The Secret Revealed: Exposing The Truth About The Law Of Attraction

In this presentation, I will consider the book entitled The Secret Revealed: Exposing the Truth About The Law of Attraction. Please read the previous posts as this entry is the third in a series based on this book. I will continue sharing my thoughts to some of the critiques by the authors via the lens of my own personal and professional experiences. Please note that I made mention in the first post that although I had seen the film The Secret, I had not yet read the book of the same name when I began writing the outline for this series. Since that time, I have read The Secret, a book written by Rhonda Byrne. The Secret will be the focus of a future entry. This entry is focused on “Materialism” (please see comments to posts dated April 27, 2008 and January 28, 2008.) Also, please go to “The Word Is…” on my website for an audio presentation on “Consumerism.”

I’d like to first clarify my definition of the word “materialism” as used in this entry. Materialism is the wanting, or having, of things that may not be essential to one’s health and well-being. For example, it is the difference between living in a mansion versus having shelter or driving a luxury vehicle versus having a mode of transportation. There is a negative connotation held by many people about someone who is “materialistic.” The thinking is that there is a “cost” to materialism. In other words, materialism is “bad” because it is “selfish” in that you want or have something more than is minimally sufficient.

The most common negative feedback I receive regarding The Secret is the emphasis on materialism. But, are we not a culture that wants “bigger and better.” The authors cite an article written by Jeffrey Ressner in TIME Magazine Dec. 28, 2006 in which he said “The film’s backers say they deliberately aimed to make ‘wealth enhancement’ a major element of the project” and included the comment by Bob Rainone (Rhonda Byrne’s U.S. business partner) as follows:

We desired to hit the masses, and money is the number one thing on the masses’ minds.
Bob Rainone

The authors are critical of a passage in The Secret wherein a child fantasizes about having an expensive bicycle insinuating that the child is selfish or greedy. What is the problem in this scenario? Is the bike too much money? Does the child already have a bike? Would getting the bike be a financial burden for the family? In many families, there is no hesitation in getting a child something despite the expense and the financial burden it may cause the family.

Would the authors feel differently if this was a child from a single-parent home living in an impoverished neighborhood? A place where this child wished for something better in his life? A place where most children would discount the thought of having an expensive bike as it would be deemed “impossible.” What if obtaining the expensive bicycle gives to the child a glimpse into what is “possible?” How would this experience affect this child’s ability to obtain success later in life? I appreciate that the question of how the bicycle was obtained is a factor. There would certainly not be a positive message if the child stole the bicycle or stole the money to buy the bicycle. But, what if he worked after school for the money? What if he had a mentor who helped him get the job? My point here is that there is a context in which one deems what is or is not “materialistic.” I think the bigger question is, “Who is the person judging?”

Abraham Maslow (1943) described a hierarchy of human needs. When the lower human needs for safety, food, and shelter can be sustained to some degree, the higher aspects of human nature such as creativity and achievement are more likely to occur. Of course, we know of many times of disaster where people “rise to the occasion.” They share resources and may even give up their lives for the lives of others. But, it is also true that it can be difficult to be altruistic.

It isn’t easy to give away your food when hungry. But, it's impossible to give away food when you haven't any.

Thank you. May this book be influential in your life on your own road to success. Please contact me if there is a particular book that you would like me to read and review.