Magical Thinking In A Brown Paper Wrapper?

[Stormchild]

Today's Washington Post has an interesting article on magical thinking, although the author's focus is on a particular book that pushes this concept as a prescription for well-being.

The headline is scathing -- and the Post prefers not to be excerpted elsewhere, so I'm restricted to putting up the link here, without quotes.

[Note to others: They SUE. Strongly suggest not quoting the article unless you want them to sue YOU.]

Here's the link: this is to the printable version, which is all visible on one screen, with scrolling.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/06/AR2007040601819_pf.html

Apparently, the book's author is marketing a very warped form of egocentrism - the notion that "I'm So Important, I Only Have To Think To Make It So". To which the obvious rejoinder is - if you're that important and powerful, why is your life such an unrelieved misery?

A person really has to be on the far side of sanity to reply, as the book's author apparently advocates, that "I must really, really want nothing but misery and heartbreak in my life, because since my thoughts control the entire universe, and I have nothing but misery and heartbreak in my life, I must be responsible for all of it."

Wouldn't it be nice if magical thinking really worked: we could all get together for fifteen seconds and visualize world peace, a stable global economy with everyone being paid fairly for their work and nobody working in an abusive workplace, not a psychopath or narcissist on the planet, no child molesters, no murderers, no violent crimes of any type, no pollution, no famine, no homelessness, no poverty, no disease. We could undo tsunamis and hurricanes. We could resurrect the dead.

We would be God.

[teartracks]

Storm,

I read the article.   As Watkins says, the author's thinking is not original.  Magical thinking is around us all the time.  I think it is a bunch of hooey.  I think The Secret is a bunch of hooey!  But then what do I know? 

We would be God!  I've actually thought over the last few days that Man, God and Satan are the original version of triangulation.  Wonder which part of the triangle is being manipulated by magical thinking via it's updated manual, The Secret?

tt

[moonlight52]

Storm

I do think that positive self talk is healthy .But this stuff blames a person for their troubles.....
BTW My first step in understanding self was the Karpman Triangle
also I have been reading your blog and light bulbs popping on all over the place.
Thanks

m

[Stormchild]

Hi tracks, thanks

hi Moon - yes, I agree that when you've been fed negative, distorted messages all your life, in order to make you easy prey for abusive people and systems, then it is very, very important to know about the antidote and use it.

The important concept though is that positive thinking is an antidote.

The changes it brings about are from the skin inward.

Of course we will find healthier people to love and relate to once we believe that such people exist and that we are worthy of them - if there are any in our vicinity; and if there aren't, we'll be braver about finding a new vicinity to be in, to better our odds.

Of course we will find more happiness in our lives if we believe that we have a right to be happy. We'll be brave enough to work towards that goal, and wise enough to see the things that have held us back from happiness in the past.

And of course our chances of finding a non-abusive way to live in an abusive world are much improved if we believe that it is possible to live non-abusively. That will give us the moral courage to keep trying, again and again.

What we won't find, though, is an on/off switch for forcing the universe to give us a Mercedes, or a million dollars, or Pierce Brosnan [dang!]. The universe just isn't wired that way, because if it were, we could long ago have eliminated all evil just by wishing it were so.

Shoot, we can't even cure our Ns. We can only cure ourselves.

[Stormchild]

Wanted to post this separately - thanks, moon, about the blog. I've put some things there that I haven't posted here, so am glad to know it's useful.

[isittoolate]

What is a mild concern to me is that my daughter sent me the DVD, and said it had changed her life and hoped it would do the same for me.

I was turned off in the first few minutes, so there is a 'difference of opinion' for the 2 of us in changing one's life.

(I just thought, OMG What are they selling? Amway?---No they are selling this DVD.)

[Stormchild]

Storm,

I read the article.   As Watkins says, the author's thinking is not original.  Magical thinking is around us all the time.  I think it is a bunch of hooey.  I think The Secret is a bunch of hooey!  But then what do I know? 

We would be God!  I've actually thought over the last few days that Man, God and Satan are the original version of triangulation.  Wonder which part of the triangle is being manipulated by magical thinking via it's updated manual, The Secret?

tt

Tracks, not to get too theological here, but I too have often thought about triangles and trinities and the connection between the spiritual and psychological.

Dorothy L. Sayers' book "The Mind of The Maker" helped me to see a lot more of this than I had before, on the psychological side.

And I am inclined to agree with you about the Karpman Triangle prototype, too. We might want to discuss that backchannel, since it presupposes certain Articles of Faith.

[Stormchild]

(I just thought, OMG What are they selling? Amway?---No they are selling this DVD.)

BINGO!

[teartracks]

And I am inclined to agree with you about the Karpman Triangle prototype, too. We might want to discuss that backchannel, since it presupposes certain Articles of Faith.

I understand, and it's not a problem, Storm.

[WRITE]

*snigger*

The secret to getting people to part with their cash more like...

Good topic.

[Overcomer]

I know all the magical thinking I have ever done has immediately been poo pooed by my mom so I never think anything good can happen to me.  So self talk and prayer are my remedies for years of negative input.

[gratitude28]

I am glad magical thinking doesn't work for my mother. Otherwise she would have all the money in the world, would not want to share it, would be glad she was richer than others and would want them to grovel and beg. She would walk around like a queen and take from people and have everyone fawn all over her as if she were impossible to tear away from. She would smite her "enemies" who no doubt didn't know who she was. The thought gives me the willies...

[Overcomer]

My mom DOES have all the $ in the world.  No magic needed-so she is everything you just said!

[reallyME]

Ok, I went to this link about "The Secret" as, I too had heard about it on Oprah (which I rarely even watch anyway).

The following is my opinion based on what I follow as truth.

The Bible says "as a man thinketh in his heart, so is he."  It also says, "out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks."

There is some truth in "the Secret" as far as realizing that our attitudes cause good and bad to come toward us...but wait!  I believe a bit differently as to the reason WHY.

If I go around complaining about something in my life, but do nothing to change it, I will NOT have a different outcome.

If I go around counting my blessings, I will be a happier person, attract positive people and feel blessed in whatever things in my life stand out as GOOD!

I believe it's all about FOCUS, but I also believe that sometimes a person can use "magical thinking" and obtain things from the wrong power, often, later regretting even the things he drew toward him by his actions or through the power that allowed him to get things (yes, talking spiritual here)

The biggest problem with a person "thinking" things into existence, is that, he deifies his own ability.  Now, if you are humanist, that will be peachy with you.  If you are Buddhist or Hindu, it might fly too...but, for myself, being a follower of Yahuwshu`a (Jesus), I prefer to confess and possess ONLY in accordance to God's will...not by my selfish whims and desires.  I'm not saying I never have asked for anything selfishly, cause God knows I have...but, I have learned that no matter what I desire, it's always best to let my Heavenly Father have the final Authority.

~Laura

[Overcomer]

WHAT SHE SAID-DITTO!