is the key method for freeing up energy that would otherwise be blocked, preventing the manifestation from happening.

There are groups all over the world right now that are creating tulpas to do various deeds. However, recognize that Jesus and Christianity are also powerful tulpas, as are the focus of any large group effort.

I have been studying this phenomena for many years, and this is real. This is a very very advanced yoga practice, as well -- creating material objects and people, and then destroying them by removing their energy source (your own mind). This teaches the student about the true nature of reality.

As it turns out, when you really do your in-depth research on this topic, all of the world we experience and know is a tulpa, or thought form. All people and living beings are tulpas. A group agreed-upon thought form has more tangibleness and rigidity than one created by a single individual. This is why group mind and beliefs are powerful, as compared to the work of a single individual.

A tulpa that does not go through the "agreed upon" human birth process is known as a "tul-ka(h)." The Dalai Lama and many other lamas are such beings. They are literally "willed" into existence by others. They are born outside of the womb (immaculate conception). All processes in this world are "optional" in other words. Overcoming your ties to them is a matter of discipline, focus, collecting energy and having the right instructor or ac