EP 387: Context Clues: Is there hope beyond positive thinking?
Vibe check: does positive thinking get in the way of recognizing real limitations and structural challenges?
“Positive thinking” comes in many forms: New Thought, the prosperity gospel, manifestation teaching, self-help guides, and more. It’s hard to argue with thinking positive thoughts! But when positive thoughts become a substitute for curiosity and inquiry about real challenges, positive thinking can lead us away from real solutions. In this episode, I explore my own encounters with the world of positive thinking and how facing reality has actually given me more hope.
Footnotes:
- More about Mary Baker Eddy
- More about Ernest Holmes and The Science of Mind
- More about Norman Vincent Peale* The Power of Positive Thinking
- Mary Kay Ash on YouTube
- Confidence Culture by Shani Orgad and Rosalind Gill
- Rhonda Byrne on YouTube
- “Farm-To-Table: Reciprocity in Every Seam” (Christy Dawn ad)
- “Manifestation, eugenics, and flower oil” by Meg Conley
- Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism by Amanda Montell
- At The Existentialist Cafe by Sarah Bakewell
- Hope in the Dark by Rebecca Solnit
Essay versions of each episode are available at explorewhatworks.com each Thursday. Get them delivered straight to you by signing up at explorewhatworks.com/weekly
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