Decoding The Secret - Research Paper Example

Decoding The Secret Introduction When we think of the term ‘positive thinking’, many stereotypical elements come to mind, such as the ever-optimistic trooper who never falls mercy to hopelessness, no matter how dire his situation may seem. We may be reminded of the poor, hapless woman who never stops smiling, no matter how troubled her heart may be. If we are to think of the opposite to positive thought, we see the grumpy old miser, who always manages to find the problems in everything, and constantly moans about how hard life is. Whatever is conjured up, it does not lack the requirement of deeper thought and analysis in an attempt to truly understand beyond these stereotypical elements exactly what positive thought is. Indeed, perhaps a single answer is not reachable, but at the very least, the issue can be further explored and some ground can be gained on what is considered to be positive thinking. As we begin to explore the issue, many questions are borne, along with thousands of others, and the inquisitive mind has no other option than to consider each on a singular basis. Due to restrictions of space, the most generalised questions will be analysed, and any further relevant questions will be explored or reluctantly dismissed as they arise along the line of enquiry. Let’s begin with the most primitive question – a good place to start in such a complex enquiry. Exactly what is positive thought? Once this primary and pressing question has been addressed, it will enable us to delve deeper into the topic and consider how positive thought could be practiced, and how it is practiced. An exploration into whether there are disadvantages of positive thought will also allow us to discover whether, if it is not so advantageous, there may be other practices which are better suited to life. What is Positive Thinking? The main – and possibly the most complicated – question begs to be asked first: what is positive thinking? Can it possibly be defined? Some would describe it as a choice between the brighter side or the darker side – the well-known glass half full, glass half empty scenario. A positive thought could thus be seeing the glass always as half full, in every difficult situation. Positive thought may also be constant location of the good things in life – based on the assumption that such good things always exist in any situation. The term ‘good always comes out of evil’ is a typical example, and is a way of ‘waiting it out’ through the bad times in the confidence that some good will come of it sooner or later. It could also be a way of life, in an indirect rather than positively direct way. It could be a simple methodology by which one chooses to live, by which one chooses to see every situation. It could be a natural gift, or we could have to try for such positive bliss. The truth is that it is different for everyone; each individual would describe, or enact positive thought in a more or less different manner. Sasson defines positive thought as ‘a mental attitude that expects good and favorable results’ (para.1). So, we are presented with a definition of positive thought that involves the expectation of good results. This means that positive thinking is not an ends-based method; it is a constant frame of mind, as put by Sasson in this context. It is not to create good results; it is rather to expect them, to become involved in the act of thinking positively about everything we do so that we may pursue them with ardour, even if they do turn out badly. Positive thinking thus exists as an element separate from the results it brings – it is a way of life, a frame of mind, an act or set of acts as separate from the results it brings or does not bring. Positive thinking in this way could be seen as unable to control the results which one desires, but it could arguably increase the possibility of those results or expectations from being fulfilled. If we envision that something will happen, for example we will get that job, then we are likely, as Sasson suggests, to manifest this positive attitude (para. 4) in the interview – our frame of mind allows us to act as though we will get the job, and we can create the illusion that it is already our job. On the other hand, a negative person with no positive thought is more likely to be unconfident in his interview, as he has already decided that he is not good enough to get it. This will emanate from him, and is likely to ensure that he does not get the job. It is thus evident that positive thought is a constant state of mind, an indefinite action in which we literally think positively. It is the belief that a certain desired result will happen, regardless of our power over whether it will happen. Yet it has this effect; it makes us believe that we can indeed achieve this desired result. It is the coaxing that a certain thing will happen, the waiting for the good, even though the bad may seem endless and unsolvable. Although such elements or aspects of life are hard to pinpoint, we can and have gathered some ground in identifying at least on a basic level what can be and is considered to be classed as positive thinking. How To Think Positively Supposing now that we have discovered what positive thought is, does this mean that we know how to actually do it? Very day people around us will say ‘think positively’, ‘chin up’ and so on. But how are we to hold up our chins, how are we to think positively? The vagueness of its analytical content causes it to be difficult to access once we have made the choice to analyse it on a deep level. This does not mean that it is impossible. It indeed could involve many different aspects or actions or even frames of mind. We may do it without even realising; we may have it in our nature, it may be taught to us as we are brought up from young. We may find it in our religious outlook, or our ethos of life, we may even be instructed as to what to do by reading books. One method is entitled ‘The Law of Attraction’, in which you ‘create your own reality through your thoughts’ (Adler 2007, p.2). This technique sees positive thought as an active change of frame of mind. Simply, by believing that you will succeed, you will succeed. This is not to say that merely thinking so will bring it, but it will improve performance and thus increase the chances one has of success. This is a plausible enough technique, but do we really need to be told to do this? IS it not a natural physical tendency to associate positive thought with better results? Indeed, as a swift remark from Happy Friend to Temporarily Sad and Discouraged Friend, it can provide a short, sharp remedy for the soul. But this could also have come from the Happy Friend showing his care, showing that he notices his friend’s troubles – the heartfelt words may bring a hope as a separate element from positive thought, even if they do lead to it. But, this is not the right time to criticise the act of positive thinking as of yet; this will be explored on a deeper level below. So far, it is contested that to think positively, to believe that something will happen, improves one’s performance levels and thus increases the chance of something happening. This seems plausible enough; it at the very least resists resorting to magical forces and powers by which we actually cause the thing we desire to happen. This would be crazy, right? Apparently not. A new wave of positive thought has emerged recently in America, which makes reference exactly to this rather extreme contention. ‘The Secret’ as created by Rhonda Byrne states that you can indeed ‘manipulate objective physical reality’ through your thoughts (Adler 2007, p.2). Another form of the law of attraction, it states that by the power of positive thought, you can make something actually happen. Simply by asking and believing, you will receive – that the universe will give to you exactly what you desire in this way. Indeed, it seems somewhat ludicrous, and in turn threatens to undermine and ridicule the whole philosophy of optimism. However, one cannot help but wonder that perhaps this is just a ploy to encourage positive thought. Indeed the mind is wonderful at creating excuses; that if it did not work the first time round, then perhaps I was not desiring enough, and next time round I should be more positive….and so on. So, as a way of encouraging positive thought, Byrne goes a long way – whether she can deliver what she promises is another matter. Suffice it to say that for the purposes of this paper, it is an effective method of persuading the most hopeless of us that perhaps, just perhaps it may happen. The main issue surrounding positive thought is how to deal with the problem of evil. And it is this very naming of positive thought as a way of combating evil that causes one to turn to religion. It is in this way that some find comfort, and indeed positive thought – through their religious belief. The mainstream version of this is that God intends everything to happen, for he has a Plan, so not matter how evil it is, it was intended. This is a drastic form of positive thought which allows one to credit the occurrence of evil or bad to the intention of God, or the inability of us mortals to choose the right path He gives us. We are thus able to remove responsibility and say ‘next time he will choose right’ or ‘God will show him the way’, or ‘God has a plan for me, I just have to be patient and positive’. This method of positive thought has reaped many benefits for millions all over the world, under many different religions. In the interests of space, other forms of God or religion will not be explored. It is however noted that other forms of religion do proceed on a different basis, and that for the purposes of this paper, Christianity and other such similar religions will be referred to only. Positive thought in this area can also be seen in the act of praying – it is the same method of wishing, or asking for the thing desired to happen. It provides the prayer with a sense of purpose, and gives them hope that God is listening, that he hears their prayer and will help them. This is a very intense form of positive thought, perhaps the most intense, and is known to bring peace and positivity to many. It is also worth mentioning another, less formal form of positive thought that we may enact in life. This is the positivity gained, or absorbed from those around us. This could be in a positive or negative way, through strangers or relatives and friends. Firstly, by socialising with those around us, we are able to take on certain frames of mind, to be lifted by their words, to feel good in their company. The support provided by a loved one in hard times can go a long way in helping one to think positive; to say ‘I have these beautiful people around me, what more could I want?’ This is a form of positive thinking which allows us to appreciate what we have, rather than worry about what we do not have. We gain the love, the support and the affection from these people and are thus able to gain confidence in ourselves through words of affection, support and encouragement. Many of us may turn to a friend or family member in difficult times, be it for words of encouragement, or simply just to express our worries. This practice can aid greatly the practice of positive thinking, and clear the mind in order to allow the positive thoughts to be accessible once again. This is based on the premise that sometimes, things may get a little too much for us, and thus it is difficult to think positively. By interacting with those around us, we are able to clean the mind and access once again the positive thoughts. Benefits of Positive Thinking So we have managed to locate some ways in which to think positively, and some actions which can be regarded as positive thought. What is the point? Why think positively? This may seem like a rather pointless question – if there exists one, but indeed it is relevant, at least in relation to what are considered to be the positive effects of optimism. Firstly, the immediate effects can be uplifting – to see the bright side of things allows one to take check of a situation and to focus on the good, or to find the good allows one to see it as not so bad after all. It can also affect performance; one lecturer spoke of student attitudes before a test. Those whose attitude was negative harboured such thoughts as ‘I’ll fail’, ‘I am not ready’, or ‘it is going to be a really hard test’. Those who thought positively about the test said ‘I’ve studied enough for this’, ‘I’ll pass the test easily’, and so on. The teacher remarked at how those who thought negatively had lower scores than the optimistic students, even if the latter had studied less than the former (Diaz 2008). Positive thinking is also said to help the physical well-being of an individual – a bold claim to make, some would suggest. Indeed, it has been suggested that positive thinking reduces stress levels and well as depression and increases life span, and general psychological well-being (Mayo Clinic). It would be difficult to imagine how positive thinking could indeed have any negative effects at all. To see the best in any situation, to hope for what we desire, to turn to the good must at least have some positive effects, if they only be temporary. Are The Benefits Real? Supposing we have found what positive thought is, as well as the actions which are associated with it or help its materialisation. Is this desirable? Is it really beneficial, or are the positive thinkers amongst us simply living in a world of illusions and false hopes? Does it curb our ability to cope with bad and evil experience? A perfect example of this is Voltaire’s story of Candide, a man who lives a sheltered life in paradise, who is taught the doctrine of optimism by his mentor Pangloss. In paradise, he learns and lives beautifully and is able to apply what he has been taught about optimism. But when his lifestyle changes, and he is plunged into the real world, he suffers, he experiences bad and begins to realise that his life in paradise was an illusion. Finally he completely rejects the optimism he has been taught, and questions ‘if this were the best possible world, it surely should be better than it is’ (Mason 1992, p.4). This is an outright rejection of reality, for the reason that it does not enable us to fully appreciate the reality within which we live. It is not to state that we should walk around with a sense of hopelessness following us close behind; rather it is to accept that evil will happen for no reason other than it is evil and that it happens. It highlights the danger behind the optimist way of life – that we do not have the ability to cope with evil situations, for our beliefs have only been based on the hope that good occurs. Alternatives to Positive Thinking So what is the alternative to this? It could be that we prepare for the bad, for when it inevitably comes we will know that we are prepared mentally. This is not optimism per se, but it could go a long way in gathering the ground that optimism is not able to, for it cuts out the responsibility for the occurrence of the evil. If we are to lead responsible lives, then we arguably should be able to rationally process evil in a way that is not necessarily optimistic. This means primarily not in a way that simply waits out the bad without dealing with it in the belief that it will turn good at some point. Reality is far from illusion, and it would be useful to warn that such intense forms of optimism, especially as coined by Byrne, should not be taken literally, and perhaps that we should be careful to keep separate the concept of positive thought as separate from result or outcomes. An alternative could also be to prepare oneself and accept the fact that bad happens, without reason, without any fault of our own. Or if it is through fault of our own, to take that experience and try to understand what mistakes were made – a form of self development. This practice of learning from ones mistakes is arguably not positive thinking, but a process of thought which enables us to remove those bad parts of us which cause us to make mistakes. In some ways, it causes us to take responsibility for those mistakes we make rather than simply think positive and state that it was not our fault; that better times will come. The main problem seems to be in relation to the vast array of definitions we have of the term positive thinking. Essentially, it is at the mercy of each individual who attempts to define what it is and what it involves. This means that potentially anything could be classed as positive thought, perhaps even the practices her suggested as alternatives. It is important to note that the suggestion of these ‘alternatives’ does not intend to cause any form of arrogance on the part of the writer, and that indeed these alternatives are an analytical process in trying to separate that which can be called positive thought from its alternatives. Conclusion The topic of positive thinking has thus far been explored, in terms of its definition, forms of practice and effects it can cause. The truth is that this is all mainly speculation, for the topic of what positive thinking is and just how it can affect us is highly subjective. We can produce theories, we can preach to others about the benefits or disadvantages, we can instruct and even give step by step guides as to how to think positively. These by no means damage the scope of positive thinking, for it arguably has no scope and depends on the individual. While general theories may be similar, specifics will always differ, and new theories will emerge constantly. Indeed, there are thousands of books available today telling us how we can change our lives, change our personality, get what we want and so on. But in reality it is down to the individual. Whether we choose to see the bright side, or wait out the bad in the belief that good will come, whether we look to God or whether we surround ourselves with positive people, the fact of the matter is that there is no single definition or practice. The next time someone tells you to ‘think positively’ or ‘keep your chin up’, it would be interesting to ask them ‘how’? The chances are that they will be stunned, and possibly even troubled to find an answer, because it is an aspect of life that few of us actually think about in any analytical manner. Perhaps it would do more justice to the subject to think about it on a deeper level, for to understand something better is to be able to act upon it in a more effective way. Suffice it to say that, whatever the personal opinion is on positive thinking, it is something that almost all of us engage in on a day to day basis, perhaps without even being aware of it. Perhaps if we were to engage our awareness on a more conscious level of exactly what we do when we think positively, we may be able to gain a better understanding of it and help to ease the vagueness surrounding it. Bibliography Adler, Jerry. 2007. Decoding ‘The Secret’. Newsweek article March 5th. (Chosen to explore the new theories surrounding how to think positively). Canfield, Jack. 2007. Jack Canfield’s Key to living the Law of Attraction. USA: Eastone books. (Chosen to explore the law of attraction method of positive thinking). Diaz, Cristina. 2006-2009. The Battle: Negative Thinking Versus Positive Thinking. www.the-benefits-of-positive-thinking.com/negative-thinking-versus-positive-thinking.html (Chosen to compare the negative and positive effects of thinking positively). Mason, Haydn. 1992. Candide: Optimism Demolished. New York: Twayne Publishers. (Chosen to explore the dismissal of positive thinking and the negative effects it may have on an individual). Mayo Clinic. Reduce Stress, Enjoy Life More. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/positive-thinking/SR00009. (Chosen to obtain information on the benefits of positive thinking). Peale, Norman Vincent. 1993. The Power of Positive Thinking. New York: Prentice-Hall, Inc. (Chosen to obtain a view on the effects of positive thinking). Sasson, Remez. The Power of Positive Thinking. (Chosen to explore what is meant by the term positive thinking and its effects). Read More