Positive

1.
“Before
we critique “The Secret’s”
‘secret’
perhaps we should experiment with the
possibilities it claims are
at our disposal.”
I say:
“try it”.

From: Sabastian Glass

 This quote not an overwhelming endorsement of “The Secret,”
but it encourages an

open mind to the concepts discussed in the film. The film illustrates many examples of


individuals’ wish lists, and while the average individual many have a less extravagant


wish list, it conveys the
power of
positive thinking.

2.
“I understand that faith is an integral
part of the “secret” however;
I find it
hard
sometimes to have completely unwavering
faith when I haven’t had the
chance to
actually experience something.”
From: Andrew Holme

 Unwavering
belief is a
difficult state to achieve. This quote addresses the
difficulty
and

discipline required to obtain a state of
complete, unquestionable
belief. The trouble


surrounding
an unwavering
belief in “The Secret” is acknowledging the negative


thoughts that are
present within your subconscious and being able to overcome
them, in

order to embrace
a
positive stance.


3.
“This film was more of
a motivational movie than anything else.”
From: John Oley

 The film had an overwhelming sense of encouragement. The idea in “The Secret” is


that if
you believe it, you can achieve it. Several individuals from various
professions


attest to the
power
portrayed in the
film. The author of this quote
believes in the
power of


positive thinking and was drawn to that
particular aspect of the
film, stating that if an

individual is
positive in their life it would be more
beneficial than being having a


negative outlook.


4.
“ ... I do believe that if someone is faced with an illness and has a
positive outlook on the
situation, they have
a
better chance at
beating it. I
also believe that if we wake up every
morning with a
positive attitude that our day will
be a
good one.”
From: Stephanie Doucet

 Although the author of
this quote was not attracted to all the aspects of the film, she did

agree that a
positive attitude is
beneficial. She stated that a
positive attitude can help an

individual with their health and daily outlook, but
not with material
possessions.

5.
“Ultimately, I think that
we could all live
better life
by
pursuing what makes us happy.”
From: Joline
LeBlanc


The
power of
positive thinking is again addressed by this author, but the difference with
this response is the focus on being
grateful for what
you have. Being
grateful for what
you have – not
just material
possessions – can allow
you to gain a more
positive attitude
in addition to recognizing how
abundant
your life already is. The
focus on the film was
on abundance, but the author indicates that abundance is not necessary
when you begin to
consider what
“bliss” is already in your life.


Negative

1.
“The anecdotes
and tales
of coincidental fortune or cured cancer
I
find unconvincing. The
tales on the other side of
the coin are
just as numerous and just as likely. Someone has
already used this statement when responding to this film
by saying “Shit Happens”, and I
think there’s a lot to be said about this. Accidents
happen, people
are injured, people are
downright
cruel and malicious
but that’s
just this crazy world we live in and not
because
people are focussed on the
bad and it occurs
because they have
willed it. What about the
millions and millions and millions suffering from
poverty
and malnourishment? Are they
willing this on themselves? Do they all honestly have the ability to rise up
and create
something from nothing?
I don’t think so. I live in the real world.”
From: Chris DeLong

 The issues addressed in this response are not entirely
critical; however, this
particular


quote addresses an aspect of the film that seemed inappropriate. The statements made
by


many of the interviewees alluded to the fact that if
people are in less fortunate situations,

were in that situation due to their own personal thought
process. While
positive


individuals may have more
pleasant experiences, it is not a law of life.



2.
“The movie stressed positive thinking which is important, but would it
be good to always
be focusing on future
gains rather than being in the
present. “Feel
yourself
driving the
race
car
you want in your mind.” How much time would one need to spend in La
La
Land?”
From: Rita

 Positive thinking is mentioned in this quote as a good thing, but the
power of
positive


thinking for
personal
gain in not
beneficial for our society. The implications of such

material
possessions could, in the end, produce
a negative
perception if the individuals’


desires were unattainable. Furthermore, the author addressed the marketing
of the film -

the
profit and the names used within the film - which relate to a vulnerable
in society.


3.
“Furthermore, the
film fails to explain in a comprehensive way how the “law of
attraction” actually works; and it is my inkling that it doesn’t. My feelings toward “the
secret” are similar to those
I have
for religion in that while the
general message seems to
be a
positive one, however it
promotes the illusion that success is achievable merely
by
positive thinking. Hard work must also be
part of the mix if one is to realize their
ambitions.”
From: Joshua Fowler

 “The Secret”
continuously talked about the law
of attraction within the universe and

how
you could manifest this
power within your own world; however, it did not explain

how attraction worked. The film indicated that through positive thinking, an individual


attracted positive outcomes – such as money
and cars -but it did not explain the


connection between the individual and the universe.

4.
“As with much of Western culture, the Secret is
based on Individualism –as in “it’s all
your
fault and only
you can fix it.”
It is an impulsive system that relies on passion and
desire instead of logic
and progress.”
From: Rebecca Rankin


The author of this quote
connects the idea of “The Secret” to religion through various
symbols. Some examples of the symbols are the number three, the identification of the
history of
“The Secret,”
etc. The films focus is addressed within this quote, the focus on
the individual and the
blame the victim scenario present throughout the film. The film
continuously encourages it viewers to focus on their
personal desires, rather than


focusing on the needs of
others. The
people in “The Secret” make the idea
of change
and
goal
attainment seem incredibly simple, but in reality there is not a quick fix.

5.
“This in my opinion is another great example of a
scam for ‘soft minds’ flowered
generously with the word “science”. So many
gullible
people in our society
if they see
the word science they do not even question the content
but take it to be factual
indisputable truth.”
From:
Lana
Lewis


The ideas
portrayed in the film were depicted with the assistance of quantum
physicists,
physicians, academics, psychologists, etc. The
premise of the film would be intriguing,
according to the
author of this quote, if the viewer was not thinking critically. The idea of
positive thinking is not a secret, but the way in which the film is marketed makes it seem
as though only the viewers of the film will
be able to harness its
power.