What's Wrong with The Secret

One thing has become crystal clear. There is a concrete answer for Step 2 in the South Park reference internet meme:

Step 1) Make product/come up with idea
Step 2) ??????
Step 3) Profit

Step 2 is "Get on Oprah"

I think Oprah needs to hire a science adviser.

The Secret is, in my mind, right up there with the 9/11 conspiracy as something I cannot fathom that people believe. Drive, desire, commitment to your goals, and a good attitude ARE important to achieving your goals. However, how anyone could believe you can just wish a Ferrari into existence in your garage is beyond me. It's irrationality and outright stupidity that defies explanation.

I don't have to feel bad about my pile of riches because I'm just a better person! Those people who are poor are obviously just choosing to be poor! I don't have to help the homeless, because they could just wish themselves a house on Park Ave. if they wanted to, which means they must like the streets.

The only thing in my opinion that keeps the Secret a distant second to the 9/11 conspiracy, and come to think of it, might rank it even behind Homeopathy, is that I don't believe that most of the people buying it TRULY believe it. I think they consider it sort of an allegory for "You gotta want it." While in and of itself this notion is also stupid, I don't think most people reading it truly believe the only thing stopping a Porche and Scarlett Johansson from materializing in their driveway is they haven't wished hard enough.

Jeremy Lindgren (vita10gy), Eau Claire, WI
April 15, 2008 10:17am

Brian, you know that when you start mentioning Startrek, you're getting overly geeky. Of course, it's probably worse that I can recount the whole episode...

I believe the idea behind using quantum physics is based on indeterminacy. An event only truly 'settles' when it's observed. Their thoughts affect the quantum waveform, so that, once it collapses, it will collapse into a car, not empty air.

Of course, that's utter bull on far to many levels to describe in 1024 chars I have left.

People who buy the book do so because:
A - Oprah told them, and people like herding.
B - They really want something to happen, and hope the book is true.
C - some other reason that makes even less sense.

Or, of course, a combination of the above.

Alcari, Reykjavik, Iceland
April 15, 2008 11:10am

Brain, excellent as always, The Secret is one of my pet peeves.

Just a quick pedantic note. The scientific method is also a centuries-old philosophical construct. Science is based on the philosophic methods of rationalism and empiricism. We skeptics should not dismiss that the systems we use to measure reality come directly from philosophers that argued for us, to trust our reason above our emotions, and to separate our claims about the observable from other philosophical speculation.

That said, I totally dig your point, and always learn a lot from your podcasts.

Thanks!
Daniel

Daniel, New York, NY
April 15, 2008 1:19pm

If the victim is to blame, then isn't the logical conclusion that the criminal/force/event is the agent of the "almighty law of attraction"? I believe you could dig up many a quote from serial killers who thought that was the case. So it is both scientific and philosophical nonsense.

Alan Bombria, Long Island, NY
April 15, 2008 4:56pm

Daniel:

You said "The scientific method is also a centuries-old philosophical construct. Science is based on the philosophic methods of rationalism and empiricism."

If this were all we had to go on (that science was created by an ancient philosopher), there'd be no reason to believe it. Fortunately, it also works. WHEN it was established doesn't matter; that it works, does.

You probably agree with me; just thought I'd point it out, in case someone reading this doesn't realize it.

Gregory, USA
April 15, 2008 9:18pm

brilliant stuff Brian - good to see you targeting something so big and mainstream like this, even though I predict you will receive alot of "negative energy" after this podcast

i think one of the first comments sums it up;

"Drive, desire, commitment to your goals, and a good attitude ARE important to achieving your goals. However, how anyone could believe you can just wish a Ferrari into existence in your garage is beyond me. It's irrationality and outright stupidity that defies explanation."

spot on Mr Jeremy Lindgren

jon, canberra
April 16, 2008 2:29am

Certain kinds of people fall for this kind of crap, over and over and over, well, you get the idea.

Daniel and Gregory, consider me naive and definitely not a scientist, but I was always under the impression that science started from observation, theory and application. Or was it just plain old alchemy?

Whenever anyone says their work derives from quantum physics, they first should be required to describe quantum physics in layman terms. Oh. Right.

Mary T, Salt Lake City
April 16, 2008 3:23pm

My only point was that Brian's mention of "century old philosophy" doesn't assist in his argument against the stupidity that is "The Secret" because there is a philosophic method for all manner of crap, rational and whimsical, natural and metaphysical, innumerable things skeptics would find good and bad.

Mary, I don't know what you mean about alchemy (essentially experimentation minus the scientific method, right?), but of course you're right that science is about rational observation (e.g. as argued by philosophers such as Descartes and Hume).

I'm sorry about the confusion, I was just being lamely pedantic about the use of the word "philosophic," and in the podcast Brain was very clear that his use of the word was in reference to The Secret's BS metaphysics and how it has absolutely nothing to do with physics as it claims. I agree with every word of the podcast.

Daniel, New York, NY
April 17, 2008 7:24pm

Look here people, I use the secret. It got me to Cancun this year and a 5k cash prize. So whatever. I guess i'm naive and stupid for continuing to practice this way of thinking. The movie I thought about making will be in the can by December and in theatres by 2nd quarter 2009.
I'm such a dope for thinking

Andre, Torrance
April 22, 2008 8:47am

I'm so glad you chose to address The Secret this week, I work at Indigo,(the major book store in Canada) and every time someone asks me where this load of bull is located, a little part of me dies. Really it's just nice to know that there are still people out there that don't think positive thinking will cure your cancer.

Nettie, Alberta, Canada
April 22, 2008 1:22pm

Andre - Congratulations and good work! I suspect you did not just wish for these events to "materialize" out of nowhere..."work" being the key word here...

Paul, Dayton
April 23, 2008 11:31am

Andre, Brian specifically says in the episode that there is nothing wrong with positive thinking. I try to be a very positive person, and, in general, it keeps me very happy and successful. The problem is that positive thinking alone is not enough to accomplish anything. The positive thinking allows people to stay positive and do the hard work they need to do in order to reach their goals.

If things go as planned, I will soon be a licensed physical therapist. I had to go through some pretty tough times to get here, and I have run into my fair share of problems. What got me through everything was not merely positive thinking. It was doing the hard work I needed to do every day.

If, on the other hand, I had decided to think hard about becoming a PT instead of working hard at it, I would now be preparing for a life as a restaurant assistant manager. The point Brian was making in the podcast was that positive thinking never hurts, but it can only help so much. It can't change the world on its own.

Steve Loeffelholz, Iowa City, IA
April 23, 2008 2:13pm

When I heard what kind of arguments the secret used for stating its effectiveness, I wondered how many mores times quantum physics is going to be misused just because someone heard somewhere that in quantum physics the state of a particle depends is altered by being observed.
Now I don't pretend to be a physicist, quantum physics is way to difficult for me, but I do tend to pay attention when I hear the actual scientists talk. And as I happen to spend a lot of time at university, I have spoken with physicists on many occasions, and I must ask: please stop accusing quantum physics of saying something that it doesn't! It says that the state of really, really small particles is uncertain. It doesn't say anything at all about big things like cells, rocks, human beings, planets or stars!

By the way: if wishing really hard for something makes it happen, why aren't people flying for thousands of years then? A lot of people really, really wanted to very much, but before the invention of hot air balloons and airplanes, nobody ever did. And think of the consequence of what this means for the jewish population in the 1940's, they must have been real suicidal. To me it is an outrage to even suggest something like that.
Sometimes things just happen, nobody wanted it, but they just did. And it is more important to remember that the best way to achieve anything is backed up by a lot of evidence: work for it! No guarantees, but the journey can be as much fun as reaching the destination.

Sabine, Belgium
April 24, 2008 4:56am

HAHAHA.... Got you to Cancun. I wish I had a BILLION dollars (repeated 40 million times). As PT Barnum says...there reeally is a sucker born every day. I call it the garage sell syndrome, you see an object, ask if it works (you know deep down your getting ripped), the lady avers "yes it does" with such conviction you buy it. Later, it does not work, but you wanted it to work so bad you had to buy it.

Rick VanHuss, Arlington, TX
May 05, 2008 4:25pm

When I was a kid I wished, all the time, that I was a Ninja Turtle. Alas, I'm neither green or fighting crime.

However, I DO really enjoy pizza. Maybe the Secret did work a little.

Jeremy Lindgren (vita10gy), Eau Claire, WI
May 15, 2008 10:44am

One item I want to disabuse. The Secret (and others like those who were in the movie) don't advocate positive thinking. They use the word 'intention'. Most thought leaders in this area would agree that positive thinking isn't effective. Intention has a different meaning.

Also, the notion that we are not victims does not necessairly mean that we should not stand for fairness and justice. If you wallow in being a victim it is not a very powerful place to come from. Victims are typically resigned, they spend allot of time complaining and are stuck in their condition. In fact, they almost perpetuate the condition they are a victim of.

During the Civil Rights era in the 1960's Martin Luther King took a stand for equality. He was not a resigned victim. At the same time he did not take the point of view that "I caused all this therefore I must accept it." He fought vehemently against injustices that were racially motivated. Ghandi did the same in an earlier time.

Those who would suggest that we be 'at cause' in life would cite Martin Luther King and Ghandi as shining examples.

Jon, Los Angeles
June 01, 2008 3:11pm

Brian,

Thank you for your write up. I could not agree with you more. We are in serious need of educating people on critical thinking and sound judgement.

Mayra Mejia, New York, NY
July 02, 2008 12:41pm

You'd best stop putting this newletter in our books. You have no right to be spreading your work by putting it into the books we're trying to sell. I'm not saying I disagree, but all you've managed to do is create more work for our employees since now they have to spend their time removing all of your propaganda. Please be more considerate of other people and THINK before you act. Get your own book published, or get a life. Anyone who wishes to believe in the secret is not going to be dissuaded by your insert. This is not the way to go about it.

Book Store Employee, Calgary
July 09, 2008 1:11pm

Uhh...Brian *HAS* a published book. Wow...what a dolt.

Aaron, Eau Claire, WI
July 19, 2008 8:38pm

Anonymous book store employee -- Are you saying that someone has printed out this transcript and has been sticking it into books in your store? You're right, they probably shouldn't do that -- my question is why you think Mr. Dunning would be doing that personally. Do you really think he has the time or interest, with all his myriad projects, to travel over 1000 miles to a foreign country just to distribute a handful of flyers about a book he couldn't give a rat's ass about?????

Eric Schulman, Corona, CA
July 19, 2008 8:44pm

Wurr. I dunno, there are people who are dumb enough to think that's a good idea. Of course, I'm only getting to this one (I listen to the skeptoids at random, it calms me a bit)

Tokorona Shinjitsu, Puyallup, WA
July 20, 2008 1:39pm

Thankyou for busting this book, with your permission I have added the link to it on my forum at this address:

http://sceptic.darkbb.com/self-help-f26/the-secret-busted-t120.htm#355

Regards,

Den.

Dennis Thompson, UK
July 27, 2008 1:50pm

This is from an email I recieved from Rhonda Byrnes. "Very often we ask for things because we think our life will be
better with those things, but inside of us we do not have an
immense desire for those things. When you don't feel that immense
desire within you, you are receiving guidance telling you that this
is not something you really want."
Umm... now were have I heard that before? Oh yes "Sometimes God says no." or "Thats not Gods plan for you." or "You need to have more faith." Gotta love there merchants of woo.

Grant Busarello, Johannesburg South Africa
July 28, 2008 5:09am

You got to love that aspect of it. Somehow true believers have the power to convince themselves that something the believe in NOT working is proof it DOES work. Oddly enough sometimes to them it's the definitive evidence that it works.

"See?! Deep down in my soul I'm secretly torn between a Dodge Viper and a Ferrari. Because of that neither materialized in the driveway! We're really onto something here!"

Jeremy Lindgren (vita10gy), Eau Claire, WI
July 29, 2008 7:48am

It's true that blaming the victim allows non-victims to feel smug and relieved that THEY didn't bring that problem upon THEMselves, so whew! That other person really deserves it. But on a slightly more optimistic note, it's also true that it's as much a coping mechanism for fear as it is an enabling mechanism for relief and self-satisfaction. We are human, and animals, and it's very scary to see disease, violence, freak accidents, medical bankruptcy, and all the things that happen to people just like us, and it helps us cope to find SOME way to blame the victims, so we don't feel overwhelmed and helpless about our own futures. It's not right, but it is there, and I think it's helpful, in order to find constructive solutions to these problems and reactions, to remember that people aren't just BAD, we're often terrified, and we can be educated to react more compassionately. "The Secret" and Oprah are definitely not doing a service to the human community. Which is shocking, considering how daytime television has always been a bastion of reason and reality, not to mention the number 1 news source for Clay Aiken updates.

Beth, Berlin, Germany
August 13, 2008 2:58am

great episode Brian, just letting everyone know, you'd be missing out if I didn't mention the chaser boys hilarious take on this as well

have a look! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usbNJMUZSwo

Jon, Canberra
August 26, 2008 4:59am

You people obviously missed the point of the secret. It's not just wishing for it but wanting the things that you want to the point where it gives you a clear path towards your goal and taking action to get it. You just don't wish for it and it materializes in front of your eyes.

This is the same limited observational crap that you see everywhere. Take a little piece of the movie and spin it until it looks bad. Are you people related to Michael Moore?

Geez, you like to bash people just to make yourself look superior. So what if the movie made the viewers feel good about themselves? Can you imagine a world with all it's people feeling good about themselves? Unfortunately, that's not going to happen since there are people like you in this world.

Richard, New Castle, DE
September 22, 2008 12:02pm

Hey Richard
Bet you cant wait to spend your hard earned cash on the Ancient Code!

GistGrant, Jhb South Africa
September 22, 2008 12:59pm

Argue a limitation and yep it is yours/manifests!!

Of course being able to argue it, in the first place a necessity. This not always the case.

Scientifically (semantics) the ‘Sapir-Whorf hypothesis' contains the answers and what ever else is required.

.

Richard, Khon Kaen
September 30, 2008 9:20am

Richard, New Castle, DE,

It's clear from the clips I've seen from the movie that the secret is not metaphor for "You can have anything you want, if you are willing to work hard enough for it" Which in and of itself is also a stupid belief to have, but at least there's a shred of good intent there.

The way I interpret "The Secret" to be different than the general self help movement is that the Secret is more literal/direct in the "If you want it, it will be yours" aspect. It's clear from the movie that this is what they mean.

Sure, no one believes a new car will materialize in the driveway if they want it bad enough, as I joked earlier. They just believe that if they want it bad enough they'll win some contest they never signed up for, or something, and someone will show up with the car and hand over the keys. Or their neighbors will begin an ugly divorce process that begins with the husband selling them his brand new Corvette for pennies on the dollar, just so she doesn't get it in the divorce.

There's no motivational aspect to it. You still did nothing to deserve/earn that car, and more often than not you getting something you want comes at the expense of someone else who "didn't want it as bad."

Jeremy Lindgren (vita10gy), Eau Claire, WI
October 08, 2008 11:04am

I started reading the book and I am going to finish it and watch the movie. The Secret is rediculous. My favorite part, thus far, is "The Secret and Your Body". Someone is over-weight because they are thinking "fat thoughts" not "thin thoughts". If you want to lose weight stop thinking "fat thoughts". The Secret also makes the claim that "food is not the cause of fat, it's thinking that food causes fat that causes fat. If you think it will make you fat it will make you fat." WHAT?!? It also says that being told that you have a slow thyroid, a slow metabolism, or that their body size is hereditary, are all disguises for thinking "fat thoughts". This is so rediculous I can't believe people take it seriously.

Joshua Hunt, Cleveland, OH
November 07, 2008 5:31pm

I know the secret is bunk, but I always feel good after I read it. I can pick it up, open to any page, and read something that will put me in a better mood and mindset to face the day. It's worth having just for that purpose even if it is total baloney, scientifically speaking.

Victor Lazlo, Florida
November 13, 2008 2:33pm

It's frightening how popular culture seems to follow the maxim of "everything old is eventually new." When I first heard about "The Secret," I immediately thought back to "The Prayer of Jabez," which was very popular about five years ago and which preached almost exactly the same "health, wealth and prosperity" message, but from a Biblical angle.

I suppose the problem is twofold: first of all, people really do want to believe that they're in control of their own destiny, and I think Brian's analysis of human nature is spot on. But the other side of the coin is that people are also very afraid of living lives where they are completely in control of their own happiness, and they want to believe that the universe is set up to provide safety nets to keep them from falling too far.

But the ugly side of "The Secret" is that it's set up to become a system of denial. If you find yourself really wishing and hoping that you'll get that car you want, and you don't get it, your disconfirmation will cause you not to question "The Secret" itself, but whether or not you believed strongly enough and did enough good. Byrnes makes it sound like the car will just appear in your driveway if you're doing it right, but that clearly isn't happening or else people would be reporting it.

No, the real "Secret" is that if you want to make a lot of money, you need to create a slick marketing campaign for someone else's old idea and then get Oprah (the world's most popular sucker) to endorse it.

SeanJJordan, St. Louis
December 02, 2008 11:31am

I thought I saw a body, clutching a copy of this book, floating in Katrina's backflow.

Seriously, I knew this was crap when I heard Oprah hawking it.

J. L., Omaha
March 17, 2009 5:16pm

Ok, maybe it is my own hippy upbringing, but is anyone else disturbed by how materialistic this is? It's all money and power...Also, I love when positive thinking advocates say that you have to BELIEVE! Is that a great out? "It didn't happen to me." "It's because you didn't BELIEVE!"

Michael, Worcester
May 15, 2009 10:53am

The secret is ok,but its not totally acurate.. The book as a man thinketh by james allen is very accurate its a better book it cuts down the middle.

algernon, jacksonville,florida
June 22, 2009 10:10pm

Brian,

While I appreciate your stance and comments about the Secret, can you prove that Law of Attraction doesn't exist? And if it doesn't, can you prove your theory of how the Universe works? Are we just floating around aimlessly having stuff happen to us by luck or chance?

While I liked the Secret and teach some of the same principles to my clients, I believe the Secret missed on a few marks. It does mention that you have to take action but most people missed that part. It doesn't say you have to simply think things into being and they will appear.

What science or quantum physics has proven is that everything in the Universe is made of energy, including us, so the claims in the Secret are correct. Energy takes form in everything we see on a daily basis.
Also, everything you see, cars, planes, tables, chairs...they have ALL started as a thought; someone thinking of it and then making it happen. That's what the Secret is. It is deciding what you want, knowing it will come and taking action to make it happen.
As far as the naysayers go, it was a 4-5 hundred years ago that most of the people thought the world was flat and not too many people would have thought man could fly or we could land on the moon.
I have seen the prinicipals of the Universe discussed in the Secret work in my life and many other's...first hand. I just think the Secret may have missed some of the complete message.

Best of luck to you.

Mike Bacevic
www.nolifelimits.com

Mike Bavcevic, Burr Ridge IL
July 09, 2009 8:38am

Mike, you are missing the point. The burden of proving an extraordinary claim that is patently inconsistent with everything we know about the universe is on the person making the claim. If you claim Santa Claus is real, that does not shift the burden to me to prove he is not. You have to have at least a modicum of evidence first.

My wife got me the Secret on audio thinking it was some kind of self-help book (because Oprah recommended it). I got through a couple of chapters before I gave up. It is utter drivel, self-contradictory, and filled with meaningless platitudes into which a gullible person can read anything they want.

R. Matta, Washington, DC
July 09, 2009 9:54am

This teaching is as old as the Bible - think "Thought, Word and Deed" and much of it is indeed about the creation of health, wealth and happiness. It may be over-sensationalist - even the title, "The Secret" is more than a little misleading - there's nothing secret about any of it. A thought has to be there to precede the 'word' -and then the spoken declaration itself in many cases brings about the action - think of the things we 'declare' and are then made legal. And I am therefore in complete agreement with this part of the philosophy. However, having been brought up in a very open - minded family, I know by experience that a negative attitude will in most cases bring about a negative outcome. But I have to agree that much of this is simple psychology. We need to remove the 'filters' we have that sometimes stop the good in our lives from entering our awareness - we get stuck in negativity and filter out what's positive. If this book does at least that much for some people, is that in itself not a good thing?
Couldn't we all benefit from seeing the glass as half full? I agree that much of the 'packaging' of this philosophy is over-simplistic and sensationalist but I can't entirely disagree with its basic premise, having experienced the very obvious results of a living with faulty belief systems. If it makes many of its readers feel better and live happier, more successful lives, why sould we knock it?

Daisy Bright, London
July 12, 2009 6:39am

We should knock it because it is demonstratably false, the concept is just outright immoral and it is a total lying con (although I would say the same about the bible so I agree with that comparison).

Adrian, Brisbane, Australia
July 31, 2009 9:09pm

Quantum physics is the study of how very small particles (the particles that make the particles that make up atoms). It is incorrect to say quantum theory supports this idea. It does not. Nothing in Quantum theory suggests that one's attitude, thoughts or feelings can impact these particles.

As far as everything man made you see starting from thought, that's true, it starts with thought. After that it requires actual work to create. That would be converting stored or potential energy into heat or kinetic energy to do work. In other words the stored energy in my body does work by allowing me to pick up the saw, cut the wood and make the table. There is no evidence that your mind is going to make that table simply appear or cause the universe to make it happen. Life ain't organized that way. Sometimes the things you want to happen happen, sometimes they don't. Sometimes you get that raise you wanted and sometimes you get cancer. That's just the way it works.

Craig, Washington DC
August 01, 2009 6:38am

Michael, Worcester "is anyone else disturbed by how materialistic this is? "
I don't think that people who believe in The Secret actually are all that materialistic. Their surface materialism is just a way to deny their real problems. I'm unhappy because I don't have a nice car, not because I have no friends that don't judge me on the car I have. I am unhappy because I don't run my own company, not because I know that everyone else knows I not earned such a position. That's why they won't blame the secret for not giving them what they want. Because what they really want is a way to believe they'll get stuff without thinking about their own life and actions.

Michael, Sydney
September 07, 2009 1:16am

at first when i heard of this "secret" i gave it creedence merely out of desperation. "desperate measures cause desperate actions"

the theory is all backwards and marketing it as some ancient, philosophical recondite knowledge.

its absolute fabricated nonsense. the truth about success, love, happiness, etc....has many dimensions as there are many perspectives or "individual" definitions of each.

now regarding disasters or detrimental circumstances you can only do so much as in preparation and caution can't avoid the invetiable.

anyway, life and its parts is a profound topic of conversation that cannot simply be captured in a paragrah but requires a dialogue to get to the gist of the matter.

"the secret" is just a new breed of motivational, self-help guidance, but the same old concept.

mike, new york
September 15, 2009 6:55pm

I think that people are getting too upset about this book. People should view "The Secret" like anything else out there. Take the best and chuck the rest. There's good things about being grateful for what you have, and yes as a rule it's better to be positive than consistently negative. I see The Secret as a tool vs some all encompassing Gospel I must follow to the letter.

Sabrina, Oregon
October 28, 2009 12:54pm

I agree with Sabrina, it reminds me of when the The Da Vinci Code came out..What a lot of hoopla over a fictional book..

Debbie, Parry Sound, ON
October 30, 2009 4:19am

I was turned off immediately by "The Secret" primarily because it is a selfish world view that as a believer in God I do not adhere to.

And furthermore, whatg positive aspects about it are right in the Bible anyway. If you take the time to read Scripture, you will find the answer to everything we need here on earth and more.

It isn't about attaining money or material things; rich people kill themselves all the time.

Happiness, joy and Peace come only from God, and finding His Holy Spirit which can dwell in all of us, if we ask for it. FAITH is the key.

Linda, Detroit, Michigan
January 10, 2010 2:49pm

Thank you for such a superb breakdown of the pseudo science mumbo jumbo that is "The Secret".

Usually I think that the best way to treat utter rubbish like this is to ignore it however, when my "friend" told me that why my life was so bad and I was such a bad person, while she is such a great person and has such a wonderful life was because of the secret, I set out to prove just how ridiculous that claim is.

Why this is a best seller is beyond me, but as you said it exposes an ugly part of human nature.

I personally think it has a dangerous message about only looking after yourself, always wanting more and forgetting others as they bring it on themselves. I have personally found that helping others brings me the most happiness.

Anyways, thank you again and I will be showing your review to my so-called friend.

Jessie, Los Angeles
January 19, 2010 5:03pm

The Secret. There's so much hype about that book that you don't have to read it to know what its about. Everyone is too eager to tell you all about it. I have this friend who always has something negative to whine about. You gift her a cherry pie and she sees it as an attack because she doesn't like cherries. She takes everything so personal that there is no way she could win a lottery because even if she did, she wouldn't recognize it as a win. She would find some way to whine about it. You can only see what you recognize. So in a sense, it is true that 'making' good things happen is often a simple as recognizing when something good has happened. If you go around looking for good things, you will certainly notice more good things happening to you. So there is some truth to the concept that we can 'will' bad or good to happen, or at least 'will' ourselves pick out and be aware of the good things rather than the bad. My reality can't contain anything I do not notice. All this sounds fantastic, but just like the bible, lets not take it 'too' literally. Its more of a philosophy. A way of looking at things. Thats all.

Bertha, Salt Lake City
February 11, 2010 4:08pm

Wow. I truly cannot understand why this guy's so angry about a book that encourages the philosophy of attracting positivity into your life. We could infinitely debate the social relevance or validity of the claims made by the book or its practitioners, but why? As a neurophysiologist, I must concur that (in lamens terms) positive thoughts have a much more positive affect on the overall wellness and activity of the brain. Why not have positive thoughts? Even if ,of course, it does not work quite like a "genie and lamp", what could it hurt? Choosing to think negatively certainly won't yield you any better results. I think Jessie from LA seems to validate this point. It sounds like her friend is right...

Anderson, New York, New York
March 31, 2010 1:15pm

what james randi say about it

asdasd, ksa
May 07, 2010 3:18am

I agree with jessie and the article too. The thing that says nobody needs your help sounds real bad. I think thought should have been given towards other natural laws that exist. its focussed only around " The Law attraction " which is NOT the only law. Since the time i first read this book i have found around 7 more laws that actually focus on the true self and the helping nature of soul. LAW of ATTRACTION seems just nothing before these laws.

upasana, Ludhiana,Punjab,India
May 09, 2010 9:25pm

Most New Age spiritual folks claim Christ as one of their ultimate good guys.

However, I can't help but notice that, as wonderful as Jesus may have been, somehow he "attracted" being tortured to death.

I'm all for a positive attitude and a positive outlook. I think it even works to an extent.

But I also think life is a bigger game and those who hope to bypass suffering and misfortune with good vibes are fooling themselves and betraying their immaturity.

jack, San Francisco
June 08, 2010 11:43pm

Lol, you have no idea what you're talking about or about the central nervous system. Thoughts cause actions, actions cause results. You want to talk about "This claim is just a made-up lie" then why don't you read Think and Grow Rich. Think and Grow Rich was a 25 year study of 500 of the worlds most successful people of the time Thomas Edison, Andrew Carnegie, Alexander Graham Bell, and other "Unverified sources," and they came to the same exact conclusion. If you did your research you would know that the ideas in "The Secret" originated from "Think and Grow Rich" and all the multi-multi-millionaires of the time (Billionaires by today's standards,) agreed with these concepts, and some even admitted that it was a learned (not natural) process. No Offense, but how much does skeptoid.com pull in yearly? I would tend to listen to all these ultra-rich people who promoted these ideas, rather than an unpaid or lowpaid writer for "skeptoid.com." Matter of fact, maybe you should try applying some of these ideas. I know for a fact they've worked for me.

Joe, New York
July 17, 2010 11:38pm

Argumentum ad aurum, those with the gold are right. This of course assumes that this is even the argument that people with money are making, which it isn't.

Brandon, Falconer
July 18, 2010 7:52am

I feel terribly divided about The Secret. I know that all of their "Quantum Physics" studies and "proofs" are just rationalizations and wishful thinking.
But what makes me not discard The Secret completely is that some people do achieve success using those methods. Believing and never giving up normally do end up in success and the practices of Affirmations and Visualizations does change one's thoughts and motivations. Psycho-cybernetics of Dr. Maltz teach how to change your thoughts and your personality through similar techniques, and they do work even though they don't "attract" stuff, it only motivates you to trigger the changes.

So I say The Secret does teach good ways of changing your life, but the change will be created by the action the individual takes, after he crafts his mind with affirmations/visualization/believing, not by quantum physics, nor "like attracts like".

Wot, A Bunker
July 31, 2010 5:40am

What exactly does this have to do with Quantum physics?

Just a piece of advice to the secret people, Quantum physics states that a particle is made from a wave packet, which has inherant uncertainty, when it interacts with other particles it randomly chooses a position/momentum, which the other particle compensates for.

So what does this have to do with our subconscious being able to control anything?

We cannot control the randomness, and besides in relation to ourselves the quantum randomness evens out like the flipping of coins, through SM so our neurons still act deterministically.

I don't really get how they are using Quantum mechanics to support the soul...LOL.

Oh and btw joe, you have no idea what you are talking about... okay?

Lets imagine a nerve loop...okay?

What happens is outside influences affect the molecular and enzymatic reactions within the sensor cell, these reactions activate the H gradient along the nerve cell membrane, which drives the production of a neurotransmitter in the neural synapse (part connected to neuron) the neuron then transmits the signal to another nerve which "guides" it to a muscle cell, and causes it to contract. Joe, all your thoughts, despite how simple they are all just a product of your neural structure, no soul involved, buddy.

So please read prior to commenting, and denouncing others rational understanding.

Mike, Cali
August 29, 2010 6:57pm

The Secret is just insulting to the general populace, for the following reasons;
1. Assuming that Quantum Physics is beyond the understanding of most people. Just because most people have not studied it does not mean they can't understand it.
2. It expects us to believe that anybody whois rich wished into being with out working. Ergo anybody who is poor, ill, destitute or disabled has not wished hard enough. It ignores the majority of evidence (people who wish they were rich) and offers a minority as proof.
3. Assume this book was true. Until it was published you had no idea about the secret. Ergo you were not good enough for the secret.

Mean spirited and insulting BS is the worst flavour.

Tom H, Kent, UK
August 30, 2010 1:29am

I'm rich now.
I'm happy. Anything bad that happens in my life is overcome by my sense of gratitude.

If you don't believe in the law of attraction just ignore it.
You don't have to believe in it.

Please stop bothering who does. We won't bother you.

And last but not least, The Secret is not about wishful thinking, who knows and follows the secret knows it.

God bless you.

I hope you be happy even not following it.

Vito, New England
September 08, 2010 6:42pm