The Secret

In class we watched and discussed a documentary novel called, “The Secret” by Rhonda Byrne. The whole concept of her novel is about how people hold their own happiness in their minds. Of course some people will agree while others beg to differ. Although there are different ways to take this new information in, I don’t believe it’s possible. In my opinion I don’t think it’s realistic to achieve happiness just from changing your thoughts. Happy thoughts won’t solve your troubles, although thinking about more positive things will lighten up your mood more than thinking about negative things that will obviously do the opposite. Thinking about rainbows and butterflies won’t pay your bills, put food on your table or get you out of debt. Byrne’s believes that through thinking positively you can control your destiny. I for one think that what’s meant to be will happen and find it’s way with or without our approval or thought on it. If that were the case I’m sure people wouldn’t be as sad as they are, people with depression have happy thoughts and are still depressed. In the documentary they also claim that people attract what happens to them. If a person goes through a traumatic experience such as losing a parent due to cancer, they attracted this tragedy? Should they have had a happier thought to prevent it? Not everything that goes on around you happens because of whats on in your mind. Monitoring them won’t determine whether you’re happy, mad, sad or whatever the case may be.

We also got to see two parodies of the documentary. Although they were both insinuating the same idea of how it was funny that people thought our minds control the universe, they also showed how the people that spoke throughout the documentary hid behind these fancy titles and job descriptions. They made really bold claims but didn’t support it in any way. They thought that their job titles would give them enough credibility to make those claims and assumptions but without supporting their selves they were just people declaring opinions. In the Saturday Night Live parody with Oprah Winfrey they show Oprah, Rhonda Byrne and a believer who uses this method. She goes on to explain how her and her husband had separated due to him being interested in a younger woman. She tells everyone how she starts to think positive thoughts how she’s going to get her husband back. The woman ended up with a restraining order and awaiting trial. Which brings back my idea on how just thinking positive thoughts can’t solve all of a person’s problems. If a person is currently feeling down thinking more positive thoughts can help bring up their mood but it will not bring them ultimate success and happiness. It’s more of a temporary mood lifter. In the second parody they shed more light on the speakers and how in the documentary they make them seem more educated or or entitled than they really are. They show how they are just ordinary people making speculations instead of showing proof of what they are saying.