Originally published at: https://boingboing.net/2019/01/08/the-miracle-club-how-thoughts.html
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Well… It’s entertaining and all, and I might even acknowledge that in some circumstances it can have some therapeutic benefit, in the sense that a person who can only visualize negative outcomes can rather easily perpetuate those circumstances.
But isn’t there something fundamentally wrong about all this? Isn’t it all trivially twisted by predatory agencies like MLMs and preachers of the prosperity gospel and so on? No amount of thinking about water is going to save the life of a person who chooses to dive into an empty swimming pool.
And of course someone who is abundantly successful is going to proclaim that he did it all himself through positive thinking and not largely through sheer good fortune and/or the presence of a supportive community and/or a thick wallet to cushion him against misfortune, because why would he choose to acknowledge his own terrifying powerlessness?
See also:
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Yes, this is a load of utter bollocks. Some of it is extremely stupid, some of it is utterly despicable, much of it is both.
This is a highbrow version of “The Secret”, but it’s still the same Law of Attraction crap. It still tells us that starving children are starving because they just don’t want food badly enough, or in the right special metaphysical way. It’s a wonderful on-ramp to the just-world fallacy, which tells us that if your daddy molested you, you must have deserved it.
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Another in the flock of “The Secret” et al ?
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Since I haven’t read his book and explored all his thoughts I won’t declare it a load of Bullshit. What I really do believe is that most of us are not aware of our own full capacity as sentient beings. Perhaps the vast majority of people don’t give it a thought or if they do it originates from a dismissive mindset and soon proves itself ineffective for them. Perhaps its a very subtle tweak of how our individual reality shapes up. I only know enough about the subject to state that I am ignorant of its potential. It arouses my curiosity enough to consider this guys ideas. I won’t be making life changing ideas on the topic but I’ll stay open enough to explore the concept. It won’tt cost anything to consider it so why not wander down a different path to see what I might find.
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I find this to be utter bollocks. I mean there’s some truth to it. If you put your mind to something and think about it and then go do it. You still need to follow through tho. Intention and thinking about something are the first steps to seeing what you want to happen actually happen. I mean if you didn’t imagine it or want it there’s no chance what you wanted to happen happening.
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the occult was invented by the hallmark corporation so it could be co-opted and used to sell christmas card
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Spacestar ordering is based on the twin scientific principles of star maths, and wishy thinking.
I read the original wishy thinking sensation “The Power of Positive Thinking”, and I found it philosophically and ethically most revolting; it explicitly blames people for their own misfortune. Got cancer? Your own fault apparently.
Incidentally, Norman Vincent Peale was a major influence on Trump. I think that’s an overlooked window into Trump’s ideology. i.e. fake news and alternative facts, bullheaded repetition and affirmation of falsities, it’s the expectation that magic will abracadabra those false ideas into actual physical reality.
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I’m not sayin’ nuthin’.
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Positive thinking is great, and it can affect certain psychological aspects of life, but shaping reality and effecting actual change takes a real commitment of time, energy, hard work, and above all, perseverance.
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when did boingboing start cross posting with goop?
eta:
The Miracle Club: Eroding The Ability of Rubes to Tell Fiction from Reality
fify
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I get why this is posted under the anonymous ‘boingboing’ moniker. I’d be ashamed peddling this crap as well.
‘Positive Thinking ™’ as promoted by books like these is actually ‘wishful thinking’. And imho closely related to ‘if I say it loud enough it becomes true’ a.k.a. fake news.
P.S. to europeans this kind of positive thinking in it’s more mainstream version (believe in yourself, If you really want it you can do anything) is a defining characteristic of (U.S.) american culture. And it isn’t seen as a positive (hehe) treat.
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So, is the site going to start defending homeopathy and stuff like that? Because this sounds like utter bullshit.
The psychological effects of having a positive outlook in life is one thing. “Occult” bullshit about the “power” of “ideas” … no thanks. We already know how thoughts become reality; you act on your thoughts and move your ass to do stuff.
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I am a surgeon, I am a surgeon, I am a surgeon, I am a surgeon…
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Mind over matter is real - watch me move my hand.
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Ah, but without positive thinking, you wouldn’t even try to move your hand.
And that’s the step they often leave out. In between the positive thinking and the abundant wealth comes the hard work. Any guru who leaves out that part is picking your pocket.
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The trick is / my hand wants to move.
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Great. Now my hand won’t move. Thanks.
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