The Myth of Positive Thinking
Optimism! Has there ever been a time in human history when people have clung so tenaciously to the the ideology of the power of positive thinking? You know what I’m talking about. The belief system that our thoughts can change our reality. That’s right! If we refuse to embrace negative thoughts, by only thinking about the way we want our lives to be, that well-directed energy will produce positive outcomes. From making lots of money, to finding our soul mates, to healing our bodies, to living the life we were intended to live, the power of positive thinking promises miracles.
Now don’t get me wrong.
It can be helpful to give something the benefit of the doubt by not rushing to judgement too quickly. After all, life is full of surprises not all of which result in negative hardships or major disappointments. And, counting our blessings is a good thing. However, when examined carefully, the core beliefs of this new religion that has largely swept societies in the richest countries of the world, simply aren’t grounded in reality but rather wishful thinking. Wishful thinking is a common human attempt at problem solving destined to fail. Wishing something were so does not make it so, but the PPT people refuse to accept that little fact. (PPT is my acronym for power of positive thinking.)
Furthermore, there is a truly damaging aspect of the PPT philosophy that goes something like this.
Your bad luck is a direct result of your negative thoughts and that’s a major failure. In fact, if I even listen to you talk about your frustrations, worries, fears, or misgivings, you could damage my ability to control my thoughts and ruin my chances of getting what I want. Move along. If you don’t have something positive to say, then don’t say anything at all.
Ugh! What a privileged outlook on life.
And, rather selfish, too. Not to mention that the belief system is full of holes. Life is rife with suffering. Take off your blinders for a few seconds and you’ll soon see that every living creature suffers to some extent. From the rabbit that lives under the shrubs in my backyard to the child from a broken family to all war torn countries, down through the ages everyone suffers. Turns out life isn’t an actual gift designed with our happiness in mind but rather a series of problems that requires solutions in order for us to survive.
Maybe our ancestors better understood this.
You know, the folks from the good old days when the average lifespan was about half of what it is today and whole families were often wiped out by diseases that no longer effect modern societies. They were constantly forced to face life’s dark side.
My grandfather grew up during the Great Depression.
He experienced several winters where the family depended on the turnip crop from their garden to feed them. He never fully recovered from those memories of being hungry. His whole life centered around keeping a full larder just in case. He knew that things could change over night. I’m sure it never occurred to him to focus his positive thoughts on a full belly as a means of making sure he’d always have food. Nope. His practical side combined with hard work stocked his summer kitchen shelves with home-canned goods. He listened to the news, good or bad, and made rational choices in an attempt to stay safe. If he was ever to go hungry again, it wouldn’t be from lack of preparation. Nor would he consider his full larder, enough to feed a family for a year, a direct result of refusing to think about what hunger feels like. On the contrary, he’d never forget what it felt like to be hungry.
I know it’s common for our brains to play wicked tricks on us.
Silly belief systems are often a result of wishful thinking, denial, and fear of facing the truth. Our big brains are at once amazing and flawed. They have been known to save the day but just as often can turn around and sabotage our well being. In fact as amazing as our brains are the flaws are equally disturbing. So much so that if our brains were cars, there would’ve been a massive recall by now.
Yet, some of our ability to lie to ourselves is probably needed lest we give up hope entirely.
After all, between Mother Nature and our own species, we’re in danger every minute of every day of our lives. And, in the end, no matter what we do, no matter how carefully we plan things, we’re going to die. Life itself, which we have dubbed as a gift, goes hand in hand with its constant companion — death. There’s no getting around it. All the positive thinking in the world won’t change that.
Perhaps, because we doubled the lifespan about seventy years ago and technological advancements have given us so many conveniences, we’ve grown to expect things to be perfect.
Perhaps we’ve raised the bar on what we think we deserve as though just being born qualified us for the royal treatment. Maybe that made it easier for people to create a belief system that demands the perfect life. A magical, mythical expectation that no longer postpones having the life we want until we get to heaven. A new-age religion that is as fantastical as all of the old religions that sprang from harsher times, shorter lifespans, and fewer luxuries.
But the truth remains the truth.
Whether we believe that prayers could persuade a god to give us what we want or positive thinking could persuade the universe to deliver the goods, both are mere games that we play to calm our fears. No god has ever fed a hungry child nor has the universe delivered food to a homeless person’s tent. Those problems can only be solved by humans acknowledging that there is a problem and then stepping up to the plate to fix it. Even then, it can be a huge challenge to find a solution.
Whatever ails modern society, the PPT people are a symptom, not a solution.
Facing reality and looking for solutions to problems has always been the best tactic for survival. No matter how much we think we deserve happiness or security, life was not designed with a guarantee of either one. When we cooperate and try to collectively manage our problems , we stand a much better chance of living longer lives. That requires acknowledging that a problem exists in the first place. Denial and wishful thinking will never save the day.
Teresa Roberts is a retired educator, author, world traveler, and professional myth buster. You can find her books on Amazon.
