The law of attraction and "The secret"

[BrainBlow]

So a friend of mine seems to be unable to not babble about this "power" and how you can achieve anything you want. It is "the secret", which turns out to simply be the law of attraction. Why is it called a law? Beats me.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_b1GKGWJbE8
And then this wonderful "documentary" which seems to be what swayed him.
This... this is dangerous, also, my common sense sense is screaming at me.

 

[MRaverz]

This is total bollocks.

Their examples are lame and their explanation pseudo-scientific. Let's take for example, the 'if you really don't want to be late, everything will go wrong because you're willing matter to do something'. Nope, you simply notice the things which slow you down because you're noticing them more. When you're not running late, the red lights don't bother you so you forget about them.

That said, positive thinking can be a good thing. It causes people to ignore the negatives and focus on the good things, this can cheer people up. It won't make things go away, but it'll boost happiness because you're thinking about the things which make you happy. In that respect, it's not so bad - in a sense of reality, it's nonsense even if it is effective.

In my opinion, the same results can be made by understanding this reality rather than making up some pseudo-scientific nonsense.


Also: electricity is the flow of electrons. Electrons having the ability to transfer energy. Right?

 

[FatStupidAmerican]

http://scienceblogs.com/insolence/2010/12/let_oprah_know_that_kim_tinkham_is_dying.php

 

[televator]

I couldn't even watch the first minute of that video... it's just absurd right off the bat.

 

[lrkun]

So a friend of mine seems to be unable to not babble about this "power" and how you can achieve anything you want. It is "the secret", which turns out to simply be the law of attraction. Why is it called a law? Beats me.

And then this wonderful "documentary" which seems to be what swayed him.
This... this is dangerous, also, my common sense sense is screaming at me.

Most people enjoy the lazy path, which means they don't enjoy making effort. That's why some tricksters make nonesense like the secret, where they take advantage of the naivity of people or their love for knowing things or power of which might give them advantage over others.

 

[borrofburi]

It's just confirmation bias:

 

[RichardMNixon]

I couldn't even watch the first minute of that video... it's just absurd right off the bat.

Dude, you've got to get through the low-budget Da Vinci code montage. If this was satire I'd applaud it. Also, the title "Metaphysician" tickles me pink.

 

[TheGreekDollmaker]

[Youtube] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZLhc44Pcf8 [/Youtube]

Yeah this guy pretty much tears this idea to shreads.

 

[lrkun]

Yeah this guy pretty much tears this idea to shreads.

There, it's easier to see.

 

[Andiferous]

I found the video a bit difficult to follow (and hold my attention) but I think this last guy is pretty much arguing cognitive psychology with a lot of words and an accent I can't entirely identify?

When I was growing up, I used my super secret Jedi powers to complete tasks before I completed them. I also use my super sonic vision occasionally to change traffic lights to green. It took variable times depending on the saturation of super ionic energy photons in the atmosphere, and sometimes I just had bad days.

But yeah, thinking nice things tends to make you think of more nice things... and the reverse also true. If you think you've won, you might as well have won...

 

[RichardMNixon]

If you think you've won, you might as well have won...

Unless you have cancer.

http://scienceblogs.com/insolence/2010/12/let_oprah_know_that_kim_tinkham_is_dying.php

 

[Andiferous]

You always have a possibility of winning, you've got to allow the game to make ajustments here and there and occasionally change the goal. That's the theory, but I haven't managed a really good test yet. But if positive thinking can give you a a little more happy and perhaps a few nice thoughts by association, I think it much preferable to being miserable and waiting for the worst.

Not magical or anything but can be self-fullfilling in your own head. And make more happy thoughts...

This was what I meant, really.

If you think you've won, you might as well have won...

Unless you have cancer.

http://scienceblogs.com/insolence/2010/12/let_oprah_know_that_kim_tinkham_is_dying.php

 

[obsidianavenger]

This is total bollocks.

Their examples are lame and their explanation pseudo-scientific. Let's take for example, the 'if you really don't want to be late, everything will go wrong because you're willing matter to do something'. Nope, you simply notice the things which slow you down because you're noticing them more. When you're not running late, the red lights don't bother you so you forget about them.

That said, positive thinking can be a good thing. It causes people to ignore the negatives and focus on the good things, this can cheer people up. It won't make things go away, but it'll boost happiness because you're thinking about the things which make you happy. In that respect, it's not so bad - in a sense of reality, it's nonsense even if it is effective.

In my opinion, the same results can be made by understanding this reality rather than making up some pseudo-scientific nonsense.


Also: electricity is the flow of electrons. Electrons having the ability to transfer energy. Right?

this pretty much sums up my opinion. thanks for saving me the energy it would have taken to type that out!

 

[Jotto999]

"I think something good will happen today." (Normal day)
"I think something good will happen today." (Normal day)
"I think something good will happen today." (Normal day)
"I think something good will happen today." (Normal day)
"I think something good will happen today." (Some unusual thing happens in my favor) "IT WORKS!"
"I think something good will happen today." (Normal day) "I guess I just haven't got the hang of it yet..."

It's pretty incredible that some people actually believe this.

 

[televator]

I couldn't even watch the first minute of that video... it's just absurd right off the bat.

Dude, you've got to get through the low-budget Da Vinci code montage. If this was satire I'd applaud it. Also, the title "Metaphysician" tickles me pink.

I tried man...but the epic music just...shit! People really get into this? They really think "Yeah, that totally happened for real! Just like that!"? It is really funny when I think about it though...in sort of a maddening/depressing way.

 

[lrkun]

"I think something good will happen today." (Normal day)
"I think something good will happen today." (Normal day)
"I think something good will happen today." (Normal day)
"I think something good will happen today." (Normal day)
"I think something good will happen today." (Some unusual thing happens in my favor) "IT WORKS!"
"I think something good will happen today." (Normal day) "I guess I just haven't got the hang of it yet..."

It's pretty incredible that some people actually believe this.

Most people are to lazy to make effort. That's why they enjoy quick fixes like these. Especially when it seems true.

 

[DeistPaladin]

This is total bollocks.
That said, positive thinking can be a good thing. It causes people to ignore the negatives and focus on the good things, this can cheer people up. It won't make things go away, but it'll boost happiness because you're thinking about the things which make you happy. In that respect, it's not so bad - in a sense of reality, it's nonsense even if it is effective.

In my opinion, the same results can be made by understanding this reality rather than making up some pseudo-scientific nonsense.

There is just a glimmer of truth to the video (a faint glimmer).

If you get clear on what goal you're after, you're more likely to attain it than someone who doesn't get clear on their outcome. Someone who wants to be VP of Marketing with the company they work for is more likely to get it than someone who just shows up to work each day. This is not because of magic but more likely because your own subconscious might be at work thinking about actions that might help make the goal achievable ("Who do I need to talk to? What do I need to do? etc.").

Of course, goal setting works even better when, after making the goal, you consciously work out a plan to make it happen and then act on it.

 

[lrkun]

This is total bollocks.
That said, positive thinking can be a good thing. It causes people to ignore the negatives and focus on the good things, this can cheer people up. It won't make things go away, but it'll boost happiness because you're thinking about the things which make you happy. In that respect, it's not so bad - in a sense of reality, it's nonsense even if it is effective.

In my opinion, the same results can be made by understanding this reality rather than making up some pseudo-scientific nonsense.

There is just a glimmer of truth to the video (a faint glimmer).

If you get clear on what goal you're after, you're more likely to attain it than someone who doesn't get clear on their outcome. Someone who wants to be VP of Marketing with the company they work for is more likely to get it than someone who just shows up to work each day. This is not because of magic but more likely because your own subconscious might be at work thinking about actions that might help make the goal achievable ("Who do I need to talk to? What do I need to do? etc.").

Of course, goal setting works even better when, after making the goal, you consciously work out a plan to make it happen and then act on it.

Action speaks louder than words. ^^