The Secret is out...

and boy do I have a few things to say about it. For those of you who don't know, the latest self-help craze is "The Secret". Most notably for me, I watched Shannon Elizabeth tout its benefits as she was kicking butt in the National Heads Up Poker Championship (she made it to the Quarter Finals). So I decided to watch it.

Based on a 2006 book of the same name, it was over 90 minutes long - about 70 minutes longer than it needed to be. The point, driven home over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over again is the Power of Positive Thinking and the Laws of Attraction. It was very cultish, and the only thing I took away from it was that I didn't know or care about any of the presenters or their dribble.

First of all, this whole concept is simply a re-telling of the book "The Power of Positive Thinking" written in 1952. Here's some things to consider:

First, as in all good cons, if you don't see the results you are looking for, the blame is never on the method, it is on the person. As I was watching this torturous nightmare, I noticed there was no empirical evidence presented other than a few "testimonials". Where was the scientific study, the case work, etc. ?

Second, the theory of the "Laws of Attraction." Conceptually, by only focusing on your most intense desires and the emotions that would be created by achieving these desires, the Universe will bend its will to manifest these desires. Yes, simply by believing. Period. No action is required. So if this is true, one could sit in an isolation chamber or sensory deprivation chamber and by simply believing hard enough, their wildest dreams would come true! Seriously, there wasn't anything presented to the contrary of this. Go in a room, make a wish, and when you walk out you will have what you want because the Universe bends its will according to your thoughts and perceptions.

Now I am not saying there aren't people who haven't received benefit from The Secret, but let's at least call it what it is - The Power of Positive Thinking. If you strive to accomplish something and can visualize and emote the end result on a consistent basis, you will - maybe even on a subconscious level - work hard towards that goal thereby drastically increasing your odds of achieving it. It's called "hard work pays off". Beyond that, I believe this philosophy is a blue track suit and pudding away from the Heaven's Gate cult.