Oprah & "The Secret"

[Top Shelf]

I think a lot of people aren't understanding the real message that is here. The most important idea that The Secret is trying to get across is that positive thinking in life is a whole lot more productive then negative thinking.

Yes, you can argue about the delivery and presentation of the materials. But for a person that wants a new outlook on life, is there anything wrong viewing the glass as half full?

And you do attract people to you by the way you interact with others, which relates to your outlook on life.

No, rarely in life do you get handed things for free or on a silver platter just by wishing with all your might. But you will have a much better chance of attaining those things with the right approach, ie. positive personality as opposed to negative.

But as with anything, i'm sure there are people who have taken it to extremes. I think the article that photon posted above was a little over the top. But I guess there is criticism for everything.


I guess I don't really see this as a marketing ploy, maybe cause i downloaded it off bit torrent and didn't pay a dime

[Flames09]

I could probably do brain surgery before working bit torrent.

[JimmytheT]

Originally Posted by BlackArcher101

Oh god, I can't get away from this crap.

I'm sick of hearing about The Secret. If I hear one more person try to cram it down my throat, I don't know what I'll do.

edit: This guy got the idea down pretty good.
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/...nion-rightrail

I'm with you BlackArcher. My wife watched the movie as it was lent to her by a friend from work, and the "Law of Attraction" crap was what really pissed me off. Nothing like making a false scientific claim then passing it off as the most "powerful law in the universe". How ridiculous; no law in the universe is more "powerful" than another, as laws are constant throughout the universe. It is true that under certain circumstances the force explained by the law of gravity (as we know it) can exert more force on matter than forces explained by the law of magnetism, (such as in the vicinity of a black hole) and vice versa; however neither law is "more powerful" than the other.

On the so called law of attraction on a trivial level, having a "positive" outlook will probably mean you hang around more positive people, but it does not mean that thinking like a rich person, means wealth and rich people will start to come more to you. You have to work to make it rich, (or at least invest in the right thing at the right time).

If I want to get better at playing and singing the blues, simply thinking I'm as good as Muddy Waters or Howlin' Wolf is not going to make me better; I actually have to practice and work at playing the guitar, blues harp, and singing for many years before I could even come close to that level. However "The Secret" implies the former: I think I am a Blues virtuoso, therefore I am one. Plain garbage

Here is a good article on the "Law of Attraction" from a Philosophy Professor in California which I paraphrased my second paragraph from:

http://www.skepdic.com/lawofattraction.html

[photon]

Originally Posted by Daradon

I was just saying techniques like this can be very effective as part of the equation in life. They can help us sort out our fears, work more effectively, and bring us much closer to our goals. But yeah, you gotta work and improve yourself. Which is why they won't work for most people though they think they are so enligtened.

I definately agree. My sister mentioned this to me a few months ago, and it was funny because I said "let me guess who suggested this to you, your friend XYZ?" Because that friend is always moving from one quick path to success solution to the next.

I like that commercial on the radio, the path to success is simple, but it's not easy.

[photon]

Originally Posted by Top Shelf

No, rarely in life do you get handed things for free or on a silver platter just by wishing with all your might.

Except that's exactly what they're saying happens. "Food is not responsible for putting on weight. It is your thought that food is responsible for putting on weight that actually has food put on weight."

[Alpha_Q]

The Law of Attraction as described in The Secret, (which I actually paid 40 dollars for at my wife's suggestion, thereby avoiding the Law of the Cold Shoulder) is a self perpetuating myth. If you think hard and positive for a greater income and nothing happens, well obviously you weren't thinking hard and/or positive enough, stupid. If you get a raise or find a higher paying job, then obviously The Secret works.
I do believe that if you think positive all the time you will do positive things, and the chance of positive results are greater, but if that is a secret it is the worst kept secret of all time.

[Shazam]

Although I know nothing of "The Secret", if you guys want to read something that sounds similar, I suggest you read Scott Adams' "The Dilbert Future". Specifically Chapter 14.

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Sounds a little like Think and Grow Rich a classic book about setting goals and then your brain ends up figuring out some of the rest. This secret however sounds a little less worthwhile.

[TheDragon]

I actually stumbled across The Secret earlier last year, and have been practicing it myself to see if it works, and the results are all positive.

What we saw on Oprah was significantly dumbed down compared to the movie, even, (probably to avoid any taboo remarks and to prevent any toes from being stepped on.) If you want to get a better understanding of the Law of Attraction, I'd highly recommend you get the book called "The Law of Attraction, The Basic Teachings of Abraham, by Esther and Jerry Hicks," as it does a way better job of explaining the concept than The Secret does. The Secret is more just a stepping stone, if you ask me. Unfortunately, not everyone is willing to accept it.

Seriously, the further down the rabbit hole you go, the more it all makes sense. This is stuff we all know, but have grown out of letting ourselves accept it. At it's roots, The Secret is made up of some very old concepts. It's even rumoured that the forbidden knowledge that the Knights Templar stumbled across during their time spent in Jerusalem and throughout the Crusades is this very same knowledge and is ultimately what got them banished from the Catholic church, (and hunted down and executed.) At any rate, the Freemasons are now their descendents.

I won't get into any complex details, 'cause I'm not here to get into a big science versus spirituality war... but for those of you who are interested, I'd highly recommend doing some further research. Get involved in it, too. Don't feel greedy or ashamed for wanting what you want.

Life's a lot better when you let yourselves feel grateful and appreciative for what you've got, and aren't worrying about getting out of debt or finding a mate.

This stuff works, I'm telling you. If you let it, anyway.

And, to be fair.. the concept of the Law of Attraction seems to have been a bit misunderstood around here. Like energy attracts like energy, even negative energy. Never does it state that your desires will simply just pop out of thin air the minute you think of something. Positive thinking is only half of the battle. The rest is avoiding all of the negative thoughts like "This is taking to long," or "I don't deserve this," as well as capitalizing on those opportunities for what it is you desire that suddenly start popping up the minute we stop worrying about not having them in the first place. That, and being grateful and joyous for what we've got in our lives, already.

That said, it's not for everybody. I seriously recommend to those who are interested in it to keep researching it. It's definitely worth the time, and it's ultimately up to you to decide how you want to interpret it.

[Shazam]

I will tell you my own experience in this matter.

Back in 2000 I decided that making $80K would be nice. So I wrote a post it note that said "I will make over $80K next year". So, I ended up getting a job where I didn't make $80K. Instead, I got laid off. But lo and behold, the next job I got I actually ended up making much more than $80K. So there you go.

[Bend it like Bourgeois]

Originally Posted by Alpha_Q

The Law of Attraction as described in The Secret, (which I actually paid 40 dollars for at my wife's suggestion, thereby avoiding the Law of the Cold Shoulder) is a self perpetuating myth.

Great line.

Got the movie and watched it with the wife.

I thought it was fine. Pretty good even. It was sort of Napoleon Hill meets Harry Potter. That someone else makes a buck off it (or even a few zillion) is fine with me.

If millions can be earned in teen flicks and Jane Austen like cry-flicks featuring pudgey british women, or even Baby Einstein tv-babysitter videos, I have no problem with this.

Hell, the Bible has only marginally more content and that little franchise puts Oprah to shame.

[icarus]

Don't know much about The Secret per se, but I think The Secret to any venture is get Orca Winfrey to endorse it. You'll be guaranteed millions. Any book endorsed by her becomes an instant top ten bestseller--Steinbeck never sold so many books until Oprah's Book Club jumped on board.

[RougeUnderoos]

Originally Posted by Alpha_Q

I do believe that if you think positive all the time you will do positive things, and the chance of positive results are greater, but if that is a secret it is the worst kept secret of all time.

Ha ha. That's it. Who didn't know this? But this book and all it's secretive and vaguely spooky nonsense appears to convince people that they will learn something special.

It reminds me of the Dr.Phil show (I don't watch it, really I don't, but I have seen it). He'll have some couple up there and the woman is bawling her eyes out because her husband has been cheating on her. Dr.Phil says "stop cheating on your wife" to the guy and the audience applauds.

[Shazam]

Originally Posted by RougeUnderoos

Ha ha. That's it. Who didn't know this?

I'd say most people. Most people just drift through life, or are extremely negative. My God, when I used to work downtown I never met so many bitter people in my life as I did then.

[evman150]

Originally Posted by Shazam

I will tell you my own experience in this matter.

Back in 2000 I decided that making $80K would be nice. So I wrote a post it note that said "I will make over $80K next year". So, I ended up getting a job where I didn't make $80K. Instead, I got laid off. But lo and behold, the next job I got I actually ended up making much more than $80K. So there you go.

This is a logical fallacy known as "post hoc ergo propter hoc".

Example: There were no nuclear weapons before slavery was outlawed, therefore free black people caused the proliferation of thermonuclear bombs.

[Shazam]

Originally Posted by evman150

This is a logical fallacy known as "post hoc ergo propter hoc".

Example: There were no nuclear weapons before slavery was outlawed, therefore free black people caused the proliferation of thermonuclear bombs.

Don't you think I know that? It's simply a motivational tool. That's it. But it's so stupidly simple and yet it can be so absurdly effective.

It's just like how the brain can't process "don't". If you keep thinking "don't fall" when you ski, you will instead fall. That's because the brain visualizes you falling, and can't actually figure out the part about you trying not to fall.

[evman150]

"How does it work? Nobody knows. Just like nobody knows how electricity works. I don't, do you?"

LOL.

"...idiocy..bullting...anti-intellectualism".

Yes.

[RougeUnderoos]

Originally Posted by Shazam

Don't you think I know that? It's simply a motivational tool. That's it. But it's so stupidly simple and yet it can be so absurdly effective.

I'm not sure I'm following here so correct me if I'm misinterpreting what you are trying to say, but that motivational tool (the post-it note) didn't actually get you the job. You got it yourself and would have got it with or without the note.

[evman150]

Originally Posted by Shazam

Don't you think I know that?

I don't know what you know. Your post made it seem like you bought it somewhat.

Originally Posted by Shazam

It's simply a motivational tool. That's it. But it's so stupidly simple and yet it can be so absurdly effective.

It's just like how the brain can't process "don't". If you keep thinking "don't fall" when you ski, you will instead fall. That's because the brain visualizes you falling, and can't actually figure out the part about you trying not to fall.

This is not what people are up in arms about when it comes to this book/movie/whatever the hell it is. It is statements like "You cannot 'catch' [AIDS] unless you think you can, and thinking you can is inviting it to you".

The people that fall for this stuff are really beyond help anyway, that's the really ironic part about all of this. These people have no concept of causation or correlation, let alone the difference between the two. They can't spot a false dichotomy when they see one. They utilize observational selection subconciously. And probably every person who falls into these traps has very little understanding of science, the scientific method and (specifically, the nature of) statistics.

[Shazam]

Originally Posted by RougeUnderoos

I'm not sure I'm following here so correct me if I'm misinterpreting what you are trying to say, but that motivational tool (the post-it note) didn't actually get you the job. You got it yourself and would have got it with or without the note.

Of course. All the post it note does is give you affirmation. It's simply a reminder of the goal you're trying to obtain.