Bright-Sided - An Interview with Dr. Barbara Ehrenreich (excerpt)

Hear the full interview at: http://www.gnosticmedia.com/053-bright-sided-an-interview-with-dr-barbara-ehr...
What are the negative consequences of "positive thinking"? Is positive thinking a good thing, or does it have the potential to be used as a tool for mind control and manipulation? Is positive thinking responsible for the financial meltdown? Who really gets rich from the positive thinking movement? Does the human mind have the ability to directly manifest thoughts into reality? What is the difference between positive thinking and critical thinking?

Today's guest is Dr. Barbara Erhenreich who is the author of more than a dozen books, including Nickel and Dimed and Bait and Switch. Today she'll be on to discuss her latest book Bright-Sided, How the Relentless Promotion of Positive Thinking Has Undermined America.

Website: http://www.barbaraehrenreich.com/

Order Bright-Sided: http://astore.amazon.com/gnosmedi-20/detail/0805087494

Category:

Education

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• Ehrenreich

[DecentralizedByGuilt]

@stevenwonderdog

That's the whole point. You proved what she did.

By you measuring success with MONEY.

Think positive, suppress your emotions, get in line and do not question authority, or complain. YOU and the entire corporate movement is "a load of CRAP"

You want to be true to yourself? You're on the right step with your anger. You're showing signs of you not totting the line in being positive. so good for you.

[DecentralizedByGuilt]

@stevenwonderdog

Look homeboy, forget thinking about good things. DO GOOD THINGS. Take action to HELP OTHERS. That's the true meaning of success, helping others, putting others before yourself, and your greed!

[revbookburn]

Brilliant mind! Love her books!

[rexcat]

Let's not forget Norman Vincent Peale. The original salesman of "Positive Thinking".

[GixxxerKim]

So what you're saying is that the positive thinking 'movement' has taken a turn towards shunning critical thinking, and a motivator for more mindlessness amongst the masses when used in a way that disallows any negative thought. I can understand that. However, I have used my understanding of my connectedness to all things, to understand my ability to bring in different experiences in my life, and the lives of others. In the end, can't one realize this is all just a ride?

[GixxxerKim]

I'm a big fan of gnostic media. I understand the disgust regarding happily ignorant people who refuse to see what is going on in front of them, however, being a critical thinker myself, I also find visualizing things in the positive has been very effective. If we understand, from a spiritual and now scientific perspective, that matter contains more space rather than physical 'stuff', and get into philosophy of what makes things real, we're left with consciousness and thought.

[GixxxerKim]

I see how the majority of people in the positive thinking mindset dismiss any critical thinking at all. However, if you come from a critical thinking mindset, and are looking deeper into existence, it is hard to brush away the ideas that encompass 'new age' belief. I am a huge fan of Gnostic Media, I've always been a critical thinker, however I find it helpful to visualize things in a positive light in order to make them so. Maybe I'm missing your point.

[DecentralizedByGuilt]

@stevenwonderdog

Unfortunately this does nothing for your argument, only proving what a failure Hill's book was for you, lol

It gets worse, this movement often has another group of nut cases in it, that think the entire universe exist only because of mankind's (and sometimes space aliens) collective thoughts in perceiving it to be ie create your own world.