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Bright-Sided: Barbara Ehrenreich

Commonwealth Club
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ascilto Avatar
ascilto
Posts: 9
Posted: 11.04.09, 09:56 PM
A very compelling talk. Positive thinking can be useful as a tactic against being consumed by stress, grief, etc. Such a philosophy would therefore emphasize not the “sunny side” delusional aspects of positive thinking (a myopic debasement of self-perception), but, as the root ‘posit’ suggests, impetus, boldness.

The story of the Lehman Brothers employee showing this trait struck me as at least faintly ironic. Clearly, the man must have been an optimist to approach his bosses with his message knowing the environment they inculcated. When we have made “positive thinking” the enemy of boldness such that it admits no positing, it has defeated its own ends, or become a negative philosophy, and an excuse to frivolity besides.
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bapyou Avatar
bapyou
Posts: 86
Posted: 11.05.09, 11:33 PM
Good on you, Ms. Ehrenreich. I've always felt the "positive thinking" culture in business to be false and just plain silly. It makes me cringe in disgust.
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Antiks Avatar
Antiks
Posts: 17
Posted: 11.06.09, 03:34 AM
I hate corporate bs, corporate culture, and the demand to always be hypomanic and positive in the workplace.

As far as the financial meltdown, I believe the technical term for it was "irrational exuberance".
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Jan Steinman Avatar
Jan Steinman
Posts: 1
Posted: 11.12.09, 02:30 PM
I think Ms. Ehrenreich is being a bit harsh on the power of positive thinking.

Don't get me wrong — I'm as down on positive thinking as an alternative to reality as she is — but when it is practised responsibly, it improves your life and that of those around you.

Case: we agree: someone on a cruise attends a $450 seminar on PosThink(TM), and starts plastering photos all over their walls of a new red convertible. Not good.

Case: we agree: the corporate executive who will not tolerate hearing of "problems." Not good.

Case: we disagree: your car just broke and you can't get to work. You could just sit there and call on the Universe to give you a car, or you could trust that you may not know by what form your needs are fulfilled. You choose the latter, and put it out there that you really need to solve your commuting problem. A few days later, a friend mentions that a great apartment, cheaper and better than the one you're in, has just opened up a block from your job.

In this case, it was not new-age spiritualism that solved the problem, it was simply paying attention to your needs, rather than your wants. What you pay attention to, you take action upon.

Case: we disagree:The corporate executive who asks that all their internal communication use the phrase "improvement opportunity" whenever someone would write "problem." The wording change alone causes one to think of improving the situation, and the opportunity to do so. His underlings won't be fired for bringing bad news, but if they've at least been willing to think of it as an "improvement opportunity," I think they're more likely to be bringing the boss a solution, rather than just bad news.

Yea, let's be realistic. Yea, let's avoid false hope. But "hope" is too future-oriented. Set your positive intent, and at every opportunity, act in the direction of that intent right now, and good stuff will happen!
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Foraboy Avatar
Foraboy
Posts: 10
Posted: 11.21.09, 05:58 PM
Good commentary on the positive thinking and self help industry. However, most depressed people have thought patterns that distort reality, automatic negative thought loops that have a big impact on mood. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is effective and there is a book Feeling Good by Dr. Burns that teaches people coaping skills and ways to disarm delusional negative thoughts.
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