Introducing Public Deception Schemes – The Secret Documentary, the Law of Attraction, Positive and Negative Energy

The advertising for this program, with a glaring historical contradiction, says, "This secret has captivated the minds of the most brilliant scientists since the time of Einstein!", and offers no explanation as to how, if this secret has preoccupied scientists' minds since Einstein's time, Newton, Galileo, and da Vinci were aware of it?!

Secondly, as we have said time and again from the first season of the "Public Understanding of Science and Technology" series until now, the supernatural has nothing to do with metaphysics, and the promotional claim of The Secret program that calls this subject a metaphysical discussion! is definitely incorrect. Many presenters of the public deception program, from itinerant fortune-tellers to claimants of energy healing and cosmic healing with the defensive cosmic radiation of Erfan-e Halgheh! and so on, are captive to this misunderstanding of metaphysics. Most presenters of the public deception program have no idea what the subject of metaphysics is. They probably think metaphysics means something beyond physics, or phenomena that physics is incapable of interpreting and explaining; this group often mistakenly calls phenomena they believe to be supernatural or paranormal, metaphysics!

Table of Contents 1.1 Etymology of The Secret Program 1.2 Why Are the Teachings of the "The Secret Documentary" Series Considered a Public Deception Scheme? 1.3 The Secret Series as Pseudoscience or Superstition 1.4 Presenters of The Secret Public Deception Scheme and the Law of Attraction in Iran

"The Secret traverses all boundaries to find you" (promotional slogan of the film)

Most of us have, to a greater or lesser extent, heard words like the Law of Attraction, positive and negative energy, The Secret, and the like. Extensive advertising has been done in this regard, and many people try to apply the teachings of The Secret program in their daily lives. In this installment of the "Public Understanding of Science and Technology" series of notes, titled "Introducing Public Deception Schemes," we will analyze this subject as one of the instances of a public deception scheme.

Are you tired of life's problems? Do you not have enough money? Are you dissatisfied with your job? Do you want a new model car? Do you want to become a homeowner? Do you want to get married? Do you want to enter university? Has your life been afflicted by various crises? The boundary between happiness and misery is just one secret. We will reveal this secret to you!! And from this moment on, we congratulate you on joining the community of happy people!!! Do you want more success? Do you want to become a millionaire? You can achieve anything you want in life!!! Or become anyone you want! The great secret is revealed. I have seen many miracles in people's lives: financial and economic miracles! Health miracles! And miracles of mind and relationships! These people have learned how to apply this secret in their lives! Buy this extraordinary film and give it as a gift to those you love!!

1.1 Etymology of The Secret Program

The root of the promotional craze for the Law of Attraction, which has been widely embraced in Iran and other countries around the world in recent years, goes back to the 2006 film The Secret, directed by Drew Heriot and produced by Rhonda Byrne.

This narrative film, which is essentially an attempt to introduce a vague and unsubstantiated concept called the "Law of Attraction," is based on a book of the same name written by Rhonda Byrne, who also produced the film.

The entire film is an effort to instill this idea that:

A secret has existed in human history, been discovered, hidden, lost, and found again! A number of exceptional men and women discovered this secret and became known as the greatest human beings on Earth! People such as Newton, Galileo, da Vinci, Einstein, Alfred Hitchcock, Madame Curie, and so on!!! The secret has traveled through the centuries to reach us now!! This is the very secret of success that great figures like Einstein, Bill Gates, and others were aware of!!

Those involved in and the creators of The Secret program claim in their advertising:

After watching this documentary and applying this important and very simple secret, after a short time you can easily live happily!! - You can acquire the car of your dreams! - You can become the owner of the home of your dreams! - You can marry the person of your dreams! - You can continue your education at the university and in the field of your choice! - And you can easily obtain everything that has been an unattainable dream for you until now! Imagine being able to find a description for everything in the world, from the smallest possible events to the greatest occurrences!! This is a dream that has fascinated the minds of the most brilliant scientists, since the time of Einstein! Now scientists have found it!!!!!!!! An exciting theory that took the scientists' breath away!!! And they reached an astonishing conclusion, and that conclusion is that the world we live in . . . is not the only world in existence!!! And this matter had plunged science into darkness for about a hundred years! In this collection, you will become acquainted with the Law of Attraction through the words of Mrs. Esther Hicks and her husband Mr. Jerry Hicks, those who first introduced and explained the theoretical theory of the Law of Attraction! Mrs. Hicks, by entering a state of meditation and deep breathing, speaks these words through an inner being they have named Abraham; Abraham is the name of all the beings that, according to Mrs. Hicks's claim, reside in the supernatural or metaphysical!! (?) part of the cosmos and are accessible to anyone through meditation!!! In this collection, we take you on an exciting and stranger-than-science-fiction journey!!! A place where you can play with the world in a new way by breaking the rules of your daily life! A place where you arrive at a new vision of existence and will achieve beyond your current limitations and even more than you can imagine!

The advertisements for this program state, with an obvious historical contradiction, "This secret has fascinated the minds of the most brilliant scientists since the time of Einstein!", and offers no explanation as to how, if this secret has occupied the minds of scientists since the time of Einstein, then Newton, Galileo, and da Vinci were aware of this secret?!

Secondly, as we have said time and again from the first chapter of the "Public Understanding of Science and Technology" series until now, the supernatural has no connection with metaphysics, and the advertising claim of The Secret program that calls this subject a metaphysical! discussion is definitely incorrect. Many presenters of public deception programs, from fortune-telling peddlers to claimants of energy healing and cosmic healing with cosmic defensive radiation of Erfan-e Halgheh! and so on... are captive to this misunderstanding of metaphysics. Most presenters of public deception programs have no idea what the subject of metaphysics is. They probably think metaphysics means something beyond physics, or phenomena that physics is incapable of interpreting and explaining; this group often mistakenly calls phenomena they believe to be supernatural or paranormal, metaphysics!

What The Secret collection tries to say is that there is nothing you cannot do or have! The more you use this secret, the more you understand it!

In the advertisements for this film, it is stated:

In this film, Dr. John Demartini (philosopher), Dr. Fred Alan Wolf (quantum physicist), Bob Doyle (writer), Bill Harris (psychologist), Dr. John Hagelin (quantum physicist), James Arthur Ray (philosopher), Neale Donald Walsch (writer), and others... speak about this secret. This film tries to reveal the great secret of the universe. To achieve this goal, the film traverses different eras and various countries. This secret is everything that exists. The secret of infinite joy, health, money, love, and unlimited youth. Portraying the world of pioneering scientists, writers, and philosophers in this documentary, The Secret presents life, which over the centuries has brought success to luminaries such as Plato, Newton, Beethoven, Shakespeare, Einstein, and so on, before the television viewer!!

1.2          Why are the teachings of "The Secret Documentary" collection considered a public deception scheme?

What The Secret series attempts to promote is clearly based on confused information without logical or argumentative backing, and sometimes on a flawed understanding of scientific concepts. The reason for this is clear:

The Secret says: Whatever you think about, you will attain!

This claim can in no way be confirmed or refuted. One can imagine thousands of experiences in which a person thought of something and did not attain it! At the same time, one can imagine experiences in which a person thought of something and attained it. Nevertheless, such a claim is clearly not "scientific." Scientific experiments must be repeatable, and anyone, by fulfilling specific conditions, should be able to test the truth or falsehood of the claim through experiment anywhere in the world and arrive at the same results. Just as the truth or falsehood of Maxwell's equations, the second law of thermodynamics, and the conservation of momentum can be tested in any laboratory around the world, and their empirical proof does not require cherry-picking input data and publishing selective, manipulated results.

But the above claim cannot be proven in any independent test. To prove this test, a number of test subjects must be divided, observing laboratory requirements and standards, into, say, two or more laboratory groups, and some asked to think about a specific subject while the second group does not think about that subject! And at the end, within a specified period, the results must be statistically analyzed and examined. If this test is repeated over and over, observing scientific protocols, and each time yields significant results, then one can say:

Whatever you think about, you will attain!

Indeed! The empirical test in science (Experiment) differs vastly from raw, inner experiences or occasional encounters. The fact that a person has seen an event in a dream once or several times and that event occurred while awake cannot be proof of the claim that "dreams foretell the future"—such a claim is not based on scientific experience. (It is not repeatable and lacks the capacity for independent testing). Such an account is fundamentally an occasional encounter (not a repeatable empirical test) that, based on statistical analysis, yields no significant results to be cited.

1.3 The Secret Series as Pseudoscience or Superstition

As we mentioned in the previous section, what The Secret program tries to instill is based on no scientific proof or method of empirical testing. This claim is clearly in contradiction with the rules of sound logic.

For example, imagine an experience where two football team coaches each focus their thoughts on being victorious in the match. Both, based on what the Law of Attraction says, align their thoughts towards winning on the field. But truly, in whose favor does the Law of Attraction work? Is it not the case that one team's victory necessitates the other team's defeat?

Another objection arises when the presenters of the public deception program, who sometimes hold bouquets of flowers and walk with a smile on the stages of public deception shows under the title of thought technology and positive thinking, pull an answer out of their sleeve to the question, "Why doesn't the Law of Attraction work for some people?" The response of the public deception program presenters is this:

Sometimes, when you've done everything to achieve something and get no results, you might mutter under your breath: "The Law of Attraction is nothing but a big lie!" But let me reassure you right now that this is not just your problem, and millions of other people like you cannot properly use the Law of Attraction. But we will prove to you with reason and evidence that the problem is only you, not the Law of Attraction!

Indeed! The propaganda of the presenters of the public deception program The Secret and the Law of Attraction, in justifying why this homemade, amateurish Law of Attraction does not work and yields no results, places all the blame on individuals! And by giving an example, it cites the irrelevant statistics and figures of a person named Dr. Bruce Lipton, who says:

In fact, 99 percent (pay attention to this figure) of your life is in the hands of your subconscious mind!

He offers no explanation as to where he got the 99% from.

Pay attention to the following text, which is part of the public deception advertising for The Secret program:

The secret that will rivet you!!! I love being a millionaire and I think about it day and night. The Law of Attraction taught me to imagine myself in a beautiful house and luxury cars, and by repeating positive affirmations, to attract the dream of becoming a millionaire to myself. A little later, something new suddenly happens in my work environment. The head of the department where I work changes my position to a higher one, and my salary increases accordingly. But after I start working in my new position, I am so astonished and amazed by this situation that, rather than thinking about consolidating my job, the fear of losing my new position replaces all my positive thoughts, to the point where I don't even consider myself worthy of a higher income, and for this reason, after a while, I easily lose my new position. This is an example that Dr. Lipton gives. In fact, 99 percent (pay attention to this figure) of your life is in the hands of your subconscious mind, and the bitter truth is that a major part of your unconscious mind is filled with negative thoughts that you cannot erase from your mind merely by visualizing dreams and repeating affirmations. It is like it being completely dark and you keep repeating, "It is light." Under these conditions, repeating affirmations about it being light cannot change the fundamental reality, so think about it for a moment.

Another interesting point that should not be overlooked regarding the pseudoscientific nature of the Law of Attraction is the use of incorrect interpretations based on misunderstandings of scientific terms and concepts.

As we explained in the first chapter of the series on Public Understanding of Science and Technology, the common feature of most public deception program presenters is the misuse of terminology from the specialized fields of science and philosophy. Public deception program presenters often try, by begging and borrowing scientific words and terms, to fabricate credibility for their subject matter and take refuge under the cover of science and scientific terminology. They claim their program is endorsed by science. For this purpose, they make great efforts to impress the uninformed audience by employing specialized science and technology terms. For example, proponents of energy healing or cosmic consciousness and other charlatans and fortune-tellers frequently use words like energy, metaphysics!, organic, quantum physics!, positive energy and negative energy!!!, nanotechnology!, magnetism, and the like.

Regarding the Law of Attraction as well, the presenters of the public deception program resort to scientific analogies and borrowing from physics so that the uninformed audience, who has no knowledge of physics, is impressed and believes that this law! also has a precedent and application in science! Below, we quote one such argument verbatim!

In fact, just as a magnet has the property of attracting iron, the human mind also has the capability to attract and attracts exactly what it thinks about. All of us have, to some extent, experienced the Law of Attraction; although perhaps at that specific moment, we were not aware of how it occurred; for example, imagine a person who has been thinking about buying and owning a car for some time. He studies and researches the specifications of that car, asks others for prices, and constantly thinks about it. In other words; you must note that material and non-material opportunities and provisions constantly exist around us, but since the demand, desire, and enthusiasm for them have not seriously formed in our minds, we do not attract and perceive them; therefore, what must be given special attention in mental effort is to always fill the space of your mind with your desired goal. Gradually, you will see that your mental energy acts like a powerful magnet to draw towards you the conditions, events, and occurrences that lead to attracting that desire.

Another point in proving the pseudo-science or nonsensical nature of The Secret program is the fallaciousness of the concepts of this doctrine. We do not deny the influence of the mind (such as the placebo effect), positive thinking and morale, etc., on improving daily life. It is obvious that if someone has moderate and attractive social behavior, they will find better friends and, consequently, probably better opportunities for business and life. But this is fundamentally a psychological discussion (or, in other words, sociological) and has absolutely no connection to an imaginary and baseless law called the Law of Attraction.

1.4         Executors of the Public Deception Scheme of The Secret and the Law of Attraction in Iran

In Iran, as in many countries around the world, The Secret program and its related materials became tools for the executors of the public deception scheme, and profiteers, abusing the ignorance of the masses and their distance from scientific knowledge and attitude, promoted their superstitions. Many training classes were held in this regard, and charlatans and profiteers published many books and publications about success and the Law of Attraction and held numerous seminars about it everywhere! Pyramid companies, which were formed based on earning income through network marketing, recruited members based on the baseless teachings of the Law of Attraction! and indoctrinated their people that if, for example, you wish for a car worth several hundred million Tomans, take its picture and put it on the wall; your thoughts will compel the wind, rain, sun, and heavens to attract events that will lead to you owning that car.

The results of an online survey conducted by the executors of the public deception scheme show:

• About 47% of people became familiar with the Law of Attraction through The Secret film, and another 19.7% also spent more time reading its book.

 

The executors of the public deception scheme have not been idle and do not just sell The Secret CD! By releasing new versions of this program with deceptive titles, they try to sell their products. Indeed! The beta version of the public deception collections pursued a redefinition of the imaginary concepts of The Secret and set out to resolve the theoretical flaws, or in other words, the factors causing the Law of Attraction to be broken and the teachings of The Secret program not to work.

The tuition for The Secret classes in Iran amounts to over one hundred thousand Tomans per session, and to learn all the teachings of this course, you need to spend about 10 sessions, which will cost around one million Tomans!

The educational CD! of these superstitions is also 25 thousand Tomans for the 3 Secret CDs, about 70 thousand Tomans for other superstitions, and 55 dollars for shipping abroad! Below is the advertisement and marketing of one of the sellers of The Secret program:

I would also like to mention that we have prepared a limited number of this course for sale. Once the available copies are sold out, when we want to reproduce this course again, we will be forced to raise the price to cover the added costs. We have done this many times in the past, and in the near future we will be compelled to do so again. Since in the past some readers of the site have been angry with me for not telling them this point beforehand, I want to be fair this time and inform you right now that the current price of the course will not remain fixed and will increase. !! But I do not intend to make you feel pressured or forced to buy it. Not at all! If you come to the conclusion in the distant future that you want this course and the price has increased, I promise that the value of the results you get will be so high that it will compensate for the higher price! In the end, I hope you have read this letter and my other emails carefully and know how much I would love to find an opportunity to help you and not just sell you something...

Then, in the comments section, dozens of comments—which are clearly all typed and written by the seller of the public deception products themselves—numerous comments are presented confirming and attesting to the effectiveness of The Secret and its missing piece, and so on.

Important lessons I learned from your course: It was very interesting for me that we need to invest in our subconscious!! I would like everyone who truly wants to implement the Law of Attraction in their lives to get this course. I am sure that those who spend money on this course will gain nothing but profit and benefit. I would like to tell all my friends that the cost they pay for this course is truly nothing compared to all the goodness and positive energy this course gives us. Before I became acquainted with this course, I had seen 2 films about The Secret ... I have recommended this course to all my friends. Because it has given me so much energy and I really liked many of its techniques. I used to consider the Law of Attraction as mere fantasy and optimism. I saw it as so naive that I didn't use it. But after listening to these CDs, many changes occurred in me. The value of this course is far greater than the monetary value we spend on it. It can be so effective after 2 or 3 weeks of use that everyone senses the change in you. Focusing on goals, recognizing the abilities of the mind, increasing self-confidence, and greater self-knowledge are among the most important features of this course. I became acquainted with the Law of Attraction about four years ago... and I applied the Law of Attraction to advance my studies. Fortunately, it helped me up to a point, but in other matters that came up for me, I could not get help from the Law of Attraction. Your experiences regarding love were enlightening for me. I am grateful for this, for telling me to be myself. After three years of exhausting problems, by watching your course, I found the lost feeling of happiness again. I had seen The Secret film before and had read many books about it and used it in many places. Only and only regarding my love, this law did not work at all, and this has made me very sad. But in other matters, I benefited greatly, such that I now owe my job, my car, and my position to this law.

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Introducing Public Deception Schemes – The Secret Documentary, the Law of Attraction, Positive Energy, Negative Energy

Erfan Kasraie-Researcher in Science Studies, University of Kassel, Germany

www.erfankasraie.com

[email protected]

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