THE SECRET

[margrace]

Anybody read the book or watched the video, what do you think of it?

[Posit]

For anyone who understands the way the world really works, THE SECRET is no big "secret". However what is a big secret is that it is a moderately successful marketing ploy, on the backs of people who are looking for some meaning in life. There are still millions to be made if you can only think of another thing to call it.......How about "THE IDEA"?

Its too bad so many people have been ripped off by their desire to feel "special". Being "special" isn't what THE SECRET (or whatever you want to call it) is all about.

[Figleaf]

Yeah yeah, sure sure. The Secret, yadda yadda.

But if I buy the video, will it tell me how to become a 'Freeman-on-the-Land', or 'invest in real estate with no money down'?

[Posit]

Neither. It is intended to try to free people from their insanity....but in the realm of things, it is an impossible task to try to explain reality to insane people. And so it either makes people more insane or preaches to those who already understand that reality isn't what people like you think it is....

[margrace]

What I find with the secret is that it has been around forever, these people just put it all together. The video, in my opinion is too much focused on gain and not on contentment. The problem for a lot of people is that if one is content then that kinda takes the winnings out of our sell economy. You have to create greed to make money. On the other hand if someone is content with what they have then they are a liability to the American way of life.

The Secret can be used both ways, does getting things make people happy, just look at the faces of people in a shopping mall.

[Figleaf]

Neither. It is intended to try to free people from their insanity....but in the realm of things, it is an impossible task to try to explain reality to insane people. And so it either makes people more insane or preaches to those who already understand that reality isn't what people like you think it is....

People like Who?

[August1991]

What I find with the secret is that it has been around forever, these people just put it all together. The video, in my opinion is too much focused on gain and not on contentment. The problem for a lot of people is that if one is content then that kinda takes the winnings out of our sell economy. You have to create greed to make money. On the other hand if someone is content with what they have then they are a liability to the American way of life.

There was a piece on CBC radio this morning about this. (You can get listen to it here.)

Two points struck me: the target audience of these "movements" is women between 28-45. And they reminded me of the protestant revivalist meetings in the 19th and early 20th centuries in North America.

I guess people want to get together in a large room and get emotional about something. Dunno.

[BC_chick]

I started to read it after my friend kept praising it (interesting that August says the target age group is women 28-45 - that's my friends and I). I wasn't too impressed and stopped on page 20 or so. Right from the start I kept noticing flaws in the argument and I started jotting them down. Then at one point when the book touched on an obvious concern for the reader - what about times when an entire village was wiped out, does that mean they were all thinking the same negative thoughts? - the author, whether deliberate or not, provides a very obfuscatory response which doesn't really make sense even after reading it twice. I gave up after that.

IMO it's a genius get-rich quick scam for the author. But there are so many people for whom it has made a positive difference, that I don't really care. It's like religion - I don't believe in it but if it makes someone else's life better, who am I to argue with them using logic. I will only do that if they want to make me believe what they do, which hasn't happened yet with The Secret.

[Posit]

To those of us that know "The Secret" a village getting wipe out is as ethereal as a village that we have never visited.

The principle is that once you fully understand reality, work is unnecessary and prosperity is a gift one accepts. You can certainly work yourself to death, but then even death is nothing but a dream.

[BC_chick]

To those of us that know "The Secret" a village getting wipe out is as ethereal as a village that we have never visited.

The principle is that once you fully understand reality, work is unnecessary and prosperity is a gift one accepts. You can certainly work yourself to death, but then even death is nothing but a dream.

Like I said before, I praise any manner in which someone finds happiness as long as they don't try to make me believe their ideas when I see flaws in them. For me your explanation was no better than the author's.

[Posit]

Hence, it is impossible to describe reality for someone who embraces their own insanity.

Tell me BC_chick, do you believe that miracles are possible? And do you know how they are done?

[BC_chick]

Hence, it is impossible to describe reality for someone who embraces their own insanity.

Tell BC_chick, do believe that miracles are possible? And do you know how they are done?

Did I understand that correctly? Did you just imply that you understand reality while my reality is insanity? LOL

As for the inexplicable - I could ask you about the other 99.99999999% of the time when they don't happen. Why don't you give some merit to those instances?

[Posit]

Ah but miracles are happening all the time. They are not special, nor are they rare. Insane people just don't notice them because they are too self-involved.

Yet if you understood reality and Truth, you would understand how miracles are possible. They aren't magic.

[BC_chick]

Ah but miracles are happening all the time. They are not special, nor are they rare. Insane people just don't notice them because they are too self-involved.

Yet if you understood reality and Truth, you would understand how miracles are possible. They aren't magic.

Forget miracles for a second, I'm still trying to wrap my head around the fact that you claim to have some sort of monopoly on reality and others who see things differently are insane. Is my understanding here correct?

[Rue]

Hence, it is impossible to describe reality for someone who embraces their own insanity.

Tell me BC_chick, do you believe that miracles are possible? And do you know how they are done?

It was only a matter of time until you began prosteltzying. That's the problem with people who claim to know the truth and tell people their version is the right one, and anyone else's is flawed-its only a matter of time until they try proseltyze. You are no different then any conventional religious missionary. Now get off my lawn.

[Rue]

Ah but miracles are happening all the time. They are not special, nor are they rare. Insane people just don't notice them because they are too self-involved.

Yet if you understood reality and Truth, you would understand how miracles are possible. They aren't magic.

Forget miracles for a second, I'm still trying to wrap my head around the fact that you claim to have some sort of monopoly on reality and others who see things differently are insane. Is my understanding here correct?

Nothing to wrap your head around. The choice of words changes but the dillusions, arrogance, presumptions, remain the same.

[Posit]

I don't have a monopoly on reality. There are many who have managed to wake up.

I'm still trying to wrap my head around the fact..... It is a most futile action - your trying to understand. You would be much better off if you simply accepted "the fact" that you don't (and can't) understand "The Secret" from any vantage point in your current state. When you come to that realization you will have taken a step in the right direction...although there are no degrees of insanity nor is it possible to be a little bit insane.

If you could stop world hunger, would you and why?

[sharkman]

It sounds more like a piramid scheme than anything else, although they don't say much about it on the web page. I take it back, Oprah and Ellen De. are into it, it must be TRUTH!

[Posit]

[Nothing to wrap your head around. The choice of words changes but the dillusions, arrogance, presumptions, remain the same.

Yet another lost soul enters the picture trying to demonstrate his "self" importance. Yet insane people always see reality as a threat to their existence......

[Posit]

No no pyramid scheme, Sharkman. In reality there are no "levels". You either accept full abundance or you don't.

[margrace]

Interesting the age set. I will be 72 in less than a month. A lot of these ideas presented in the Secret have been around forever, someone just put them into one book. Is there anyone as old as I am on here?

I have worked on this stuff for years, it is a mind set that one must work on. It is easy to forget it and say or do something you later regret but it is all a learning curve.

[BC_chick]

I don't have a monopoly on reality. There are many who have managed to wake up.

I'm still trying to wrap my head around the fact..... It is a most futile action - your trying to understand. You would be much better off if you simply accepted "the fact" that you don't (and can't) understand "The Secret" from any vantage point in your current state. When you come to that realization you will have taken a step in the right direction...although there are no degrees of insanity nor is it possible to be a little bit insane.

If you could stop world hunger, would you and why?

Okay, you've convinced me. I wish you the best of luck, I can only imagine what it's like being on the fringes of society, tapped into a special secret while being surrounded by insane people.

In the future though, please don't take my words out of context in making your case - I really dislike that. Insane or not, I have a right to be quoted properly.

[Posit]

"Luck" is a concept reserved for people who believe they lack.

Nothing was taken out of context. You were quoted directly. Although I do understand how you aren't even aware of the words you select identify you line of thinking. To a schizophrenic when he says the Bogey man is after him, we tend not to take his words at face value. Same thing when we deal with insane people they do and say the strangest things.....

[Posit]

I'm a lot older than that margrace...a lot older......

[BC_chick]

You were quoted directly.

Yes, with the first half of my sentence while you filled in the second half.