Pop-Culture | Posted by Julie Z on 07/29/2009
Teens get in on The Secret
you see, The Secret is legit because it's very, very old. Note the parchment and wax seal and cursive font. None of this new-age crap - this HAS STOOD THE TEST OF TIME.
Remember that self-help phenomenon The Secret? Well, it looks like the people who brought you the original are back to capitalize on the ever-enticing teen market.
That’s right, “The Secret to Teen Power” will soon be availble so that teens “can transform their own lives and live their dreams, by understanding and using the power they have in their hands.” I’m sorry, but I don’t actually know any teens that are in a place where they need a self help guide. Of course there are plenty of us that are seriously unhappy (high school can be hell on wheels for many, many people. And I am often included in that category). But really- self help for teens?
To some extent I believe the “pain” of the teenage experience is something that really shapes who you are, even if it sucks. It teaches you a lot of life lessons, like always become friends with the person in charge of food even if they are a 300 lb, hair-net-wearing devilwoman, because that is how you get the non-burnt pizza.
My only experience with The Secret was in 8th grade. My gym teacher took time out from our “health” unit to show us the DVD version of The Secret. Apparently, it helped him so much in his own life that he wanted to let us in on whatever this secret was. And I wasn’t about to complain about taking a break from a class that was essentially him recalling his sexual escapades as a young gentleman. *shivers at memory*
To be perfectly honest, I’ve blocked out a lot of it. As I recall, the big secret was that if you thought positively and envisioned your own success, it would become reality. I remember thinking “HOLD THE PHONE. If you think POSITIVELY…you will perceive the things that happen to you as POSITIVE? WHAAAAAAAAAAT?” It’s shocking, but true.
Anyway, beyond that, I just remember a whole bunch of “testimonies” about how these people thought *really hard* about making $100,000 in the next year, and amazingly, it became their reality because a really great job was offered to them on the spot / they won the lottery/ an evil relative with a sizable bank account died, something like that.
Am I the only one that thinks making your life better should be a little more of an active process rather than just thinking positively? I mean it’s great if you want to be a lawyer, and you think really positively about that and even go to interviews with a positive attitude. But if you haven’t gone to law school…you’re just kind of screwed. And not everybody can just go to law school. Positive thinking doesn’t pay tuition bills.
And that was when I realized how disgustingly classist The Secret is. It seems like the luxury of “thinking positively” can only be saved for people who have all the opportunities at their fingertips and for some reason can’t figure out how to take them.
I mean, thinking positively isn’t going to help a little girl in Nepal, where 1 in 24 women will die in pregnancy, most in their teens, and the rates of trafficking are sky high, if she really wants a bike. Or a Barbie dream house. Or, y’know, to not be married at the cusp of puberty or sold into prostitution. I mean, come on.
And sure, I haven’t seen The Secret in a really long time and was sort of biased in the sense that the whole time I watched it I kept thinking, “this is pretty much complete bullshit” because in 8th grade that’s pretty much what I thought about everything (I was quite the surly middle schooler). Maybe The Secret is “true” for the financially stable who also live in economically and politically stable countries.
And, of course, that’s exactly who it’s designed for. They’re not exactly selling this shit to rural villages in the Middle East. They’re not trying to save the world through the power of positive thinking, and I recognize that. And I’m not saying positive thinking isn’t beneficial. It is, we need less pessimism in the world if we’re ever going to get stuff done.
But for me, self-help mechanisms like The Secret just reminds me of how so many of us are just so unwilling to really do difficult things to achieve success – we’d rather rely on “the secret.” It also reminds me who really needs the help.
Has anybody ever followed the ways of The Secret? Any other self-help aid? I’m really wondering if there is any truth to it or if it is just complete and utter bullshit and all teens should run away from this new product.
P.S. – the real secret to teen power is feminism. just saying.
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Joshua @ at 11:12 am, July 29th, 2009
No, it’s not just you, The Secret really is complete bullshit. ;P The only people its made rich are its authors, because the whole thing is based on new age hokum.
But even if it weren’t for the silly new ager stuff in it, you’re totally right anyway. Why passively wish for stuff to happen when you can make a plan and go out and do something to make things happen? That’s how change is actually made.
Jessica @ at 1:02 pm, July 29th, 2009
THANK YOU. Not only is “The Secret” just the rebranded “power of positive thinking” self-help book that comes along every decade, it also happens to be dripping in an incredible amount of dramatic pretension.
And, absolutely: CLASSIST. That was always my response when it came up in conversation: *sarcasm* “So, really, we should send this to the refugee camps in Darfur, right? Maybe if they think positively and attract their due positive energy, they’ll no longer be at risk of being raped and slaughtered by the Janjaweed militia. Put me through to the UN, here comes world peace!” *sarcasm*
The same would apply to minorities “positive thinking” away racism, women “positive thinking” away the glass ceiling, “positive thinking” away homophobia, etc.
Of course you got the job offer, straight white middle to upper class first-world “Secret” readers, you practically exist in a world of advantages.
Arielle @ at 1:07 pm, July 29th, 2009
I absolutely agree with you. My parents were and slightly still are completely obsessed with The Secret. I mean they even had viewing parties, where their friends came over and they all watched the DVD. My mom tried to get me to follow the secret and I tried thinking positively and visualizing what I wanted, but surprise, surprise–it didn’t work.
I really can’t believe how many people buy into something like this that is so obviously a marketing ploy. I mean it didn’t work for my mom and she believed in it 100%.
Grace @ at 1:30 pm, July 29th, 2009
I can see how someone with an intense fear of failure could benefit from a positive mindset, but I agree that only thinking positively without taking action will not accomplish anything.
And I can definitely see how classist the advice is.
Needless to say, I will not be buying this book.
Alex Catgirl @ at 1:35 pm, July 29th, 2009
Anything physical sorta works that way. If you believe you will never run a 5 minute mile, you won’t, if you think it’s really really hard to do and will take years of practice, it’s going to take years of practice.
It’s not like you just visualize it and it happens, but what’s in your head is more important than physical conditioning.
I saw this when I went to a self-defence class, those martial art guys who put their hands *through* a board that’s as thick as a door. The guys are not big at all.
First thing that goes though your head – I can’t do that….so you can’t.
Zoe @ at 3:01 pm, July 29th, 2009
I’ve never read this book. My opinion on being a teenager is to just have friends to support you and tough it out. For most people, high school IS hell and IS very depressing. After a few years, though, I got over being depressed and I think that for the most part, this is so for everyone else. Of course, there are some people whose depression is more serious and I hope those kids can get themselves some help, or at least realize that they might need help. I got help and I’m still not sure to this day if I actually needed it.
Anyhow. I do think positive thinking helps in some aspects. It’s not like, oh, well I wanna earn a million dollar salary and then you get it. But it makes a difference on a smaller scale.
Hope Springs Internal @ at 3:59 pm, July 29th, 2009
Feminism IS the secret to teen power! You’re certainly right about that!!
Paul S @ at 5:39 pm, July 29th, 2009
The Chasers take on The Secret: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usbNJMUZSwo
RebJ @ at 6:22 pm, July 29th, 2009
“To some extent I believe the “pain” of the teenage experience is something that really shapes who you are, even if it sucks. ”
So true. Maybe if we could just learn to suck it up and deal with stress smartly when we are young, we wouldn’t be plagued by 500 different types of mental disorders later in life.
Nellie @ at 7:34 pm, July 29th, 2009
Well called, Julie. Feminism is absolutely the secret to teen power
Vince Collaso @ at 7:54 pm, July 29th, 2009
The great speaker Jim Rohn said that: ‘For things to change, you have to change’. That’s for free.
TattooedLunaChic @ at 1:14 pm, July 30th, 2009
You know what the secret to success is?
Creative bullsh!t with the right marketing. And there will be many who will buy your book and you will make tons of cash.
There’s a small percentage of people who can actually see through this kind of crap.
Interesting posts, weekend of 8/1 « Feminists with Female Sexual Dysfunction @ at 6:59 pm, August 2nd, 2009
[...] Teens get in on The Secret – I really don’t like this kind of book. I’m reading a book just like The Secret right now (only it’s even older & written as a novel,) and I am hating every single second of it. Why am I reading one of those books. And this quote reflects a big giant problem I have with this brand of think-positive self-help philosophy: And that was when I realized how disgustingly classist The Secret is. It seems like the luxury of “thinking positively” can only be saved for people who have all the opportunities at their fingertips and for some reason can’t figure out how to take them. [...]
Teens get in on The Secret « Erin Explores YA @ at 2:58 am, August 11th, 2009
[...] been some interesting reactions to this news posted in the blogosphere. I really like the fbomb’s take on the [...]
Zac @ at 6:34 pm, May 4th, 2010
This is the secret to life. Believe it or not, anyone who has reached a goal in their life has thought about it for countless days, months, years. You can live a perfect life without believing it. Or you can believe, everyone has a choice.