'The true nature of Reality' - addenum

Some more thoughts concerning this podcast:

Generally speaking I have to admit that Steve seems to be a real good, passionate and positive guy and his theories seem to help him being able to live a fuller life. That's good and I don't want to attack that!

But he should be differentiate more clearly the different elements of his 'subjective reality' theory.

• On the one hand he's absolutely right: you can shape your reality in the sense that if you're loving and positive the world also seems more loving and positive
• On the other he's absolutely wrong and delusional: Reality doesn't just exist because he (or I?) thinks about it. Nor does gravity just exist because I think it should exist. Nor is everyone besides us just another reflection of our higher self. That's utter bullocks. He has absolutely no evidence that supports those parts of his theory. If he could change gravity, why doesn't he? Just once, for fun?
  

And the typical excuse for failure of such a flawed theory is the following: If Reality doesn't change, then it's because YOU didn't really think it could! So the blame is always on you, never on the theory. Excuses like this should ALWAYS be a warning sign!

It's too bad that he messes his positif, correct views on self-esteem and the like with this totally bogus view of the 'Law of Attraction' and 'Manifestion'. Yes, you can to a certain extent attract people and situations if you change your behavior and when you're looking for situations! But you cannot attract things via magic. Or change the physical laws of the Universe. That's wishful thinking and delusional.

Of course he can always prove me wrong. I'd like to see that! :)

(technorati: pavlina, motivation, inspiration)

Posted by Daldianus at 19:10 11 comments Links to this post

'The true nature of Reality'

In his latest podcast (The true nature of Reality) Steve Pavlina raves about subjective reality. He argues that everything that exists around you and everything that happens to you is due to your subconscious and the 'Law of Attraction'. Meaning Reality is the reflection of your thoughts (and only yours). You get what you believe that you'll get ... for good and bad.

You can't fly? That's because you cannot imagine yourself flying.
You can't manifest a red balloon out of thin air? That's because you deep down believe it to be impossible therefore attracting this negative confirmation.
You've been raped? That's because you intentioned it somehow.

And so he rambles on. I'm really worried he's loosing touch with reality and getting insane. Or maybe it's only a marketing ploy. And he'll of course claim that it's only because of my thoughts. Because I want him to look that way ... etc etc.

He is using the same technique that a lot of self-help gurus and religions use day in and day out. They claim things they cannot prove. They claim that YOU can do anything you want. And if you fail it's only because YOU didn't accurately use their 'method', or 'law' or 'whatever'. They're NEVER wrong.

And of course it's, because of their vague premisses, impossible to prove them wrong. But it's up to them to prove their theories, not the other way round!

I say:The Law of Attraction/Nessy/the aliens/the angels don't exist as long as their existences have not been proven.
They would say: They exist as long as their inexistence have not been proven.

But how to prove something that doesn't exist in the first place? Prove to me that there isn't a yellow Sasquatch standing besides me right now?

So IF these Laws were real, why don't people like Steve realize world peace then? Or why doesn't he go to the Casino and win a million dollar? Why is he instead stuck behind his computer urging people to donate to him?

Oh, I forgot, that's only MY subjective reality. The 'real' Steve of course makes millions and lives in a perfect world!

(technorati: pavlina, psychology, esoteric)

Your true identity: ego or awareness

This is the article. So, let's go:

My opinion is that the objective model is totally inaccurate. Despite the hefty doses of social conditioning urging me to accept it, I’ve had to reject it as being incongruent. It doesn’t fit my experiences, and there are too many questions it can’t answer to my satisfaction. Since I don’t want to go insane by trying to believe something false, I’ve had to let it go.

To me it looks like you're going insane though ...

Having experienced both models first-hand, I can’t imagine returning to the objective model.

I'd like to hear more about these oh so convincing first-hand experiences. Unfortunately the only experiences he talks about in his podcasts are situatiouns that could completely explained by coincidences. And of course he only concentrates on those manifestations that do 'realize'. He ignores those that don't or blames himself for net believing enough in them ...

Even a skeptical person would find, upon observing the details of my life, many of which are unfolding on this blog in real-time, that even my objective reality has improved considerably since I switched to a subjective belief system.

True, your life has changed and improved. And this is due to your belief system. But that alone does not mean the belief system is true in itself. It just shows the positive energy and effects that motivation has! Some people believe in God, experience him as a subjective reality and it helps them. Does it mean that their God is the 'true' one? Not necessarily. Same here with Steve. The thing you believe in does not need to exist, your belief alone is what matters.

I would think that if my belief system were inaccurate, my ability to function in the world would be impaired, not improved.

Again, not necessarily. People have different belief systems all over the world and they would all claim that it improved their live. And yet they couldn't all be true or real.

If from an objective perspective, I’ve crossed into insanity, then I must say I’m quite happy here and don’t plan on returning anytime soon.

As long as you don't hurt yourself or anybody else during that time, that's completely fine. A lot of religious people act the same as you. Whatever makes you happy.

So far subjective reality seems to fit my experience like a glove, and it’s able to provide satisfying answers to my questions, often in very simple and elegant ways.

That's because you're satisfied with vague and improvable answers. Again, just like religious people.

The challenge, however, is explaining these subjective answers to someone who believes wholeheartedly in the objective model. I can do that to my satisfaction, but often not to theirs.

An evangelical christians can also explain his model satisfactory for himself. But not for others.

Hopefully my skill as a translator will improve with practice.

I hope so too ...

(technorati: pavlina, motivation, inspiration, spirituality)

Perfection

Comments to the 'Perfection' article:

Awareness isn’t empty. It may be a container of sorts, but it’s not an empty vessel. What does it contain? It contains thoughts, and those thoughts manifest in physical form. This is what we call physical reality.

Wrong. Physical reality is not the manifestation of thoughts. Gravity exists independently from me and although I think of giant red balloons falling from the sky they obviously don't manifest in physical form.

Perfection cannot exist without imperfection.

Why not? It might not be recognized as perfection (since it cannot be contrasted to something else) but it still could be perfection.

Our deepest flaws are that which give rise to our greatest beauty.

What does that mean? What's beautiful in an alcoholic who beats his woman? Where's the beauty in the flaw?

Our most horrific and painful failure experiences are those that allow us to grow the most and to help the most people. Our failures are perfect failures.

If they don't kill or break us. Generally speaking though it's of course true that failures can help us grow.

That which causes us the greatest suffering is also that which gives us the greatest joy.

Ever told that a woman who got raped or a parent who lots its child?

(technorati: pavlina, motivation, inspiration, spirituality)

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people and subjective reality

'People and Subjective Reality':

In a subjective reality belief system, what’s the role of other human beings? Are they just projections? Do they even matter? Won’t you end up feeling all alone, believing you’re the only one who’s conscious and everyone else is fake?

Lately I’ve been getting a flood of similar questions via email, so I figured I’ll answer them here for the benefit of all.

Seems like I'm not the only one who doesn't get his 'truth'. Unfortunately his 'explanations' concerning subjective reality are as vague and muddleheaded as always.

I'm seriously worried about his mental health if he really means what he writes.