Science Behind 'The Secret'? - ABC News

Critics say "The Secret" is not only wrong, it is dangerous, leading people to believe you can get what you want, whether it's getting rich, ... ABCNewsVideoLiveShowsCoronavirusJan.6RiotInterestSuccessfullyAddedWe'llnotifyyouherewithnewsaboutTurnondesktopnotificationsforbreakingstoriesaboutinterest?OffOnMarch23,2007—--Itmaybecalled"TheSecret,"butwithnearly4millioncopiesinprint,thecountry'sNo.1advicebookisn'tmuchofamysteryanymore.TheDVDversionisalsowildlypopular,withmorethan2millioncopiessoldsofar.The"Secret's"premiseissimple.Love,money,health--youcanhavethemall,simplybythinkingit."Thoughtsaresendingoutthatmagneticsignalthatisdrawingtheparallelbacktoyou,"saysJoeVitale,ametaphysicianandcontributorto"TheSecret.""Seeyourselflivinginabundanceandyouwillattractit.Italwaysworks.Itworkseverytimewitheveryperson.""TheSecret"isthebrainchildofRhondaByrne,anAustraliantelevisionproducerwhosaysshestumbleduponitwhilegoingthroughroughtimes.PlaceYourOrderWiththeUniverseTohelpuncover"TheSecret,"Byrneenlistedtwodozenwritersandteachersofdiversebackgrounds,includingavisionary,afengshuiexpert,andaphysicist.Thebook'sfoundingprincipleisbasedonwhatiscalledthe"lawofattraction,"whichtheyclaimisscientificallyproved."Thelawofattractionisreallyobedient,"saysLisaNicholls,oneofthecontributors."Whenyouthinkofthingsthatyouwant,andyoufocusonthemwithallyourattention,thelawofattractionwillgiveyouwhatyouwant,everytime.""Andthisisreallyfun,"saysJoeVitale."Thisislikehavingtheuniverseasyourcatalogandyouflipthroughitandyougo,'Well,I'dliketohavethisexperience,andI'dliketohavethatproductandI'dliketohaveapersonlikethat.'Itisyoujustplacingyourorderwiththeuniverse.Itisreallyjustthateasy."Theage-oldphilosophyofaskandyoushallreceivehasreadersflockingto"TheSecret."ItwasevenfeaturedforaprecioustwohoursonOprahWinfrey'sprograminearlyFebruary,gainingtheendorsementofthepowerfulhostherself.WhenOprahspeaks,readersbuy,and"TheSecret"publisherSimonandSchustertells"Nightline"thebook'ssalesspikedafterOprah'sendorsement,compellingthepublishertorequest2millionmorevolumes,thelargestreorderinthecompany'shistory.HealingPower?Butwithgrowingpopularitycomesincreasedcriticismand,inthiscase,thereisagreatdealofit.Criticssay"TheSecret"isnotonlywrong,itisdangerous,leadingpeopletobelieveyoucangetwhatyouwant,whetherit'sgettingrich,curingdisease,losingweight…simplybythinkingpositivelyaboutit..Ifinditamusingthatanybodywouldcriticizeit,"saysBobProctor,who"TheSecret"identifiesasaphilosopher."Doyouknow,it'salwaysbeenaround?Thelawofattractionisalwaysworking.That'slikesayingthesun'snotshining.Thesun'salwaysshining.Youmaynotseeit,butit'salwaysshining.Thelawofattractionisalwaysworking."Clickheretoreadatranscriptoftheinterviewwith"TheSecret"contributorBobProctor.Critics,however,arequicktosharetheirdoubts.IntheDVDversionof"TheSecret,"forexample,awomanclaimsshehealedherselfofbreastcancersimplybyseeingherselfashealthy."IbelievedinmyheartthatIwashealed.Isawmyselfasifcancerwasneverinmybody.OneofthethingsIdidtohealmyselfwastowatchreallyfunnymovies,"shesaidinthevideo."FromthetimeIwasdiagnosedtothetimeIwashealed,totally,wasapproximatelythreemonths.Andthatiswithoutradiationandchemotherapy."ABCNewsconsultedarangeofprofessionalsabouttheclaimsinthebook.Dr.RichardWender,presidentoftheAmericanCancerSociety,hasconcernswiththeimplicationthatwecancreatediseaseorhealourselvessimplybyourwayofthinking."Iwanttobeveryclearthatthereisnoevidencethatpeopleattractcancerbytheirthoughts,"saidWender."Notonlythat,Iknowpatientswhowentthroughtheirtreatmentsanxiousascanbe,convincedthewholetimethattheywouldnevermakeit,whotodayarecompletelycuredbecausetheygotgoodtreatmentinatimelyway."HealthandWealthWenderalsoworriesthatpeoplefollowingtheguidelinesin"TheSecret"mayrejecthelpfultherapiesinfavorofpositivethinking."Ifsomepersonchosetostrictlyfollowthestepsinthisbook,thereisariskthattheycoulddieneedlessly,"saidWender."Ifyouhaveadiseasewherewehavetreatmentthatweknowcancureyou,andyouoptnotforthattreatment,youwilldie."EvenProctorthinks"TheSecret"mighthavegoneabitfaronthisparticularpoint."Wehearpeoplesay,'Well,wejusthavetothinkandthenwecangetridofcancer.Idon'tknowanybodythatsaysthat. Icertainlydon'tsaythat. Ithinkifthere'ssomethingwrongwiththebodyyougotosomebodythatunderstandsthebodyandtaketreatmentforit."Othercontentiousviewsincludetheideathatourlivesareentirelyaproductofourthoughts.Specificallymentioned:Ifyouthinkyou'rethin,nofoodcanmakeyoufat.Anotherclaimsthatifyouaskthatcheckscomeinthemailinsteadofbills,eventuallyyouwillgetthem."Well,whocanarguethatthinkingpositivethoughtsandsettingbiggoalsisbetterthanthinkingnegativethoughtsandhavingsmallgoals,"saidPetePeterson,aformersecretaryofcommerce."Buttothinkthatwishingmakesitso--Icallitadangerouschildhoodfantasy.""Successinbusinessisnotaboutwishing,it'saboutearningittheold-fashionedway,"saidPeterson."Toomuchplanningofyourlifeisadangerousidea,becausesomuchofsuccessisdeterminedbyrandom,whatIcalldumbluckevents."SpiritualityandScienceValerieReiss,thespiritualityeditoroftheWebsiteBeliefnet,says"TheSecret"hasbeenspilledforawhile."It'ssomethingthatI'dheardalotbefore…theideathatwecreateourownreality."Butthatisn'theronlycriticism."Imean,theideawecansortofbecomeourownGod,inaway,andtapintothisenergyforce,isveryarrogant."Reissalsobelievesthatthebook'sappealisduetoitsclevermarketing."Imean,[it's]genius…[to]callitasecret.Everybodywantstoknowasecret."ForyetanotherperspectivefromBrianGreen,anotedphysicistatColumbiaUniversity,alsoofferedhisprofessionalopinion."Ifbylawofattraction,theyhavethisnotionofhavingathoughtanditattractslikethoughts,Icanassureyouthatquantummechanicshasnothingtosayaboutthat."Onitsbackcover,"TheSecret"boaststhatgreatthinkerslikePlato,Galileo,EdisonandEinsteinallknewasecretthattherestofusdidn'tknow.Greendoesn'tbuyit."Look,I'venevermetanyofthoseguys,"hesaid,"butIhavezeroevidencethatanyofthemwould'veheldontoanyfundamentalsecretabouttheworldandnotsharedit."'MagicalThinking'Thefinalskepticof"TheSecret"wasDr.LouisAronne,oneofthenation'sforemostauthoritiesonweightloss.Heseesasilverlining,buthestillhashisdoubts."Allinall,Ithinkthattherearesomeaspectsofthisthatcanbehelpful,"saidAronne."It'sveryimportanttothinkpositivelyifyouwanttoachieveanything.""Ithinkthat'soneaspectofthisthatcouldbeveryhelpful.Butoneoftheproblemswe'vehadintheareaofweightcontrolistheideaofmagicalthinking.Andthisisalmosttheperfectexampleofmagicalthinking.""TheSecret"hasbeensuccessfulinblendingscienceandfaithinawaythatreadersandviewerscaneasilyfollow,and,despitethedoubtsexpressedbymanycritics,it'snosecretthatmanyAmericansareeagertolearnmore.ABCNews'EricJohnsoncontributedtothisreport.Comments(0)SharetoFacebookSharetoTwitterEmailthisarticleTopStoriesOscars2022liveupdates:Starshittheredcarpetat94thAcademyAwards9minutesagoRussia-Ukraineupdates:Zelenskyyoutlinesgoalsforpeaceagreement2hoursagoGinniThomas'textspresent'textbookcase'forhusbandtorecusehimself:KlobucharMar27,1:45PMCaliforniagroceryworkersvotetoauthorizestrike2hoursagoIditarodpunishes3mushersforshelteringdogsinwindstorm2hoursagoABCNewsLive24/7coverageofbreakingnewsandliveevents