Video: Barbara Ehrenreich Tears into Positive Thinking

Acclaimed journalist, author and political activist Barbara Ehrenreich explores the darker side of positive thinking, delusion, amorality, war and optimism as a form of social control. “How could [class and inequality] be a problem if anyone can be rich just by thinking about it?” Her words and concepts are illustrated by RSA Animate.

RSA Animate – Smile or Die « RSA Comment.


Steve C. July 20, 2010 at 5:53 am

Very interesting!


Emmet August 11, 2010 at 8:10 pm

It’s ironic as I write this comment that the Google Ad in the bottom right corner is for “Dr. Joe Vitale on ‘The Missing Secret’”. Good old contextual advertising ;)

I spent the last 3 years or so exploring the whole “law of attraction” cult of self help/motivation and as I watch this video I realize how damaging that school of thought has been to my life.

I know that practitioners of the law of attraction would argue I am doing it wrong, and offer all sorts of rebuttals that seem reminiscent of religious institutions and other controversial organizations like Scientology.

The law of attraction movement is driven by skilled marketers who are more interested in selling their products than they are in actually helping people, kind of like a pyramid scheme where there positive thoughts (especially towards money) are powered by the misery of their customers.

One cannot dig their head into the sand and expect great things to happen for them. Positive thinking is only as powerful as the positive actions that it spurs you to take.

Thanks for posting this video.


Posted

in

by

Tags:

Comments

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *