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Budimir Zdravkovic

PhD student in biochemistry/cancer biology,

TEDCRED 20+

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The Problem of Positive Thinking

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWfDm_bqwUU

Books like The Secret hold more credibility in our culture than books on philosophy, history or literature. Mainstream theatre shows are musicals like Mama Mia. Do we all have the princess syndrome?

And I define the princess syndrome as a intense desire to live happily ever after, ignorant of topics that provoke us to think and raise our awareness.

Most of all our culture emphasizes dreaming and provides us with success stories along the lines of "he was just a Slum Dog, out of luck, stealing shoes from tourists and bringing a slight discomfort into their lives, until he discovered he had the talent to win trivia shows."

When I watched the movie it provoked an emotional response, I felt warn and fuzzy. But it also made me ask myself how many trivia show millionaires are truly out there? Did I get suckered into paying for education when I could've been a Slum Dog?

When you ask yourself these questions you are distancing yourself from the emotional impact of the movie and you stop and say to yourself, wait a minute, what about all the other slum dogs? Well there a two competing views on this topic the author of the Secret would tell you: they didn't "dream" hard enough. Common sense might tell you: you don't win social justice on game shows.

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    Paige Steele-Rollins

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    May 13 2011: I completely agree! I find that a lot of "unhappy" people seem to get discouraged when their "positive thinking" doesn't change their lives around overnight. I've found myself attempting to encourage others who pretty much refuse to believe that they can choose to be happy. Instead they feel as though they have been dealt a bad hand in life (which is when I ask--by whom?) as opposed to realizing that they are constantly dealing themselves a bad hand

    ** I also agree that people value consumerism more than almost ANYTHING else, which is very disturbing! People don't realize that the most valuable things are not tangible & more than likely, won't have a price tag!
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      Budimir Zdravkovic 20+

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      May 13 2011: Well even if you have been dealt a bad hand in life, it doesn't do you any good to bury ylourself deeper, your only option is to struggle.

      Consumerism is a perpetual cycle of spending and although this doesn't have to be the case, but the more you focus on spending the more you end up working. When you are working and obligated to constantly pay bills and loans tomake ends meet you don't have time to think or discuss these issues. You don't have time to work towards anything bigger or more profound than paying your bills.

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