Have you seen the movie "The Secret" or read the book with the same name?

Question

What's your opinion about it?

briley...me neither :)

L.C. i agree... it makes you want wealth no matter what

Pancakke... It's based on the law of attraction. It's said that if you really want something and you imagine you have that thing you can have it. But it's a little annoying cause it's repeating itself. The idea is good but the part with "You are God" i think it's a bit weird.

Answer 1

Basically "Hope things get better, and through the power of looking at things optimistically, they seem to get better! WOW! Because I'm thinking positive thoughts I see things in a positive light, how amazing!"

Here's the reality of it though: "The Secret" goes one step too far. It states that this is a universal law, that it is a panacea cure to all life's problems. In this way "The Secret" ignores and spits in the face of every one of the 40,000 children who die every year from starvation, who do nothing but hope and pray for food and alleviation to their suffering.

Answer 2

There are SO MANY. When watching movies I can cry at the drop of a hat. Way to sentimental. You've Got Mail is one. The Bucket List is another and a few thousand more. In the book, The Far Pavilions" the saddest part is near the end. I've read it three or four times and now I cry before I get to that part because I know what's coming. Silly me.

Answer 3

Yes i have, and i think it's absolutely awful. It has a hidden agenda connected to the sect which made it, and they aren't at all open about having it. It talks mostly about material things, so portrays the Universe as a sort of cosmic vending machine. It implies that people who are unlucky because, for example, they live in a war zone, a poor country, a tsunami has just wiped out their family and home, have been raped or have a fatal genetic condition, have attracted these things to themselves so it's apparently their fault rather than of no-one's, world politics or the man who raped them. It also openly says that one should not be "against" things because this will encourage the very things one is trying to prevent, so clearly in this world view no-one should have opposed the Nazis, tried to find a cure for major diseases or set up children's homes or adoption agencies, trade unions or abolished slavery. It sanctions the self-censorship of thought, not allowing one to think things through clearly and find one's own way to draw one's own conclusions about things.

However, despite all that, i do believe there is a grain of truth in the Law of Attraction, namely that in a social context, negative and positive focussing does have important consequences. For instance, if one is asking someone out but expects rejection, that is quite likely to happen, and positive expectations are more likely to bring success. This also applies to other situations, like marketing, persuasive speeches and management. In the context of social psychology, it actually can work at times. Similarly, phenomena such as the placebo effect suggest that it may also be true in medicine, though here one is on dodgy ground because it's perilously close to blaming people for their illnesses. There are a lot of situations where it will make absolutely no difference whatsoever. One doesn't attract bills or debt into one's life by expecting them, for example, but by spending more money than one's income, a lot of the time anyway.

It is quite well-marketed and it's quite clever to sell the idea as a new one when it has been around for at least a century, and i could perhaps forgive the focus on wealth and material gain because they may have felt it was the best way to reach the people who most need to be reached. However, i generally see it as pandering to people who want to avoid deep thought and want easy answers rather than enjoying the quest for them, which is a matter of taste, but really not what the world needs right now. It's an example of the author G K Chesteron's famous quote: "When people stop believing in God, they don't believe in nothing -- they believe in anything.", and an example of the kind of thing which can happen when academic philosophers claim that their discipline has died.

Moreover, i have tried it and it doesn't work. There is a random association between what happens and what one focuses on. It can be tested with an open mind and disproved.

Answer 4

This is by far the best thing that has ever entered into my life... I can not even begin to explain all of the phenominal things that have entered into my life after I learned how to apply it. I am a whole new person since I started living it... I am deeply greatful I drew that into my experience... Highly reccomended for anyone who wants drastically change or even just improve their lives!!!!

What I believe it really promotes is people taking responsibility for themselves which in todays day and age we all too often point the finger at someone or something else when we fail. Something else that is really important is that if it feels good to you then hold on to it. If not then release it and find something that resaginates within you.
what is so terrible about focusing on the positive things in life. All to often people are miserable in so many areas and they do absolutly nothing to change it.
Ex. I hate my job... but Im not willing to get off my *** and get a new one. I dislike bieng with this person... but Im gonna stay here cause its comfortable. etc.etc As for it promoting greed and conciet... It is more about have a healthy respect for yourself and goiing after what is is you believe you deserve.
Personally after I saw it I wrote down evrything I wanted in the areas of a relationship, I got every signle thing down to the color of his eyes. I wanted a new job and I am now have the coolest job with the coolest people. I guess what really matters is the way you percieve it.
For me it was a major crossroads and has really helped me to take responsibility for myself and my actions. I am just way more in touch with my inner self and it helps me to focus on the way I want to live my life.
For me I was the key I had been searching for my whole life. A mind once streached by a new idea can never regain its original dimensions =)

Answer 5

I have read the book several times and seen the movie. Honestly it changed my life. I believe every word of it. I also love the perspective it gave me about god and religion. I no longer believe there is a god, but the universe.

Answer 6

I saw the movie and it was like watching a huge infomercial. I knew who a lot of the people speaking were, and they arent all people who's advice I would listen to. It's amost like watching "I Love the 80s" on VH1, but instead of washed up comics and singers chatting about the 80's, it's gypsies and stoned professors talking about wishful thinking.

Answer 7

I've seen both the movie and read the book
Its turned me on to other books about the law of attraction
and spirituality in general

Answer 8

Great theory, and true in some regards, but do you really think that the Universe is ready to bend over backward for you just because you want something bad enough?

Answer 9

Yes, I've read the book.
And it really has changed the way I live my life.
Just thinking more positively and keeping up hope for the things you want really has made my quality of life improve dramatically.

Answer 10

It is an old theory, the law of attraction.

Have to hand it to her she took something very old and made a mint off it.

I liked it and use it, when I am not being such a human.