I was reading Christine Comaford-Lynch’s book, Rules for Renegades: How to Make More Money, Rock Your Career, and Revel in Your Individuality (McGraw-Hill, 2007), and I came to her “Ten Steps to Your GSD (Gets Stuff Done)” (pp. 46-50), and I read her sixth suggestion, “Log on to the Law of Attraction” (LOA). In her explanation of this step, Comaford-Lynch writes, “I live by a very cool rule in the universe called the LOA. You’ve heard the saying ‘What you focus on, you become.’ That’s the idea of the LOA.” Comaford-Lynch continues, “When you develop a clear idea of what you want, focus on it, and feel good about it, your mind will consider your wishes to be marching orders.” Her next sentence is the one that causes concern: “The universe will conspire to help to make your dreams come true.”I will return to her last comment about the universe’s participation in the process in a moment. Before that, however, you need a brief history of the LOA.
The following historical notes are taken directly from Wikipedia and are used here without quotation marks for ease of reading. The LOA concept can be found in Hinduism. The most influential modern book on the subject is As a Man Thinketh by James Allen (1864-1912), which was published in 1902. The title derives from the ancient Jewish Book of Proverbs, chapter 23, verse 7: "As a man thinketh in his heart, so he is." By the mid 20th century, writings on the subject had become common and dozens of authors had addressed the topic under various names, such as positive thinking, "mental science," "pragmatic Christianity," "New Thought," "practical metaphysics," “Science of Mind," and "Religious Science.” In 2006, a film titled The Secret presented the LOA to a new generation; soon after it developed into a book by the same name.
The comments in the remaining portion of this essay are not designed to cast aspersions upon or disparage, in any way, those who believe in the power of positive thinking, use visualization, say positive affirmations to boost their spirits and guide their actions, or have anecdotal proof that the LOA works in their own or others’ lives. According to Wikipedia, once again, “many people who accept the LOA as a guide for right living do so on the basis of their faith in the Universe and The Universe's 'Laws'; thus, to them, the nature of the 'Law' is not one to be settled scientifically, and the word 'Law' carries the same belief-based weight as non-scientific 'Laws' from other religions.” People with these beliefs are unlikely to be swayed by any reasons against the LOA. The purpose of this essay is to show that the LOA is a myth.
Although the definition of the LOA varies greatly, what I am talking about here is the LOA as a theory that “like attracts like” and as applied to the mental life of human beings, suggests that individuals experience in their lives actions and events that correspond to their thoughts, feelings, and words. What this reveals is that believing in the LOA means those individuals have the ability to control the reality of their lives through thought alone.
My first two reasons come from the website of Scott H. Young. The first argument that LOA is a myth is the problem of calling it a law. It is a completely unscientific theory. For something to be called a “law” in science, it must have predictive powers. Evolution is a theory because theories explain; laws predict.
The second reason is that the LOA is impotent. It lacks any basis from which to disprove it. Not only does this render it unscientific but lacking in power as well. For advice to be worthwhile, there must be ways to determine if it is working, and the LOA fails. Often the way it is discussed and presented makes it sound scientific; it is pseudoscience and nothing more.
The third reason is that it is a self-proving concept. That is, if the LOA doesn’t work for you, it is for the same reason as why it works. If positive things happen in your life because you believe in them that proves the LOA. If positive things happen during a time in your life when you are convinced nothing remotely positive could happen or negative things happen when you are 100% convinced they wouldn’t, that would disprove the LOA and cause you to reject it.
The fourth reason is that the LOA is a myth because it simply mimics, and offers little that is new, to the way life works without the LOA. For example, if you went out in traffic looking for red cars, you’ll see many. Your senses are filters, as is your brain, so if you focus on a particular wavelength of stuff, it should be no surprise that you’ll get it. It requires no extraordinary mental jump to the conclusion that life works like that all the time — whatever you focus on, you’ll see more of it, or get more of it. This has nothing to do with the universe conspiring to help you in any way. The universe is simply the aggregate of all existing things.
The fifth reason is that the LOA requires a leap of faith. Comaford-Lynch, for example, puts her faith in an active universe that will conspire to help her. For anyone who believes in the LOA, they will see what they want to see. Many who claim belief in the LOA, or cite personal evidence of its success, are healthy, wealthy, full of joy and love, and the LOA works perfectly. But it works as well for the bitter, depressed, and frustrated who see the world as a horrible place. Their world, too, is the way it is because they think it is that way.
The sixth reason is that the LOA leads people to believe in a wishing well or magic genie. They think by wishing for things hard enough, they will get them. It’s like playing the lottery and doing nothing because when the lottery pays off, you will be successful. It takes more than wishing — and certainly more than waiting for a lottery payout — to make any dream come true. Do you really believe that thinking hard enough about anything will make it come true?
The seventh reason is a question: Do you believe in coincidence, or when random events take place, do you feel they mean something greater?
The eighth reason is that the LOA provides people with the illusion of having control over their lives. Change your attitudes and intentions and any dream you have will come true. If it doesn’t work, it’s your fault because you didn’t genuinely change your attitude or intentions. The LOA is no less a way toward control than faith is a basis for being healed. When you don’t get healed, faith healers will tell you, you simply didn’t have enough faith!
Many people believe in the LOA, especially big name self-help gurus. The LOA is not a proven law of nature, and people do not attract everything in their lives. It is how you think about events and information and the concrete actions you take that give you control of your life. To be healthy and happy you must build your self-esteem, be positive and optimistic, have an open mind, and take action when necessary to make positive changes in your life. There is far better advice in these two sentences than anything the LOA has to offer, and now you have eight reasons to support this view.
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The definition, history, principles, and criticism of the LOA can be found at Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law_of_Attraction It offers the most comprehensive coverage of the topic I have discovered.
Megan Jenifer, at the website Ezine Articles, in an essay, “4 Laws of Attraction Myths,” at http://ezinearticles.com/?4-Law-of-Attraction-Myths&id=914954 discusses 1) the LOA is not a law, 2) the LOA is all about choices, 3) feelings are just feelings; they don’t matter, and 4) the LOA only works if you take action.
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Contact Richard L. Weaver II
Oh, come on! Oprah said this is real so it HAS to be true!!!
ReplyDeleteHey jimmylee, thanks for writing. My error, of course. I had no idea that Oprah said that the LOA was real. If she said that, then I take back all of my reasons why it's a myth. I have never watched a single Oprah show, so it makes sense that I would have missed her pronouncement. I don't think I will ever live this down. If her holiness said it, it MUST be true. When a saintlike, pious, spiritual, beatified woman such as Oprah speaks, how could anyone ever dispute such a proclamation. I'm surprised I didn't see her declaration as a headline in our local newspaper. I guess I was simply preoccupied in showing how it was a myth. Again, I apologize. My error is almost enough to force me to watch the Oprah show. By the way, from which mountain top does her show originate? Just curious.
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