Up@dawn 2.0

Saturday, April 29, 2017

Section 8 - Installment 2 - Kate Archer

If you haven't read it yet, you can find the first installment here!



Now that you know a little bit about The Secret, how about a rebuttal?

Just like with many of the philosophers we have studied this semester, there is almost always an opposition to one's way of thinking. That is one thing I have found so fascinating of philosophy, it is a  discussion, a questioning, of what we think and know, and for as long as it has been going on, it will always continue.

 So, The Secret purports that we can bring about all the things we want through our thoughts, concentrated positive thinking, and gratitude. I still agree that none of those things are patently bad for anyone, maybe not entirely true, but not harmful. Many have come out against this “secret”, and have some very strong thoughts of their own about its existence.

 A lengthy article from Ingrid Hansen Smythe, "The Secret Behind the Secret", goes through The Secret bit by bit, questioning and taking apart every piece. I found that same, "well, duh", feeling came from Smythe as she drew connections to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (no secret there), and wondered why some one would attribute their success to some "secret" over themselves:
"It happened because I wished for it," the Secreteer would say, instead of the more obvious explanation, "It happened because I worked for it."
Another article from The Chief Happiness Officer Blog titled "The Movie The Secret Is Entirely Fake", rebuts the secret fro a more clean cut perspective. Throughout the movie, and the book, The Secret makes more claims beyond the ability of your own thoughts. From the start, readers and viewers are told that the greatest people in history knew the secret, and that it has been kept hidden for centuries - powerful people have deprived the rest of the world from knowing the power of the secret! ... Very bold claims, and especially if you are watching the film, it is portrayed as quite the conspiracy. Injustice! Scandal! This all does a wonderful job of grabbing the attention of anyone, but these claims are never revisited, proved or even mentioned once utilized as a hook to draw you in.
More importantly though, is "quantum flapdoodle". Yes, that is a real thing, and I love it, so thank you Murray Gell-Mann for coining the term.
Throughout the book and film, of the many testimonies that were provided, 3 were from quantum physicists, claiming their work in quantum physics proved the secret existed. With a little scratching of the surface though, they fit the bill as "flapdoodle":
 “hijacking the terminology of modern science without understanding the underlying concepts or employing any of the intellectual rigour intrinsic to scientific inquiry”.
I guess everything is open to interpretation, but if that is so, then the secret would definitely have to be included. 
The Secret has certainly garnered strong responses to it's teachings, both for and against, but I think that is also a big part of the secret - it is and individual experience. You decide how you feel about it, and decide how you want to live your life.



Feel free to see what some folks think about the secret, both for and against, and decide for yourself!










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