What do you think of the book "The secret" by Rhonda Byrne?

Is it really helpful in reality? Why is it helpful? How is it helpful?

asked Dec 22 '10 at 22:35

Steven
1 point

Thanks for your questions but we really do not do general book reviews here. Perhaps if you had a *specific* question (e.g. "I need to learn about . Does this book cover the subject?"), or a questions about something *contained* in the book... users would be able to answer that question within the spirit of the site. Overly general product recommendations (e.g. What do you think of this book?) do not fulfill the criteria of great Q&A. Reviews are certainly useful, but polling the site for opinions is not what we do here. We answer *specific*, canonical questions. – Robert Cartaino 14 years ago

2 Answers

It's success is simple: it caters to the egoist in everyone.

Anyone who thinks that you can wish your problems away through "positive thinking" is engaging in self-delusion and laziness. It helps you delude yourself with the idea that you don't actually have to do anything, just think it. If it didn't work, well, you didn't think hard enough obviously, right?

The corollary not explored is that apparently all bad things happen to you because of weak/bad thoughts. If your mother died of cancer, is it because you or someone else wanted her dead of cancer? Who's ego wished that up?

Positive attitude, from a psychological not spellcasting POV, is definitely an important component of success, but it is not the only one. The Secret takes that and magnifies into a solve-all mysticism that is absurd.

answered Dec 23 '10 at 01:05

Alphadogg
1,383 points

It's a snake-oil.

Of course you need to set goals and think hard about how to achieve them. But seriously, that's not news to anyone, is it?

Read this more well put criticism about the book.

If you need a good self help book, I recommend How to win friends and influence people by Dale Carnegie, Winning by Jack Welch or anything by Peter Drucker, especially his writing on "Managing oneself ". These are people with actual working scientific theory behind them.

answered Dec 22 '10 at 23:05

John Sjölander
2,082 points

I agree. It's a great source of inspiration the first 5 pages, but it stops there. I'm a HUGE believer in the fact that you make your own luck, but this book makes it sounds like there's a magical element to it. I totally agree with "How to win friend..." as a much better book on the subject (and one of my favorites, in general). – Matthew Dorian 14 years ago