I was so relieved to read this - thank you, Scott, for never being afraid to follow the science and data to whatever conclusion exists. So refreshing, and especially on this topic.
Hey Scott, are you familiar with Derren Brown? He is a British mentalist and I am reading his book “Happy”. I am only a chapter or so into the book but it starts out examining the history of these manifesting ideas and their ties to opportunist (scam) religious evangelicals in the US in the past. You might like his work if you are not already familiar. I tend to agree that there really is a fine line between positive mindset influencing behavior and outcomes and more “ask the universe” type stuff. I too make room for all sorts of beliefs and ideologies, makes the world interesting. But it’s good to see some science here.
I am not an academic, nor anyone who has spent any time looking at this subject. I am simply someone who thinks.
I don’t believe in any kind of cosmic consciousness (what would be the seat of it?). I don’t believe we can tap into intrapersonal consciousness to align ourselves, or perhaps manipulate others to aid our own cause (not to mention, why should we?).
But in my own life experience, I believe that acts of kindness are sort of like the forests of aspen trees, which I’ve heard are the largest living organism on the planet. And kindness is very much like this… you may extend a kindness and the roots go underground, sometimes, often times, we see no cause and effect. But over time, and often times unexpectedly the shoot of a new tree pokes through the ground, one by one, till a forest has captured the hill upon which we reside. This, I do believe in, because I’ve seen it with my own eyes.
And so often time passes before the new tree grows, so that we may feel a sense of magic, of great fortune, but you see the roots were down there the whole time. I simply believe kindness, positive regard, the benefit of the doubt creates a future world we’d never think possible. Not that all our needs will be met, humans are nothing if not capable of finding unmet needs… but even so, kindness and positive regard are I feel the preconditions to finding future unexpected positive connections.
As to the cosmic bubble of magic, I don’t believe there is a cosmic consciousness at all, nor is there a cosmic brain, or cosmic will. Just very valuable, yet flawed sentient beings, whose worth exceeds their flaws, thus kindness and goodwill are logical.
It does appear probable that persons who give attention to likelihood of benefiting from information, will develop some increase in attention to information with probability of producing personal opportunities and benefits.
The "mind" the brain's summation of present and past sensory inputs, is evolved as predictive process.
That it is not objectively statistical in weighting probability is less constraining in response to choice. The increase in probable favorable outcomes may occur due to access to previous experiences that the pessimistic may have constructed in their own brain processing.
Large-scale statistical probability, like lotteries are likely to remain unaffected by self-interest bias, outside of significantly greater risk acquisition. One who buys 1000 lottery tix has within that specific lottery, 1000xthe chance of one who buys merely one, and some order of infinity greater than those who buy None.
So, we can see "manifestation" increases through increased attention to opportunities AND taking minor increased risks.
Pure random outcomes are unlikely. As i said, over half-billion years of selection of brains for predicted outcomes will VERY likely have generated increased predictive accuracy.
Because humans retain individually variable cognitions concerning "self-worth" as to certain types of social outcomes, any highly controlled experimental study must have not only large sample sizes, but quite sophisticated evaluation of control group selection.
We DO shot ourselves in the foot out of unwarranted guilt and variations in self-esteem.
(witness the impossible-seeming escapes of Trump fromobvious guilt as espionage act violations, sex crimes, election laws, nondisclosure agreements with victims of his past sex offenses, and other egregious crimes and misbehaviors.It is as if he understood manifestation of his own socially dissociated life and actions from realities thatwe all face. It is VERY likely that the reason for that felon's popularity AND election is EXACTLY that skill in manifesting unreality, that mad him popular!)
An interesting contrast to the study mentioned would be a study on the effectiveness of the Creative Process. Robert Fritz is an accomplished musician, composer, filmmaker and expert in the Creative Process, which is that process that's been used throughout the ages by all kinds of creators, with great success. He teaches it in his books, The Path of Least Resistance, among others, in workshops, and in consulting.
I've found the Creative Process to be far more effective than the "manifesting" stuff promoted in spiritual circles. Fritz has plenty to say about that, too. :)
So great to read this! And hear a grounded response to what I feel has really got out of hand with the manifestation culture. I followed the secret and all the other law of attraction practices for many years when I was younger but found myself feeling awful and self blaming for all the challenging and unjust things that were happening to me. Over time something wasn't sitting right with me.
The word manifest I began to deeply resent and found the many people who cling to those ideas to very toxic and lack empathy towards others.
I think it is an idea that is so appealing and can be very dangerous. It also has this weird cult paradox because if you don't get what you want then you aren't doing it right and if something unwanted happens, well it's karma or thers a lesson in it or again you aren't doing something right. Incredibly toxic and always leaves the person trying with the responsibility of the "universe" on their shoulders. Lol
I was so relieved to read this - thank you, Scott, for never being afraid to follow the science and data to whatever conclusion exists. So refreshing, and especially on this topic.
❤️❤️❤️
Hey Scott, are you familiar with Derren Brown? He is a British mentalist and I am reading his book “Happy”. I am only a chapter or so into the book but it starts out examining the history of these manifesting ideas and their ties to opportunist (scam) religious evangelicals in the US in the past. You might like his work if you are not already familiar. I tend to agree that there really is a fine line between positive mindset influencing behavior and outcomes and more “ask the universe” type stuff. I too make room for all sorts of beliefs and ideologies, makes the world interesting. But it’s good to see some science here.
Yes ABSOLUTELY!!! HUGE DB fan.
I wonder how this finding fits with Richard Wiseman’s Luck Factor?
Great question! Love that book.
I am not an academic, nor anyone who has spent any time looking at this subject. I am simply someone who thinks.
I don’t believe in any kind of cosmic consciousness (what would be the seat of it?). I don’t believe we can tap into intrapersonal consciousness to align ourselves, or perhaps manipulate others to aid our own cause (not to mention, why should we?).
But in my own life experience, I believe that acts of kindness are sort of like the forests of aspen trees, which I’ve heard are the largest living organism on the planet. And kindness is very much like this… you may extend a kindness and the roots go underground, sometimes, often times, we see no cause and effect. But over time, and often times unexpectedly the shoot of a new tree pokes through the ground, one by one, till a forest has captured the hill upon which we reside. This, I do believe in, because I’ve seen it with my own eyes.
And so often time passes before the new tree grows, so that we may feel a sense of magic, of great fortune, but you see the roots were down there the whole time. I simply believe kindness, positive regard, the benefit of the doubt creates a future world we’d never think possible. Not that all our needs will be met, humans are nothing if not capable of finding unmet needs… but even so, kindness and positive regard are I feel the preconditions to finding future unexpected positive connections.
As to the cosmic bubble of magic, I don’t believe there is a cosmic consciousness at all, nor is there a cosmic brain, or cosmic will. Just very valuable, yet flawed sentient beings, whose worth exceeds their flaws, thus kindness and goodwill are logical.
We must collaborate!
It does appear probable that persons who give attention to likelihood of benefiting from information, will develop some increase in attention to information with probability of producing personal opportunities and benefits.
The "mind" the brain's summation of present and past sensory inputs, is evolved as predictive process.
That it is not objectively statistical in weighting probability is less constraining in response to choice. The increase in probable favorable outcomes may occur due to access to previous experiences that the pessimistic may have constructed in their own brain processing.
Large-scale statistical probability, like lotteries are likely to remain unaffected by self-interest bias, outside of significantly greater risk acquisition. One who buys 1000 lottery tix has within that specific lottery, 1000xthe chance of one who buys merely one, and some order of infinity greater than those who buy None.
So, we can see "manifestation" increases through increased attention to opportunities AND taking minor increased risks.
Pure random outcomes are unlikely. As i said, over half-billion years of selection of brains for predicted outcomes will VERY likely have generated increased predictive accuracy.
Because humans retain individually variable cognitions concerning "self-worth" as to certain types of social outcomes, any highly controlled experimental study must have not only large sample sizes, but quite sophisticated evaluation of control group selection.
We DO shot ourselves in the foot out of unwarranted guilt and variations in self-esteem.
(witness the impossible-seeming escapes of Trump fromobvious guilt as espionage act violations, sex crimes, election laws, nondisclosure agreements with victims of his past sex offenses, and other egregious crimes and misbehaviors.It is as if he understood manifestation of his own socially dissociated life and actions from realities thatwe all face. It is VERY likely that the reason for that felon's popularity AND election is EXACTLY that skill in manifesting unreality, that mad him popular!)
An interesting contrast to the study mentioned would be a study on the effectiveness of the Creative Process. Robert Fritz is an accomplished musician, composer, filmmaker and expert in the Creative Process, which is that process that's been used throughout the ages by all kinds of creators, with great success. He teaches it in his books, The Path of Least Resistance, among others, in workshops, and in consulting.
I've found the Creative Process to be far more effective than the "manifesting" stuff promoted in spiritual circles. Fritz has plenty to say about that, too. :)
So great to read this! And hear a grounded response to what I feel has really got out of hand with the manifestation culture. I followed the secret and all the other law of attraction practices for many years when I was younger but found myself feeling awful and self blaming for all the challenging and unjust things that were happening to me. Over time something wasn't sitting right with me.
The word manifest I began to deeply resent and found the many people who cling to those ideas to very toxic and lack empathy towards others.
I think it is an idea that is so appealing and can be very dangerous. It also has this weird cult paradox because if you don't get what you want then you aren't doing it right and if something unwanted happens, well it's karma or thers a lesson in it or again you aren't doing something right. Incredibly toxic and always leaves the person trying with the responsibility of the "universe" on their shoulders. Lol