BARBARA EHRENREICH: The Power of Negative Thinking

[babylonsister]

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/24/opinion/24ehrenreich.html?_r=1&ref=opinion&oref=slogin


The Power of Negative Thinking

By BARBARA EHRENREICH
Published: September 23, 2008


GREED — and its crafty sibling, speculation — are the designated culprits for the financial crisis. But another, much admired, habit of mind should get its share of the blame: the delusional optimism of mainstream, all-American, positive thinking.

As promoted by Oprah Winfrey, scores of megachurch pastors and an endless flow of self-help best sellers, the idea is to firmly believe that you will get what you want, not only because it will make you feel better to do so, but because “visualizing” something — ardently and with concentration — actually makes it happen. You will be able to pay that adjustable-rate mortgage or, at the other end of the transaction, turn thousands of bad mortgages into giga-profits if only you believe that you can.

Positive thinking is endemic to American culture — from weight loss programs to cancer support groups — and in the last two decades it has put down deep roots in the corporate world as well. Everyone knows that you won’t get a job paying more than $15 an hour unless you’re a “positive person,” and no one becomes a chief executive by issuing warnings of possible disaster.

The tomes in airport bookstores’ business sections warn against “negativity” and advise the reader to be at all times upbeat, optimistic, brimming with confidence. It’s a message companies relentlessly reinforced — treating their white-collar employees to manic motivational speakers and revival-like motivational events, while sending the top guys off to exotic locales to get pumped by the likes of Tony Robbins and other success gurus. Those who failed to get with the program would be subjected to personal “coaching” or shown the door.

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When it comes to how we think, “negative” is not the only alternative to “positive.” As the case histories of depressives show, consistent pessimism can be just as baseless and deluded as its opposite. The alternative to both is realism — seeing the risks, having the courage to bear bad news and being prepared for famine as well as plenty. We ought to give it a try.

[nichomachus]

1. Finally

All throughout my working career, I was constantly slammed for not being a "can-do guy," merely because I would point out that some proposal had problems in it. I wasn't knee-jerk negative, but took a more realistic approach, rather than the rah-rah approach a lot of corporate types take. "We need positive thinking -- not negative thinking," I was told. Most of the things I was trying to warn them about happened -- but the "positive thinkers" were always able to pass the blame off to someone or something else.

Almost four years ago, I saw this financial mess coming down the pike. I realized my modest little condo was grossly overpriced. So, I sold it, took the money, "bought down," and now carry a tiny mortgage. I got rid of my mid-range car and bought a much cheaper one that gets 30 mpg (38 on the hwy).

I tried telling my friends they should think about doing the same. They patted me on the head and told me I was just a worry wart and that everything was going to be OK. I was just too negative. Now, they're stuck with houses they can't sell, cars that are sucking too much $4 gas -- and they wonder why no one warned them this was going to happen.

For my part, I'm still scared at what's coming, but I'm in as good a position as I can be. I'm a lousy "consumer." I buy only what I need and think about it for a long time before I do. If the economy depended on my retail purchases, it would have sunk years ago. I can't even tell you the last time I was in a mall.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

3. Being a Cassandra is never comfortable

(Cassandra was a mythical Greek soothsayer who was 100% accurate--but she was cursed in that no one EVER believed her prophecies.)

More and more, I'm finding that my views of the world situation, which the DLC apologists on this board have continually criticized as "too far left," have been Cassandra-like in their accuracy and unacceptability.

[tom_paine]

4. Yep. And the more we are right about things, predicting them long before they happen,

the more sneering and louder denials we'll hear from the I-Haven't-Been-Right-About-A-Single-Prediction-I've-Made-In-Years-So-You-Must-Be-Wrong-Too Crowd.

Humans. We are funny, infantile monkeys. All of us. Me, you...everyone.

[ixion]

2. while I can appreciate the power of negative thinking...

I have to say that just because one is thinking positively doesn't mean that one must ignore the glaring road signs on the path.

That is, there is a difference between thinking positive and being an idiot.

[gingersnaps1]

5. Agreed

[intheflow]

6. Been saying this for years.

I'm not negative or cynical, I'm living a reality-based life. Or to put it another way, just because you're paranoid doesn't mean someone's not out to get you.