Acclaimed journalist, author and political activist Barbara Ehrenreich explores the darker side of positive thinking. View a video of her lecture at the RSA that inspired this animation. Download a transcript of this video (pdf)
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Bob, You are confusing people who dwell in the past with people who can think positively or negatively about a subject in the present. Nobody is advocating dwelling in the past. The choice is do you look at the present with false optimism or realism.
Wouldn't it be relevant to note that we are indeed in varying degrees of downsizing in every possible imaginable way and once we are stripped to the basics we will regain and choose more carefully and sustainably what really matters most to us as individuals and who we are, on all levels. Tomorrow is a new day, if we are down and out today, this week, or for the year, it is the most opportune time to develop who we are and what really matters.
i work in an environment where positive thinking is often pushed on the workers. don't feel overwhelmed, don't feel overworked, just think positive and everything will be better. problem is, i work as a nurse in a hospital setting, where burying your head in the sand and thinking positively can affect your patient. realism is being subjective, looking at problems and seeing the flaws. looking for ways to change the things that aren't working. it may not be positive, but it helps.
Spot on. I think her message is more about pointing a finger at exploitation or hijacking of 'positive thinking' ideology for quelling dissent than anything else.This is not the same thing as preaching 'negative thinking' or pessimism, as some of the commentators below wrongly assume.
Great Pictures. interesting Ideas. BAD SOUND. A little Audio-Tweaking and it would become digestable.