This didn’t start out as a rant, but it certainly ended up as one, so consider yourself forewarned. 
It seems that there is a growing backlash against the Law of Attraction as it has been presented in “The Secret”. It’s been about a year since the movie came out and its marketing machine took over the self help market. From what I’ve seen in the last few days I’d have to say the love affair is definitely cooling off.
One of the first indications came from a recent email I received from a list I’ve been on for about a year. In it the owner announced that she was shutting it down because the Law of Attraction just wasn’t working for her, and she felt that she could better serve by opening up a new group to explore other ways of deliberate creation and getting what we want.
And then there’s this video, which definitely inspires an alternative (or maybe additional) train of thought. It certainly did for me. (article continues below the video)
So just what is it that brought about this backlash?
Is it that the “secret” has become too mainstream? Is it that the whole idea of the Law of Attraction has become corrupted by the gurus whose mission seems to be to milk us common folk for every dollar we have in our search for happiness and a better life?
For every success story that’s paraded in front of us, there are at least a dozen others who are left emotionally – and sometimes financially – devastated, wondering why the Law of Attraction (which, btw is supposed to be universal) doesn’t work for them.
And when they emerge from the ashes to question why, the only answer the guru can deliver is “you must be doing it wrong.” Or, “You just need to try harder. Here, spend another $47/$97/$497 (insert ever increasing dollar amounts here) on my books, tapes and seminars. I have just what you need. See… the Law of Attraction works. It attracted you to me at just the right moment.”
The Law of Attraction in its current incarnation isn’t about helping people anymore. It’s about big business. And why not? It’s that whole “find a starving crowd and sell them what they want” premise that all successful marketing is based on. And people are certainly starving for happiness, health, love, and a little bit of stability in this crazy world. Oh, and don’t forget the big house with the three car garage that we’re all supposed to want. (Can anyone say mortgage crisis?)
Kinda reminds me of the tele-evangelists my granny used to watch every week. “Just send $24.95 by cheque or money order and I guarantee that God will answer your prayers!”
Only now God by whatever name you call Him/Her has nothing to do with it. Instead it’s “Just send $49 via paypal and I’ll tell you a secret. But don’t be offended when I don’t tell you the whole secret because then I can’t sell you a ton of other useless stuff on the back end! And since it all depends on you and what you do, don’t be insulted when I won’t give you your money back. There are no guarantees in life y’know.”
That’s it. Rant over for today. Ironic isn’t it that while I was typing this Nickelback’s “I wanna be a rock star” is came on the radio. LOL
I’d love to hear your thoughts on the topic. Is the Law of Attraction still attractive to you?
Comment (1)
Hi Ruth! I agree, the LOA enthusiasm generated by the Secret is bound to wilter and dry up. The Secret made it sound too easy. The truth is that the LOA is a spiritual concept. It works on a deeper spiritual level in which we attract that which our unconscious/spirtual self wants. Getting oneself in fit spiritual shape is just as challenging a task as getting our bodies in fit, optimal shape. Many people, I’m afraid, watched the Secret and decided the Universe is a catalogue. Ask for blue shoes and they will arrive in the mail tomorrow — even if you didn’t buy blue shoes on eBay! Those who embraced the LOA without delving into the spirituality aspect are bound to become discouraged and drift away. Those who look at it as a way of spirital growth will keep on believing and growing.