@deedub81

I think you're missing the point. She's not saying that positive thinking has no advantages whatsoever. She even points out that people can be delusional in a negative way as well. And of course the placebo effect is (bizarrely) real, and so is the nocebo efffect. (side note: some cool research into the nocebo effect exists where people who were getting positive results from a placebo pill also suffered the negative side effects of said pill even though they were only taking sugar pills. Pretty cool stuff!)

Bah, I'll finish this later.

This is so misleading. It makes me sad. Of course "The Answer" is hogwash, but to say that "Positive Thinking" and the so called "Law of Attraction" are the same thing is a lie.

The Answer, by John Assaraf and The Secret, by Rhonda Byrne (whom Ehrenreich references) are not representations of what most people consider positive thinking, nor does it have much to do with the idiocy of firing those that warned about the dangers of out-of-control sub-prime mortgage loans.

In other words, this video confuses many separate philosophies and psychological principles, some of which are real, and some of which are false.

There have been numerous studies on positive thinking, meditation, and mental practice that point to positive gains in actual performance. Retorhic and references to George W Bush, don't make this video accurate, though they do garner applause, as evidenced by the number of votes and promotes this video has earned.

Research points to the following benefits of positive thinking:
Increased life span
Lower rates of depression
Lower levels of distress
Greater resistance to the common cold
Better psychological and physical well-being
Reduced risk of death from cardiovascular disease
Better coping skills during hardships and times of stress

Positive thinking SHOULD NOT be confused with blinding yourself to realities and dangerous actions, as in the George Bush example given, nor should it be confused with "The Law of Attraction," as in the numerous references she gives to people getting things simply by thinking them.

Positive Thinking is a very powerful force that can lift one into a self reliant and full life. Positive thinkers impact the world with invention, ingenuity, and an uplifting influence on their community.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creative_visualization
http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-living/stress-management/in-depth/positive-thinking/art-20043950
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3156028/
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/james-clear/positive-thinking_b_3512202.html

Tags for this video have been changed from 'psychology, RSA, positive thinking, economics' to 'psychology, RSA, positive thinking, economics, Barbara Ehrenreich' - edited by blahpook

*related=http://videosift.com/video/Did-Positive-Thinking-Wreck-the-Economy-Barbara-Ehrenreich

RSA Animate: Smile or Die - the hazards of positive thinking has been added as a related post - related requested by blahpook on that post.

Did Positive Thinking Wreck the Economy?- Barbara Ehrenreich has been added as a related post - related requested by blahpook.

*Promote some positive thinking in the world.

The animation is a little cheesy, but I love the message! I do hot yoga three times a week and have noticed a huge difference in my level of stress and anxiety.

I was raised being constantly reminded about the power of positive thinking and of positive self-talk. Awesome to see a scientific journal substantiating that.

I have been doing some research lately into the Aristotelian ethics, so thanks for the additional sources of reading material!

>> ^Ariane:

I agree with what she is saying totally, and the scientists and researchers in "Positive Psychology" would agree. We have been led to believe that having a positive attitude will bring about positive change and there is no data to support that. Its a lie started in American theology called the "prosperity doctrine" and then secularized and adapted by the new agers.
If you want to learn what will really make us happy, start with Dan Gilbert, then move on to Dr Barry Schwartz and Dan Pink, and Carol Ryff. Their seemingly strange conclusions about what makes us really happy are backed up by scientific research. The conclusion that they draw is that the whole "American Dream" is a piece of fiction that will ultimately lead to misery.
What we need is a "meaningful purpose", and we need to work with others on that purpose. Our endeavors do not even have to succeed, as long as our purpose is clearly defined, we are able to see progress, and there is some hope for success, it will lead us to eudaemonia as Aristotle called it or lasting "well-being" and contentment.

I found this quote:

'Think Progress pointed out that there are currently 13.9 million people unemployed, and only 153 million in the entire U.S. labor force.

“If the Obama administration had created 240 to 280 million jobs, the unemployment crisis would have been solved several times over, and America would have so many jobs that it would need to start employing workers from all over the world just to fill all the available positions,” Think Progress’ Pat Garofalo wrote.'

Ah, the internet -- I found it in the President's report published on July 1 http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/cea_7th_arra_report.pdf:

"The analysis indicates that the Recovery Act has raised the level of GDP substantially relative to what it otherwise would have been and has saved or created between 2.4 and 3.6 million jobs as of the first quarter of 2011."

Basic slapdown point remains -- not creating as much as previously thought is not the same as jobs lost.

>> ^mgittle:

The guy wrote "your fired"


... twice.

downvote for "positive thinking" snake oil masquerading as philosophy

Well that is some positive thinking ! Good attitude Lord Sidious @!

"There's going to be divine assistance"

People who think magically scare the shit out of me.

This vid didn't get a lot of votes, but it completely connects the Religious/FOX News/Corporate complex together in a pretty intuitive way:
http://videosift.com/video/RSA-Animate-Smile-or-Die-the-hazards-of-positive-thinking