My Gullible Cousin is Getting into this "Law of Attraction" Bullshit

Iruka Naminori
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My Gullible Cousin is Getting into this "Law of Attraction" Bullshit

She wants me to make copies of The Secret for her so she can spread it around.  Sigh. So sorry, but I'm not about to disseminate disinformation.

Like me, she was indoctrinated into fundamentalist Christianity.  Like me, she has developed chronic illnesses. She despises Christianity, but she's so desperate for a cure and for spiritual security, she will buy into anything.  Usually it only lasts for awhile before she's on to the next thing.  I used to think it was all just harmless gibberish, but she wastes a lot of time, money and effort on crappola.  The placebo effect works very well on her, so she usually thinks that whatever the newest craze is happens to be the answer.  I've noticed she does the same thing with relationships.  I think she's in love with being in love, whereas I'm sexually repressed.  I often joke that if you could combine the two of us, you'd have the perfect sexual being. Smiling

Does the RRS do interventions for New Age woo-wooism? Smiling

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The Law of Attraction

Through your argument it is clear that your perception of what "the law of attraction" states is that positive thinking will create positive situations, which could easily proven as merely a misinterpretation of positive psychology. There is existing evidence that optimists, and people who believe themselves to have good luck are more likely to perceive positive open doors, and thus actually succeed in life or feel happier and more content. http://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/most-popular/general/learn-to-be-lucky.html Therefore we should choose the more parsimonious argument which have true testable mechanisms.

Were the entirety of the Law of Attraction dependent on the notion that positive thinking "attracts" positive circumstances which lead you to gain what you visualize, you would be correct. However, this is quite far from the true definition of the Law of Attraction. That is like saying that Newtonian Laws of Physics are the only existing laws of physics, base.

In fact, a closer definition of the Law of Attraction that "like attracts like" very simple definition made in the Secret. Therefore Positive Emotions attract a reality which would induce more positive emotions (can be proven using the more parsimonious positive psychology perspective). Positive Beliefs attract Positive Facts. (Again this might be explained merely by human psychology, specifically the Fundamental Attribution error, projection,and self-fulfilling prophecies. Essentially, due to mere stressful circumstances, I believe that Person B hates me, I then behave in a negative manner towards person B and he in turn acts hostile towards me. My belief, caused by the tendency of humans to attribute negativity towards them as a result of disposition rather than circumstance (fundamental attribution error) leads me to a belief that is then fulfilled due to self-fulfilling prophecy. (Other instantiations of the self-fulfilling prophecy include teachers believing that a child is bad due to his reputation, treating him like he's a "bad" child and him behaving according to this belief, see more at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-fulfilling_prophecy.) However, the concepts of self-fulfilling prophecy and positive psychology fail to explain certain instants of the Law of Attraction. For instance, in the double blind, scientific experiment published in a peer review journal which is accredited and listed in Pubmed, researchers have had participants (2000 participants in Tokyo) to apply the treatment of intention (or "wishing" or "praying" --these are not accurate to describe what happens when you use the Law of Attraction, however for the sake of explanation-- I used these terms) alone to one group of crystal formations (located in California) but not others. The "treated" crystals were judged my a vast panel of judges as more aesthetic at a statically significant level than the "untreated" crystals (P=.001) See the article at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16979104. Similarly, in another Scientific study listed on Pubmed, healing intention alone treated the experimental group of zucchini plants but not the control group. The experimental group grew statically significantly better than the control group (P<.0001).

Mere human psychology also could not have explained how when I stared at small clouds 2 days ago and intended them to disappear, they did. The clouds disappearance or not had no relationship with my happiness nor sadness, there was no confirmation bias applied here. Quite simply, I stared at clouds, I imagined them disappearing, I stated to myself--this cloud is disappearing, the water is ceasing to condense in this area, etc. for about one minute, before the cloud started dissipating then completely disappeared. In a repeat trial, the cloud nearly disappeared (got to about 50% of its original size) until the point in which I stated that this cloud is remaining the same size, this cloud is still strong, this cloud remains a body of condensed water. In my next trial I attempted by intention to expand a cloud and it grew by my approximation to at least 3 times its original size. Problems with this pilot study of course include that the clouds might have coincidentally been about to expand, dissipate, or stop dissipating and it was a small sample size. (Although, the next day when I attempted to dissipate another cloud, I was successful once again.) Of course, my testimonial is merely that testimonial; my memories are of course, flawed; my perception is skewed.  Therefore, I intend to soon bring a camera to film my application of the Law of Attraction on my blog http://realizeourdreams.blogspot.com/. In the case of cloud expansion or dissipation at a large distance of close to a mile, with no other treatment than intention, the least parsimonious explanation is that the Law of Attraction was implemented. I encourage anyone, to try this themselves, what have you got to lose other than 1 minute of time, then, once you've actually tried it, you can convincingly tell Law of Attraction "believers" they are liars, or whatnot.

Just as a complete side-note, I am at the very least an agnostic. I certainly don't believe in a masculine entity who has higher power and listens to my thoughts and if I am not a sinner then he grants them or whatnot. I am a skeptic, in that I take neither pure science as my guide, pure experience, or pure anything. I allow my own experiences to guide my actions.

To those who believe in science (note that it is entirely belief and faith because of the next few questions), what caused the Big Bang? What created the first particles? Why has dark matter never been detected in our galaxy, despite the discovery of over an octillion stars? What created dark matter? Where is the non-conjectured evidence for dark matter or dark energy for that matter? What is the difference between "undetectable" dark matter and "undetectable" invisible pink unicorns making you believe that your telescope is seeing stuff that doesn't actually exist? What ties an individual to this "identity"? Why is plant growth affected by music? (Plants have no ears or hearing implements, nor neurons...)http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16979104

To those who believe in religion (also out of fate), why is there 2 creation stories? Why are there so many inconsistencies in the texts? Why does the bible claim that creation was a 6 day process? Why would a omni-benevolent, omniscient, omnipotent being care if I practice another religion, and declare that I should be stoned to death in the edge of town? http://www.thebricktestament.com/the_law/false_prophets/dt13_01.html The age old question, if God is omnipotent, could he create a stone that even he could not lift? A security system that even he could not crack?


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Vastet
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Two random people post

Two random people post garbage, and nothing was added to the discussion.

Enlightened Atheist, Gaming God.


NoMoreCrazyPeople
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Vastet wrote:Two random

Vastet wrote:
Two random people post garbage, and nothing was added to the discussion.

Ya wtf, bad form...

Don't have enough time to go over the thread but I'll drop my 2 cents because I knew some people going on about this a few years ago and looked into it a bit before being totally unimpressed and bored by it all.  Nutshell... It's a simple way of tricking the wooers into seing a force/reason behind natural accurances that could...ofcourse...bring them all kinds of things they want as all cons do.  All you have to do is wish for it, and then "it" will be attracted to you. The con works because this is ofcourse happens all the time and is expected.  If you think about something enough, dream about it, focus on it, your brain will naturally be more aware of anything relating to it, and it will even unconciously plot a path to it and problem solve along the way, no woo needed.  The woo comes in when they start with the nonsense that this has some cosmic/universal/spiritual connection and your thoughts alone can actually attract things in reality and this mechanism is fact and understood and proubdly used by them and "insert random name drop like Davinci/bethoven...whatever" and that you can attract things in your life "magically" without making the necessary steps naturally.  As if you will get a great job from "nowhere" or something by wishes and not by knocking on doors... As if you can meet the man of your dreams after moving to a remote village in the amazon with a population of 9, like some prince charming cowbow will some how be "attracted" to gallop in on a horse and just happened to be adventuring in the amazon, but yet didn't just happen to be because of your influence attracting him lol...

Good old cons, still work great...lol

It's alote like religion really, first you claim knowledge you couldn't have, then you appeal to the simpletons by telling them they are special, very powerful, and able to do secret magic tricks if they just take the coolaide.   Then you offer something to gain for the target, after gaining nothing substancial or even measurable you find mundane natural and unimpressive occurances to claim as gains from using your trendy woo.  Then just add a dash of d'Oprah and her wicked smart deepak chopra loving die hard supporters, add a pinch of some somewhat known and welldressed spokespeople to endorce the woo on camera,  name drop famous dead people of influence like Newton, or Michealangelo or whatever, as if it is known they supported the claims and practiced that specific woo.  And finally add some pizazz by making it into a snazzy well package brand complete with a catchy name and all the bells, especially mysterious compelling backround music set to complete nonsense pulling you in, and you've got yourself a full blown trend for the fluff heads. 

 

Always wondered if I could pull off a made up spoof nonsense trend like this appealing to the fluff heads, lol.  Like...I dunno, claiming some drawing on a rock in alaska can predict their future and charge them for a reading lol.  Or that these special "crystal" objects I "found" in "figi" (broken frosted glass from my driveway) can balance their energy and bring them their desires.  Only $299 per crystal lol

 


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NoMoreCrazyPeople

NoMoreCrazyPeople wrote:

Vastet wrote:
Two random people post garbage, and nothing was added to the discussion.

Ya wtf, bad form...

Don't have enough time to go over the thread but I'll drop my 2 cents because I knew some people going on about this a few years ago and looked into it a bit before being totally unimpressed and bored by it all.  Nutshell... It's a simple way of tricking the wooers into seing a force/reason behind natural accurances that could...ofcourse...bring them all kinds of things they want as all cons do.  All you have to do is wish for it, and then "it" will be attracted to you. The con works because this is ofcourse happens all the time and is expected.  If you think about something enough, dream about it, focus on it, your brain will naturally be more aware of anything relating to it, and it will even unconciously plot a path to it and problem solve along the way, no woo needed.  The woo comes in when they start with the nonsense that this has some cosmic/universal/spiritual connection and your thoughts alone can actually attract things in reality and this mechanism is fact and understood and proubdly used by them and "insert random name drop like Davinci/bethoven...whatever" and that you can attract things in your life "magically" without making the necessary steps naturally.  As if you will get a great job from "nowhere" or something by wishes and not by knocking on doors... As if you can meet the man of your dreams after moving to a remote village in the amazon with a population of 9, like some prince charming cowbow will some how be "attracted" to gallop in on a horse and just happened to be adventuring in the amazon, but yet didn't just happen to be because of your influence attracting him lol...

Good old cons, still work great...lol

It's alote like religion really, first you claim knowledge you couldn't have, then you appeal to the simpletons by telling them they are special, very powerful, and able to do secret magic tricks if they just take the coolaide.   Then you offer something to gain for the target, after gaining nothing substancial or even measurable you find mundane natural and unimpressive occurances to claim as gains from using your trendy woo.  Then just add a dash of d'Oprah and her wicked smart deepak chopra loving die hard supporters, add a pinch of some somewhat known and welldressed spokespeople to endorce the woo on camera,  name drop famous dead people of influence like Newton, or Michealangelo or whatever, as if it is known they supported the claims and practiced that specific woo.  And finally add some pizazz by making it into a snazzy well package brand complete with a catchy name and all the bells, especially mysterious compelling backround music set to complete nonsense pulling you in, and you've got yourself a full blown trend for the fluff heads. 

 

Always wondered if I could pull off a made up spoof nonsense trend like this appealing to the fluff heads, lol.  Like...I dunno, claiming some drawing on a rock in alaska can predict their future and charge them for a reading lol.  Or that these special "crystal" objects I "found" in "figi" (broken frosted glass from my driveway) can balance their energy and bring them their desires.  Only $299 per crystal lol

 

Sadly enough, you'd be surprised at how many people would fall for the bullshit. 

I mean, L. Ron Hubbard ADMITTED, if you want to get rich, start a religion and people STILL fall for it. 

Meaning the desire for "supernatural" meme is so strong, that people will keep believing, even when they are told it is bullshit. 

I remember watching this documentary called : What the Bleep do we know ? 

I am not a scientist or that well versed in physics and even I could see what a load of bullshit that film was. That was a little over an hour and a half of my life that I will never be able to get back. 

“It is proof of a base and low mind for one to wish to think with the masses or majority, merely because the majority is the majority. Truth does not change because it is, or is not, believed by a majority of the people.”
― Giordano Bruno