Someone Knows A Secret
Not me.
Have you heard about the book that claims to know the secret to happiness? It was a DVD sensation. Oprah touted it. It’s called, cleverly enough, The Secret. The author, Rhonda Byrne, says she found the ancient key by researching ancient texts. Makes sense since, really, where else would ancient secrets be. Byrne also says that discovering this secret improved her eyesight to the point where she no longer needs glasses. Yep.
The Secret has been out for about two seconds and already is a bestseller. While I haven’t read the book, articles about it suggest that “the secret” boils down to thinking positively and wanting something badly enough. Now, I’m sure it’s deeper than that since, you know, the book is over two hundred pages long and what I just said can be wrapped up in less than ten words. But, who knows. Thought I’d share.
February 16th, 2007 at 5:46 am
I read some of this on the Oprah website. I think you’re right. “Thinking positive” is not really a new idea. I’m afraid there is room for only one ancient text in my life. This just sounds like another gimmick to me.
February 16th, 2007 at 7:56 am
Every where I turn, someone is telling me to read this. There’s a whole movement in the quantum world which is basically positive thinking - although I’m sure I’d be thrown out of the club for saying that.
February 16th, 2007 at 10:13 am
Amazon keeps letting me know I should read it…not sure why since I haven’t bought anything like it before from there.
February 16th, 2007 at 2:53 pm
There’s always the next new thing - EST, the Celestine Prophesy, etc., etc. All of them promising magic. ::sigh:: It’s sad to me that people will go to such lengths to trust strangers in the hopes of quick fixes. Mostly I’m shocked that Oprah (a real hero of mine) is pimping this. Ah, well. You never can tell what will help people.
February 17th, 2007 at 11:30 am
My husband has the DVD, has watched it several times, and has found it really helpful. I haven’t watched it, so can’t really make an assessment, but the information he’s told me about sounds similar to stuff I’ve listened to on RWA conference tapes that I’ve been more than happy to shell out money for (and which have been helpful). Visualization, positive thinking, etc. Except the DVD presents the information in a way that a masculine or scientific mind might find easier to grasp. I know he’s heard of the concepts before, but he didn’t change his way of thinking about the physical and non-physical world before watching this DVD. And the changes are positive. So I wouldn’t knock it. Jo’s right, you never can tell what will help people, and this DVD has helped my husband although it’s by no means a magic solution to anything. I think that’s where people make the mistake.
I noticed in the paper the other day that you can now rent the DVD at any video store, so, really, there’s no more money shelled out than there is to rent the latest thriller or romantic comedy.
Cindy
February 17th, 2007 at 12:29 pm
I missed the first show she had on the subject but caught the second. I think most people know to think positive but doing it is a whole ‘nother thing. What I got from just the show is that you need to stop dwelling on the negative and that it’s within yourself to think positively. I think it makes a great point - now if it can really teach you how to always think that way, it would be worth it. I come from a family that always worried about everything - I can use all the help I can find lol.
February 26th, 2007 at 12:14 am
I was just talking to a guy today who works at Barnes and Noble — he says they’re selling out of this book Every. Single. Day. 75 copies, gone in a couple of hours. That’s crazy.
I just want the secret to getting on Oprah.