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The Secret (2006 film)

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Modèle:Redirect Modèle:Infobox Film The Secret, a film<ref name="first20minutes">Modèle:Cite video — authorized by TS Production LLC, the copyright holder for the official site, the Secret.tv</ref> produced by Prime Time Productions, consists of a series of interviews and dramatizations related to "The Law of Attraction". Distributed through DVD, and online (through streaming media), the film and the subsequent publication of a book by the same name and of the same topic as the film, has attracted interest from media figures such as Oprah Winfrey, Ellen DeGeneres, and Larry King as well as criticism from the mainstream press.

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Synopsis

The Secret, which is described as a self-help film, <ref name=la_times /><ref name=newsweek /> uses a documentary format to present the "Law of Attraction." This law is the "secret" that, according to the tagline, "has traveled through centuries to reach you." The film features short dramatized experiences and interviews of a team of "personal transformation specialists", "spiritual messengers", "feng shui masters", and moneymaking "experts".<ref name=reason_mag> Beato , Greg 


  . 
 "
   The Secret of The Secret 
     
 " , Reason Magazine
  , 2007-04-01
 
  . Retrieved on 2007-05-01
 .  (English) 
  </ref>

As put forth in the film, the "Law of Attraction" principle posits that people's feelings and thoughts attract real events in the world into their lives; from the workings of the cosmos to interactions among individuals in their physical, emotional, and professional affairs. The film also suggests that there has been a strong tendency by those in positions of power to keep this central principle hidden from the public. The previews or "clues" to the film, show men who "uncovered the Secret...".

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Tenets

Julie Ann Storr, founder of Nibbana (Sydney) in a how-to of the film's tenets, reports, "it all starts with gratitude"<ref name=nibbana_manifestation> Storr , Julie Ann 


  . 
 "
   Open the Gates of Manifestation 
     
 "
  . Retrieved on 2007-06-10
 .  (English) 
  </ref> and Stephanie Whittaker of Montréal's The Gazette notes, "proponents ... talk about a universal intelligence that responds to our desires.<ref name=the_gazette_montreal /> The film encourages the viewer to see "the Universe [as] 'a catalog' that we can flip through and shop"<ref name=beliefnet /> and advises surrounding oneself with "positive" people.<ref name=tmcnet /> Visualization and Vision boards—anything on which one has placed images of what one wants—are recommended as aids for manifesting desires.<ref name=Calgary /> Paul Harrington, the co-producer, uses his computer's screen saver as a vision board.<ref name=bleeping_herald /> The Secret lists three required steps — "ask, believe, receive" — as the essence of the Law of Attraction:

† In the earlier (first) edition Esther Hicks listed the three steps as: "ask, answer, receive". In the first edition, she describes the step "answer" as "an answer to what you're asking ... what the universe does for you". (Hicks declined to continue with the project, mentioning contractual issues in a letter to friends.<ref name=esther_hicks />)

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Teachers of the Law of Attraction

The film interviews "professionals" and "authors" in the fields of quantum physics, psychology, metaphysics, coaching, theology, philosophy, finance, feng shui, medicine, and personal development, which they refer to as "secret teachers". Some of these individuals, at their Web sites, promote the film and their connection to it. A few of the individuals with only brief appearances do not specifically speak of the "Law of Attraction" in their interviews, so their support of the concepts is based on viewer assumption.

Individuals who focus on the "Law of Attraction", are interviewed in the film, and have later been featured on prominent American TV shows, are: John Assaraf, Dr. Rev. Michael Beckwith, Dr. John Demartini, Bob Proctor, Jack Canfield, James Arthur Ray, Dr. Joe Vitale, Lisa Nichols, Marie Diamond, and Dr. John Gray. Other people involved in the film, who have spoken of their strong belief in the Law of Attraction include Esther Hicks<ref name=new_york_times> Salkin , Allen 


  . 
 "
   Shaking Riches Out of the Cosmos 
     
 " , New York Times
  , 2007-02-25
 
  . Retrieved on 2007-05-12
 .  (English) 
  </ref> (original edition only)<ref>"Esther Hicks" explains the secret behind "The Secret."</ref>, Mike Dooley, Bob Doyle, David Schirmer, and Marci Shimoff. Others interviewed in the film, and who voice very similar views without actually using the phrase "Law of Attraction" include: Lee Brower, Hale Dwoskin, Cathy Goodman, Morris E. Goodman, Dr. John Hagelin, Bill Harris, Dr. Ben Johnson, Loral Langemeier, Dr. Denis Waitley, Neale Donald Walsch, and Dr. Fred Alan Wolf.

Also included are quotes by historical figures, who the film claims were "secret teachers". In a voiceover, producer Rhonda Byrne says, "I can't believe all the people who knew this; they were the greatest people in history," referring to them as "past secret teachers." The people identified include: Hermes Trismegistus, Buddha, Aristotle, W. Clement Stone, Plato, Isaac Newton, Martin Luther King, Carl Jung, Victor Hugo, Henry Ford, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Thomas Edison, Albert Einstein, Robert Collier, Winston Churchill, Andrew Carnegie, Joseph Campbell, Alexander Graham Bell, and Ludwig van Beethoven.<ref name=past_teachers> The secret teachers 

. TS Production LLC 
 
   (2006)

. Retrieved on 2007-06-06. 

—  page at official website of The Secret film.</ref>

Although they were not mentioned in the film, in the late 1800s and early 1900s, the term "Law of Attraction" was discussed in esoteric writings on Theosophy by Helena Blavatsky, <ref>Modèle:Cite book</ref> Annie Besant<ref>Modèle:Cite book</ref>, William Quan Judge,<ref>Modèle:Cite book</ref> and others; <ref>Modèle:Cite book</ref><ref>Modèle:Cite book</ref> and in the Neo-Theosophy writings of Alice Bailey. <ref>Modèle:Cite book</ref><ref>Modèle:Cite book</ref><ref>Modèle:Cite book</ref>

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Historical foundations in New Thought ideas

The Secret has been cited as having roots in New Thought ideas that began in the late 19th century.<ref name=usatoday /><ref name=Illuminati />

Essentially, The Secret is ... touting the principles of New Thought and Unity Christianity. The teachers of The Secret have been regulars on the New Thought/Unity, Religious Science circuit for years - now more "prosperous" than ever.<ref name=Illuminati />

The New Thought book The Science of Getting Rich, the source of Rhonda Byrne's inspiration for the film, was preceded by numerous other New Thought books, including the 1906 book Thought Vibration or the Law of Attraction in the Thought World by William Walker Atkinson,<ref name=thought_vibration>Modèle:Cite book (Out of copyright, published on the Internet)</ref> editor of New Thought magazine. Other New Thought books Byrne is purported to have read include,

...self-help gurus, like Charles F. Haanel’s “The Master Key System” from 1912; Prentice Mulford’s 19th-century Thoughts Are Things; and Robert Collier’s Secret of the Ages from 1926.<ref name=new_york_times />

The fast-paced, opening sequences of the film portray the alleged history of The Secret — showing:

In a sequence titled, "The Secret was Buried:"
  • The text of the Emerald Tablet being copied on to a scroll and given to a priest.
  • The Emerald Tablet being buried near the Pyramids of Giza.<ref name=past_teachers />
Followed by a sequence titled, "The Secret was Coveted:"
  • A Knight Templar giving the scroll to a Catholic priest.
  • Scroll with text of the Emerald Tablet being analyzed by alchemist St. Germain.<ref name=thesecret_presskit />
  • A drawing of the Azoth of the Philosophers in the alchemist' shop.<ref name=Illuminati />
Followed by a sequence titled, "The Secret was Suppressed:"
  • A series of brief scenes of the business elite meeting in a contemporary board room.
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Portrayal of ideas preceding the New Thought movement

The Secret website cites the Emerald Tablet, supposedly written by Hermes Trismegistus (purportedly a "secret teacher"), as "... one of the most important historical documents known to mankind".<ref name=past_teachers /> Byrne posits that the earliest trace of "the secret" occurred in the Emerald Tablet,<ref name=QPIX_news> Sunderland , Kerry 


  . 
 "
   The secret to self distribution 
     
 " , QPIX News
  , 2007-03-07
 
  . Retrieved on 2007-05-17
 .  (English) 
  </ref> followed much later by the Rosicrucians — a "secret order that espoused many of the ideas of The Secret."<ref name=Illuminati /> Mention is made of Victor Hugo and Ludwig van Beethoven's supposed membership in the order as well as Isaac Newton's purported work in translating the tablet.<ref name=past_teachers />

Carolyn Sackariason of the Aspen Times, when commenting about Byrne's intention to share The Secret with the world, identifies the Rosicrucians as keepers of The Secret:

The Mastery of Life" [ a Rosicrucian teaching similar to The Secret ] is not difficult to grasp, but the secret of the Rosicrucian tradition has been protected and preserved for thousands of years, shown only to those who have proven a true desire to know.<ref name=aspen_times> Sackariason , Carolyn 


  . 
 "
   The big 'Secret' is finally out 
     
 " , 2007-02-06
 
  . Retrieved on 2007-06-04
 .  (English) 
  </ref>

Neither the words "Emerald Tablet" nor "Rosicrucian" are spoken in the film, however, at key transition points the screen image rapidly zooms in on the word "Rosicrucian".<ref name=Illuminati />

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Elements in opening sequences

Many elements pass quickly in the cinematic, historical sequences at the beginning of the film and are not explained or otherwise mentioned in the film (listed in the order in which they appear — excepting Rosicrucian element):

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Production

The film was created by Prime Time Productions of Melbourne Australia with Rhonda Byrne, executive producer; Paul Harrington, producer; and Drew Heriot, director. Gozer Media of Collingwood, a suburb of Melbourne, is the design house responsible for the visual style and feel of the film and book.<ref name=thesecret_presskit>" 

   The Secret Press Release 
     
 " , TS Produciton LLC
  , 2006
 
  . Retrieved on 2007-05-21
 .  (English) 
  </ref><ref name=web_gozer>   Gozer Media visual effects & graphic design

. Retrieved on May 2007. 

 “Gozer worked closely with the producers ... to develop the visual style of the show. We supplied all visual effects and other graphical components for the show and it's subsidiaries.”
— navigate web: motion > The Secret</ref><ref name=secret_gozer>Modèle:Cite book</ref> Byrne's company TS Production LLC, a Hungarian company, is responsible for marketing and distribution of the film and book.<ref name=herald_sun_robinson /> Byrne commented about the research she did prior to making the film:
So I sat down and did a huge list of everything I had read ... and when I finished the list I handed it to them [the film production team]. They said that’s impossible, you couldn't read that many books in a year, two years, and I had read all of those books in two and a half weeks - and well, that's The Secret.<ref name=nibbana>Two part interview of Rhonda Byrne made before the release of the film: Storr , Julie Ann 


  . 
 "
   The Secret will be revealed in 2006 - part 1 interview 
     
 " , Nibbana
  , 2005
 
  . Retrieved on 2007-05-22
 .  (English) 
   and    Storr , Julie Ann 
       
   
  . 
 "
   The Secret has been Revealed - part 2 interview 
     
 " , Nibbana
  , 2005
 
  . Retrieved on 2007-05-22
 .  (English) 
  </ref>

Byrne's inspiration for creating The Secret came from reading the 1910 book The Science of Getting Rich by Wallace D. Wattles.<ref name=newsweek /> The film was done as a project for Channel Nine an Australian TV Network. Nine put up less than 25% of the $3 million project<ref name=the_age> Le Plastrier Aboukhater , Jacinta 


  . 
 "
   Not a secret for long 
     
 " , The Age Company Ltd.
  , 2007-02-1
 
  . Retrieved on 2007-05-12
 .  (English) 
  </ref> with additional funding from mortgaging Bryne's home and from an investment by Bob Rainone, "a former Internet executive in Chicago".<ref name=new_york_times /> Rainone became the CEO of one of Byrne's companies, The Secret LLC, and is described by Byrne as, "delivered to us from heaven".<ref name=secret_rainone>Modèle:Cite book</ref>

Shooting of the interviews was done in July and August of 2005 with editing "effectively completed by Christmas time".<ref name=bleeping_herald> Chasse , Betsy 


  . 
 "
   A Conversation with The Secret co-producer Paul Harrington 
     
 " , The Bleeping Herald
  , 2006-07-01
 
  . Retrieved on 2007-05-21
 .  (English) 
   — this is an interview by one of the producers for the film, What the Bleep Do We Know!?</ref> About 55 teachers and authors were interviewed<ref name=the_age /> at locations including Chicago, Aspen, Alaska<ref name=bleeping_herald />, and a Mexican Riviera Cruise (interviewing Esther Hicks).<ref name=esther_hicks /> The film uses 24 of these teachers in the "Extended Edition" of the film. The first edition featured a 25th teacher, Esther Hicks, known "as the most prominent interpreter of the Law of Attraction".<ref name=new_york_times /> Since the first release of the DVD, Esther Hicks declined to continue with the project, mentioning contractual issues in a letter to friends.<ref name=esther_hicks>   Hicks , Esther 
     
 




.    Letter to friends

. Retrieved on 2007-02-22. </ref> Her 10% share of sales netted the Hickses $500,000.<ref name=new_york_times /> As a result of this, scenes with Esther Hicks, are instead narrated by Lisa Nichols and Marci Shimoff.<ref name=new_york_times /> No other "secret teachers" received compensation for their appearance in the film — revealed by Bob Proctor in an interview<ref name=nightline-proctor> McFadden , Cynthia 


  . 
 "
   Transcript With 'Secret' Contributor Bob Proctor 
     
 " , ABC's Nightline
  , 2007-03-23
 
  . Retrieved on 2007-05-21
 .  (English) 
  </ref> on Nightline.<ref name=nightline>   McFadden , Cynthia 
       
   
  . 
 "
   Science behind 'The Secret'? 
     
 " , ABC's Nightline
  , 2007-03-23
 
  . Retrieved on 2007-04-19
 .  (English) 
  </ref>

Betsy Chasse, one of the producers, directors, and screenwriters for What the Bleep Do We Know!? interviewed Paul Harrington, the co-producer of The Secret. In the interview, Harrington gave this description of Byrne's production methods:

We used the law of attraction during the making of the program. We went very unconventional, in terms of scheduling and budgeting. We allowed things to come to us... We just had faith that things would come to us.<ref name=bleeping_herald />

Channel Nine, after viewing the completed film, chose to not broadcast it. A new contract was negotiated with all DVD sales going Byrne's companies (Prime Time, and The Secret LLC). In hindsight, Len Downs of Channel Nine commented, "we looked at it and we didn't deem it as having broad, mass appeal". The film was eventually broadcast by Channel Nine on 3 February 2007.<ref name=the_age /> Downs reported that "it didn't do all that well".<ref name=newsweek />

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Marketing

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Packaging

Modèle:Cquote2 The film has been described as a "slick repackaging" of the Law of Attraction,<ref name=tmcnet> Flaim , Denise 


  . 
 "
   It's mind over what matters 
     
 " , TMCnet.com
  , 2007-03-12
 
  . Retrieved on 2007-05-01
 .  (English) 
  </ref> a concept originating in the New Thought ideas of the late 19th century.<ref name=Illuminati>   Melanson , Terry 
       
   
  . 
 "
    Oprah Winfrey, New Thought, "The Secret" and the "New Alchemy" 
     
 " , Illuminati Conspiracy Archive
  , 2007-04-11
 
  . Retrieved on 2007-05-02
 .  (English) 
  </ref> In producing the film, the law was intentionally "packaged" with a focus on "wealth enhancement" — differing from the more spiritual orientation of the New Thought Movement.<ref name=monitor /> One of the film's backers stated, "we desired to hit the masses, and money is the number one thing on the masses' minds".<ref name=time_mag />
Image:Genie of the Lantern.jpg
The Genie during a dramatization of "Your wish is my command."

Choosing to package the film's theme as a "secret" has been called an important component of the films popularity:

"It was an incredibly savvy move to call it 'The Secret'," says Donavin Bennes, a buyer who specializes in metaphysics for Borders Books. "We all want to be in on a secret. But to present it as the secret, that was brilliant." <ref name=newsweek />

Critics—in seeming descriptions of the film's packaging—describe the film as:

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Marketing campaign

The movie was advertised on the Internet using tease advertising and viral marketing techniques in which The Secret and the specific details of the film were not revealed. Additionally, Prime Time Productions grants written permission to individuals or companies, via application at the official site, to provide free screenings of the film to public audiences. Optionally, the DVD may be sold at these screenings.

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Aggressive marketing

While continuing to speak highly of the film, Esther Hicks (presented as "secret teacher" in the first edition of the film) goes on to say "Jerry and I were uncomfortable with what felt to us like a rather aggressive marketing campaign (just not our style, nothing wrong with it)... allowing them to edit us out was the path of least resistance."<ref name=esther_hicks />

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Reception

The Secret has been reported as a "self-help phenomenon",<ref name=advocate> Dundzila , Reverend Vilius 


  . 
 "
   Not sold on The Secret 
     
 " , The Advocate
  , 2007-04-10
 
  . Retrieved on 2007-05-10
 .  (English) 
  </ref>

a "publishing phenomenon"<ref name=monitor> Lampman , Jane 


  . 
 "
    'The Secret,' a phenomenon, is no mystery to many  
     
 " , Christian Science Monitor
  , 2007-03-28
 
  . Retrieved on 2007-05-10
 .  (English) 
  </ref>,

and a "cultural phenomenon".<ref name=la_times /><ref name=canadianchristianity> Dawes , David F. 


  . 
 "
   Pop culture's best-kept Secret 
     
 " , Christian Info Society
  , 2007-05-03
 
  . Retrieved on 2007-05-10
 .  (English) 
  </ref>

Several critics reported on the self-help phenomenon:

News of The Secret has spread like the Norwalk virus through Pilates classes, get-rich-quick websites and personal motivation blogs.<ref name=ottawa_citizen> Mason , Julie 


  . 
 "
   The secrets of the secret 
     
 " , Ottawa Citizen
  , 2007-02-04
 
  . Retrieved on 2007-05-10
 .  (English) 
  </ref>
  • Jane Lampman of the Christian Science Monitor reports The Secret is becoming a brand with 'secret teachers' providing secret related seminars and retreats.<ref name=monitor />
In countless Internet blogs, supporters of "The Secret" tell how shifting from negative to positive thoughts radically improved their lives.<ref name=new_york_post> Culora , Jill 


  . 
 "
   A 'secret' Oprah Craze Hits New Yorkers 
     
 " , The New York Post
  , 2007-03-04
 
  . Retrieved on 2007-05-10
 .  (English) 
  </ref>

The film became a publishing phenomenon in 2007 — helped by being featured on two episodes of Oprah<ref name=oprah1 /><ref name=oprah2 /> — and reached number one on the Amazon DVD chart in March 2007. A book version, also called The Secret reached number one on The New York Times bestseller list.<ref name=time_mag /> For much of February through April both the book and DVD versions were #1 or #2 at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Borders. The book's publisher, Simon & Schuster, did a second printing of 2 million — "the biggest order for a second printing in its history".<ref name=new_york_post /> Time reports brisk sales of the DVD through New Age bookstores, and New Thought churches, such as Unity, Religious Science and Agape International Spiritual Center.<ref name=time_mag> Ressner , Jeffrey 


  . 
 "
   The Secret of Success 
     
 " , Time.com
  , 2006-12-28
 
  . Retrieved on 2007-01-18
 .  (English) 
  </ref>
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Cultural phenomenon

The Secret is reportedly being discussed in "e-mails, in chat rooms, around office cubicles, [and] on blind dates". It is recognized as having a broad and varied impact on culture and is likened to a "Hollywood phenomenon". — New York Post<ref name=new_york_post />

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Spoofs and parodies on television

. Saturday Night Live Transcripts (not affiliated with Saturday Night Live or NBC) 
 
 (2007-03-17)

. Retrieved on 2007-07-07. 

 “Oprah Winfrey (Maya Rudolph) loudly praises the work of Rhonda Byrne's (Amy Poehler) new book, "The Secret."”

</ref> Includes a scene of a man in Darfur being scolded for his lousy attitude.<ref name=washington_post> Watkin , Tim 


  . 
 "
   Self-Help's Slimy 'Secret' 
     
 " , Washington Post
  , 2007-04-08
 
  . Retrieved on 2007-07-07
 .  (English) 
   "They scolded him when he lamented that his people were starving, saying it was all the result of his lousy attitude."
  </ref>

     The Chaser's War on Everything.
      Australian Broadcasting Corporation , Sydney, Australia. 
  2007-05-16.
 
  Official site </ref> The show provided an analysis of The Secret, with various themes and theories of the film tested to see if they work in real life, including asking for a parking spot and then pulling into it, despite the fact that there was a car already there, and asking the universe for objects in stores and then just taking them. It was the first subject of the segment "Nut Job of the Week".
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Critics having satirical fun

  • Greg Beato, of Reason, imaginatively reported:
...if you think really, really hard, say, about vigorously cavorting with Salma Hayek on a soft, fluffy bed of Google Series A preferred stock, you will emit a magnetic signal to the universe that will make your vision a reality.<ref name=reason_mag />
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Public response — favorable quotes

  • Some say they watch the DVD repeatedly, and have uncovered new secrets within "The Secret" with every viewing. — New York Post<ref name=new_york_post />
  • "I was resistant at first," says Julia Holmes, a Los Angeles resident who saw the DVD on the day after Christmas. "But after watching it, I decided to play a game. I was late for a yoga class and I thought about a particular place in the room next to a wall that I wanted to be in. When I got there, the space was open. I went through the rest of the day smiling to myself and thinking, this stuff works." — Time magazine<ref name=time_mag />
  • Cathy Jacobs -- owner of Angels Cappuccino and Ice Cream Cafe, a small operation ... has sold nearly 1,400 copies of the DVD. Jacobs says customers buy several copies at a time to give as gifts. — Calgary Herald<ref name=Calgary> Zelinsky , Tonya 


  . 
 "
   The Secret is out 
     
 " , Calgary Herald
  , 2007-01-19
 
  . Retrieved on 2007-05-10
 .  (English) 
  </ref>
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Public response — unfavorable quotes

  • Critics of The Secret, and even some fans, are bothered by its obsession with using ancient wisdom to acquire material goods. — Time magazine<ref name=time_mag />
  • ...the whole idea that any of this is a "secret" is widely considered a joke. — New York Post<ref name=new_york_post />
  • To some this seems laughable, like the Tooth Fairy or Ouija boards. To others it’s downright offensive — where does God fit into this DIY [do-it-yourself] existence? — Beliefnet<ref name=beliefnet />
[modifier]

Broadcast coverage

The Secret has been featured on national talk and news programs for TV and radio.

[modifier]

Talk show circuit 

. CNN Larry King Live 
 
 (2006-11-02)

. Retrieved on 2007-07-27. 

— transcripts.</ref> and November 16, 2006.<ref name=larry_king_2>   The Power of Positive Thinking 
. CNN Larry King Live 
 
 (2006-11-16)

. Retrieved on 2007-07-27. 

— transcripts.</ref> The episodes are called "The Power of Positive Thoughts" and "The Power of Positive Thinking."

     Oprah.
        2007-02-08.
 
    Transcript.

- text summary</ref> on February 8, 2007 and "The Reaction".<ref name=oprah2> "One Week Later: The Huge Reaction to The Secret". 

     Oprah.
        2007-02-16.
 
    Transcript.

- text summary</ref> on February 16, 2007. 

. Montel Williams 
 
 (2007-03-12)

. Retrieved on 2007-07-27. </ref> on March 12, 2007.

  • On March 29, 2007 Oprah Winfrey invited Law of Attraction expert and channel Esther Hicks to discuss the controversy of "The Secret Behind The Secret"<ref name=oprah_radio1> "The Secret Behind The Secret". 
     Oprah & Friends Radio.
      XM Satellite Radio , Chicago, USA. 
  2007-03-29.
 
    Transcript.

- text summary</ref> on her radio show, Oprah & Friends.

  • On April 5, 2007 Winfrey interviewed Hicks about her involvement with the original version of "The Secret" and questions "non-physical entities Abraham-Hicks" (channelled by Esther) about the 9/11 terrorist attacks, disease, children, and how they all relate to "The Law of Attraction — on Oprah & Friends, titled "Esther Hicks and the Law of Attraction".<ref name=oprah_radio2> "Esther Hicks and the Law of Attraction". 
     Oprah & Friends Radio.
      XM Satellite Radio , Chicago, USA. 
  2007-04-05.
 
    Transcript.

- text summary</ref>

[modifier]

News shows

[modifier]

Interviews of purported "secret teachers"

Contributors featured in the film have been interviewed on various TV shows. These comments have been made by them: 


  . 
 "
   Early Show: Experts Debate Self-Help Phenomenon 
     
 " , CBS News Video
  , 2007-03-01
 
  . Retrieved on 2007-03-01
 .  (English) 
  </ref>
SMITH: If I get this straight, the secret of The Secret is, "ask — believe — receive". Is it as simple as that?
RAY: Well that's one of the author's interpretations. I believe that you have to think, feel, and act...
McFADDEN: Given the fact that so many of these ideas have been written about before...why do you think this book [and film] has struck a chord?
PROCTOR: ...I think she [Rhonda Byrne] has an understanding or a way with this that no one’s ever had before. I’ve been in this [ New Thought ] industry for thirty-eight years and I have never seen anything that will even come close to this.
  • Joe Vitale, on Larry King Live (CNN), "The Secret" episode aired Mar. 8th, 2007:<ref name=larryking_1> King , Larry 


  . 
 "
   Larry King Live 
     
 " , CNN
  , 2007-03-08
 
  . Retrieved on 2007-03-08
 .  (English) 
  </ref>
CALLER: I'm just curious, where does God come into the whole "Secrets".
VITALE: God is all of us. God is the secret and everything about it. This is a law from God.
[modifier]

Criticism

Modèle:Criticism-section

[modifier]

Editorial coverage

Catherine Bennett, of the London based Guardian compares the behavior of the leader of the UK Conservative Party to the principles espoused in the film. Touching on themes of greed and blaming-the-victim, Bennett asserts the film is a "moronic hymn to greed and selfishness" and that it "nastily suggests that victims of catastrophe are the authors of their misfortunes".<ref name=guardian> Bennett , Catherine 


  . 
 "
   Only an idiot could take The Secret seriously 
     
 " , Guardian
  , 2007-04-26
 
  . Retrieved on 2007-04-29
 .  (English) 
  </ref>

Slate Human Guinea Pig, Emily Yoffe, experimented with living according to The Secret's precepts for two months, concluding that the film/book's message was "pernicious drivel." Yoffe found it particularly "repulsive" for its tendency to blame the victim and its suggestion to "not just blame people for their illness, but to shun them, lest you start being affected by their bummer thoughts, too."<ref name=slate />

Journalist Jeffrey Ressner, reporting in Time, writes that some critics are concerned with the film’s attitude toward "using ancient wisdom to acquire material goods." In one example in the film, "a kid who wants a red bicycle cuts out a picture in a catalog, concentrates real hard, and is rewarded with the spiffy two-wheeler."<ref name=time_mag />

Jerry Adler of Newsweek notes that despite the film's allusions to conspiratorially suppressed ancient wisdom, the notions presented by the motivational speakers who make up the film's cast have been commonplace for decades. Adler notes that the film is ethically "deplorable," fixating on "a narrow range of middle-class concerns — houses, cars, vacations, followed by health and relationships, with the rest of humanity a very distant sixth." Noting that the scientific foundations of the movie are clearly dubious, the Newsweek article quotes psychologist John Norcross, characterizing it as "pseudoscientific, psychospiritual babble."<ref name=newsweek> Adler , Jerry 


  . 
 "
   Decoding The Secret 
     
 " , Newsweek
  , 2007-03-05
 
  . Retrieved on 2007-03-04
 .  (English) 
  </ref>

In an article for the Chicago Reader, Julia Rickert questions the validity and authenticity of certain quotations attributed by the film to "past secret teachers". The article<ref name=chicago_reader>«  »</ref> describes the extensive, unsuccessful efforts by Rickert to verify a quote claimed to be by "secret teacher" Ralph Waldo Emerson — "The secret is the answer to all that has been, all that is, and all that will ever be". Rickert also examines a quotation in the film by Winston Churchill. She claims Byrne has taken it out of context in order to suggest Churchill held beliefs in accord with The Law of Attraction — “You create your own universe as you go along". Rickert points out that the full context shows that Churchill found such ideas "perfectly useless".<ref name=chicago_reader />

Karin Klein, editorial writer for the Los Angeles Times, called The Secret "just a new spin on the very old (and decidedly not secret) The Power of Positive Thinking [book by Norman Vincent Peale (1952)] wedded to 'ask and you shall receive'." The editorial, in one of its strongest criticisms, asserted Rhonda Byrne "took the well-worn ideas of some self-help gurus, customized them for the profoundly lazy, [and] gave them a veneer of mysticism..."<ref name=la_times> Klein , Karin 


  . 
 "
   Self-help gone nutty 
     
 " , LA Times
  , 2007-02-13
 
  . Retrieved on 2007-01-13
 .  (English) 
  </ref>

Tony Riazzi, columnist for the Dayton Daily News, also questions the merits of The Secret, calling Byrne's background as a reality TV producer a "red flag." He also said that "The Secret's" ideas are nothing more than "common sense. Take out the buzzwords and pseudo religious nonsense about what you 'manifest' for yourself, ignore the vague prose and you get the message that thinking positively serves you better than thinking negatively."<ref name=dayton_daily> Riazzi , Tony 


  . 
 "
    'The secret' secret: just be happy 
     
 " , Dayton Daily News
  , 2007-03-23
 
  . Retrieved on 2007-03-28
 .  (English) 
  </ref>

Martin J. Bernard, Fellow of Philosophy at “New York University”, describes Byrne’s The Secret as “a brilliant marketing ploy created from the sludge of common sense and well-worn literary ideals. Naturally, positive thinking will trump negative in terms of attracting desires, but the shaky foundation for presentment in [her book] leaves little doubt that Ms. Byrne’s teachings are Barnum-esque re-writes of hackneyed pseudo-religious sales pitches."<ref name=reveal_thesecret> Bernard , Martin 


  . 
 "
    'Revealing the secret? 
     
 " , New York University Scribe
  , 2007-09-24
 
  . Retrieved on 2007-09-24
 .  (English) 
  </ref>
[modifier]

Criticism of health claims

ABC news referred to claims that the mind has power over our health as "perhaps the most controversial" in The Secret. They quote Rev. Michael Beckwith, founder of Agape International Spiritual Center<ref name=time_mag> Ressner , Jeffrey 


  . 
 "
   The Secret of Success 
     
 " , Time.com
  , 2006-12-28
 
  . Retrieved on 2007-01-18
 .  (English) 
  </ref> in Culver City, California, and one of The Secret "teachers" as saying: "I've seen kidneys regenerated. I've seen cancer dissolved."<ref name=abcnews>   Mastropolo , Frank 
       
   
  . 
 "
   The Secret to Success? 
     
 " , ABC News
  , 2006-11-26
 
  . Retrieved on 2006-12-27
 .  (English) 
  </ref> The film features one man who was paralyzed, mute, and on a ventilator after his spine and diaphragm were crushed in an airplane accident. He credits his full recovery to the power of his mind. A similar story is told by another interviewee whose breast cancer went into spontaneous remission without medical intervention.

Several critics have expressed concern about detrimental effects the film may have on the health and well-being of individuals. Dr. Richard Wender, president of the American Cancer Society, worries that guidelines in the film will prompt others to "reject helpful therapies in favor of positive thinking",<ref name=nightline /> even though the film verbally asserts that traditional medicine should be pursued for serious illness.<ref>Modèle:Cite book</ref> Julia Mckinnell of Canada's Maclean's Magazine in a commentary about the film and book titled, "Some people are finding the self-help phenomenon is actually screwing them up", cited several real-life cases of alleged detrimental effects.<ref name=macleans_mag /> She closed with a line Oprah used when urging a guest to seek medical attention for cancer: "The Secret is merely a tool; it's not treatment."<ref name=macleans_mag> Mckinnell , Julia 


  . 
 "
   Some people are finding the self-help phenomenon is actually screwing them up 
     
 " , Maclean's Magazine
  , 2007-04-16
 
  . Retrieved on 2007-05-04
 .  (English) 
  </ref>

On the spiritual side, Valerie Reiss, in a review for BeliefNet, expressed concerns that others might get into "head-tripping" on negative thoughts as she did when younger.

I would realize I was thinking negative thoughts, which would trigger more thoughts about how awful I was for thinking negative thoughts and how I was ruining my life with those thoughts, and so on and so on, until my head was ready to explode with all the bad juju. The only thing that freed me from that loop was something else I also learned that summer at the ashram, meditation.<ref name=beliefnet> Reiss , Valerie 


  . 
 "
   The Hubris of 'The Secret'  
     
 " , Beliefnet, Inc.
  , 2006
 
  . Retrieved on 2007-05-04
 .  (English) 
  </ref>
[modifier]

Religious criticism

Mark Earley—president of Prison Fellowship, a group of ministries founded by Charles Colson — in a commentary titled "New Book, Old Lie", claims "Byrne’s hot new trend" repeats "the oldest lie there is — 'You shall be like God'." Earley asserts this is a prescription for "misery".<ref name=breakpoint> Earley , Mark 


  . 
 "
   New Book, Old Lie 
     
 " , Prison Fellowship
  , 2007-05-03
 
  . Retrieved on 2007-05-12
 .  (English) 
  </ref>

USA Today reported on the impact The Secret has had on New Thought churches, such as First Unity Church of St. Petersburg, Florida, led by Rev. Temple Hayes. The church uses the film and book as a teaching tool. James Trapp, CEO of the Association of Unity Churches, calls 'The Secret' "superficial" and Mr. Hayes amends The Secrets promise of everything-is-yours-to-have with "...you may face some pain along the way. Nothing comes easy."<ref name=usatoday> della Cava , Marco R. 


  . 
 "
   Secret history of 'The Secret'  
     
 " , USA Today
  , 2006-03-29
 
  . Retrieved on 2007-05-04
 .  (English) 
  </ref>

Prof. John G. Stackhouse, Jr., Professor of Theology and Culture at Regent College in Vancover, Canada, in a commentary at his blog, calls the film "the newest packaging for gnosticism".<ref name=stackhouse /> He portrays the film's message as just another choice among many religions to choose from, not the "Lowest Common Denominator of all religions". And notes:

[The film] is wishful thinking that does not correspond to the way things are. Some of it does, yes, which is why people can honestly testify to good things resulting from it. But some of it does not...<ref name=stackhouse> Stackhouse , Prof. John 


  . 
 "
   Oprah’s Secret: New? Old? Good? Bad? 
     
 " , 2007-02-21
 
  . Retrieved on 2007-02-28
 .  (English) 
  </ref>

Stackhouse finds the good in the film "genuinely nourishing" and the bad "genuinely toxic". He makes it clear he is "...all for proper positive thinking" — the alleged good aspect of the film — and finds fault with Christian culture for not being better at it:

By God’s grace to us, we know better, we know Christ and his Gospel of new life, and yet often we have failed to speak to the spiritual realities so skillfully addressed by proponents of The Secret.<ref name=stackhouse />

The toxins are, in Stackhouse's eyes, a spiritually lethal concoction.<ref name=stackhouse /> The identified "poisons" include:

  • "blaming the victim"
  • "refusal to admit" that life has worthwhile "trade-offs ... [and] sacrifices"
  • "It’s all about me and it’s all up to me"
[modifier]

Criticism of the Law of Attraction

Main article: Law of Attraction

The Law of Attraction is the essence of the film's message. The film's presentation of the law has been criticized for claiming "quantum physics is a part of the Law",<ref name=the_gazette_montreal> Whittaker , Stephanie 


  . 
 "
   Secret attraction 
     
 " , 2007-05-12
 
  . Retrieved on 2007-06-10
 .  (English) 
  </ref> for not getting it right according to New Thought practitioners,<ref name=usatoday /> and for mistakenly usurping the role of God.<ref name=breakpoint />
[modifier]

Criticism of society

A number of critics wrote hard hitting satirical comments about society's relationship to the film.

Americans are never too jaded for another get-rich-quick chimera... My sister says I'm over-intellectualizing. She, after all, had manifested a fine leather satchel. And I have to admit, if there were designer leather goods to be had out of this, I was interested.<ref name=la_times />
  • Emily Yoffe, writing for Slate, ran with a quote by one of the "past secret teachers" — a quote from Einstein that never made it into the film:
Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former.<ref name=slate> Yoffe , Emily 


  . 
 "
   I've Got The Secret 
     
 " , Slate
  , 2007-05-07
 
  . Retrieved on 2007-05-10
 .  (English) 
  </ref>
  • Catherine Bennett, writing for the The Guardian describes adherence to The Secret's "law of attraction" as:
[a] creed so transparently ugly and stupid that it seems impossible that anyone could take it seriously.<ref name=guardian />
[modifier]

Societal benefit

Some critics find much to fault in the film and nevertheless see it as providing positive opportunities or benefits for society.

  • Bryan Au author of Raw In Ten Minutes, finds The Secret DVD to be inspiring, uplifting with positive messages and tools meant to be helpful. "The ideas and concepts really work if you put them to the test, that is how you unlock The Secret, not by criticism or judging it but finding out for yourself. I did and it worked for me, it does increase the rate of success that comes into your life while minimizing destructive or negative patterns. It is always good to be reminded of the more positive aspects of life, achieving goals and having positive relationships as mentioned in The Secret. Ultimately it is up to each individual to learn what will work and benefit for them, it was also very entertaining to watch and to learn directly from many of today's recognized experts."
  • Greg Beato of Reason Magazine, described previous "A-list hucksters" as "...infectious, helping to create a national mood of high-octane optimism." He closes with:
... If there's anything our current bleak era needs, it's a little irrational exuberance. Perhaps The Secret is the Grand Genie of the Universe's answer to our prayers.<ref name=reason_mag />
  • Jefrey Ressner, at Time—in his final remarks—finds parallels between Madonna and Bob Rainone, Byrne's U.S. business partner:
"The Da Vinci Code was entertaining, but this film is a personal tool for people who want to change their lives," says Rainone. "It's a gift to the world, to help humanity." Or, as another empowerment teacher, Madonna, sang in her own 1994 hit Secret: "Happiness lies in your own hand."<ref name=time_mag />
  • Jerry Adler of Newsweek, writing about the producer, Rhonda Bryne:
...Irene Izon, [mother to Rhonda Byrne] did offer this assessment to NEWSWEEK: "The thing is that Rhonda just wants to bring happiness to everybody. That's the reason it all began. She just wants everybody to be happy."
And to give her her due, she might actually be achieving some of that. There is nothing, in principle, wrong with thinking about what makes you happy.<ref name=newsweek />
[modifier]

Legal controversies

The Australian Nine Network's A Current Affair—an Australian TV tabloid show—on 14 May 2007 segment titled, "The Secret Stoush", interviews Australian author Vanessa J. Bonnette. In the interview, Bonnette—when referring to the book version of The Secret—asserts, "that is my work and Rhonda Byrne has stolen it".<ref name=aca_secret_stoush>Modèle:Cite video — requires Windows platform.</ref> Bonnette and a reporter compare her book to Byrne's on the use of the "TV transmission" analogy. Bonnette's book, Empowered for the New Era (2003 Empowered For Life) will be released in 2007 as a second edition. Bonnette, at her website, claims 100 instances of plagiarism.<ref name=web_Bonnette> Vanessa J. , Bonnette 




.    Secret Scandal

. Retrieved on 2007-06-11. 

 “I have reason to believe that Byrne has infringed copyright of my work to the of order of 100 (plus) citations that constitute as plagiarism according to Australian Copyright Council...”

</ref> Byrne's marketing company, TS Production LLC, has responded with a lawsuit to restrain Bonnette.<ref name=herald_sun_robinson /> From the statement of claim:

Analogy between frequency transmissions, including a television station transmission via a frequency, and humans and human thought is used by many persons in the field of self-help and motivation.<ref name=herald_sun_robinson> Robinson , Russell 


  . 
 "
   Self-help gurus take plagiarism battle to court 
     
 " , Herald Sun
  , 2007-05-31
 
  . Retrieved on 2007-06-15
 .  (English) 
  </ref>

David Schirmer, the "investment guru"—and only Australian—in the film, has his business activities under investigation by the Australian Securities Investment Commission (ASIC). This was reported on 1 June 2007 by A Current Affair in a segment titled "The Secret Con"<ref name=aca_secret_con>Modèle:Cite video</ref> with those words and The Secret logo appearing in the background behind the newscaster. The show initially confronted Schirmer in a segment titled "The Secret Exposed", aired on 28 May 2007, with complaints from people who say Schirmer owed them money.<ref name=aca_secret_exposed>Modèle:Cite video — requires Windows platform.</ref>

[modifier]

Releases

Paul Harrington, the co-producer for the film, reported that broadcast TV—instead of the Internet—was initially planned as the medium for the first release:

...we had as our vision to go out to the whole world in 24 hours on television. It was a grand vision, which we weren’t able to pull off for various reasons. We were trying to force, to control the “how” of the universe, when what we were supposed to do was just focus on the vision...<ref name=bleeping_herald />
[modifier]

Release dates

The Secret premiere was broadcast through the Internet on March 23, 2006 using Vividas technology. It is still available either on a pay-per-view basis via streaming media (or on DVD at theSecret.tv, the official site for the film). A new extended edition of The Secret was released to the public on October 1, 2006. The Australian television premiere was on Nine Network on Saturday, February 3, 2007.<ref name=the_age />

[modifier]

Future releases and spin-offs

Plans have been announced to produce a sequel to The Secret and a spin-off TV series.<ref name=TV_week> Pursell , Chris 


  . 
 "
   Telepictures Shoots Secret Pilot 
     
 " , TV Week
  , 2007-03-26
 
  . Retrieved on 2007-07-13
 .  (English) 
  </ref> An August release is planned for the sequel and "spinoff books expected in 2007 are The Secret Workbook and a collection of The Secret Success Stories".<ref name=time_mag />
[modifier]

Further reading

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See also

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References

<references />
[modifier]

External links


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