Introduction
In "Smile or Die," Barbara Ehrenreich takes a critical look at America's obsession with positive thinking. This thought-provoking book challenges the widely held belief that optimism is the key to success, happiness, and even good health. Ehrenreich explores how this ideology has permeated various aspects of American society, from religion to the workplace, and examines its potentially harmful consequences.
The Origins of Positive Thinking in America
From Calvinism to New Thought
The roots of America's positive thinking culture can be traced back to the country's early settlers. These European immigrants, many of whom were Calvinists, brought with them a strict and pessimistic worldview. Calvinism taught that God had predetermined whether a person would go to heaven or hell, and there was nothing one could do to change their fate.
However, as generations passed, many rebelled against this harsh ideology. This rebellion gave rise to new spiritual movements, such as New Thought in the nineteenth century. New Thought, championed by figures like Mary Baker Eddy, taught that God's loving spirit resided within all people. This philosophy marked the beginning of what we now call positive thinking.
The Shift in American Mindset
The transition from Calvinism to New Thought represented a significant shift in the American mindset. While both ideologies emphasized self-analysis, New Thought encouraged people to believe that they could influence their fate through positive thinking. This new perspective transformed America into a land of boundless optimism and opportunity.
However, this shift also came with a downside. The belief that individuals are in control of their destiny led to a culture where people held themselves accountable for everything that happened to them, both good and bad.
The Prosperity Gospel: When Religion Embraces Positive Thinking
A New Kind of Christianity
The positive thinking ideology has even infiltrated religious institutions in America. Many churches have moved away from traditional teachings about sin, guilt, and suffering. Instead, they preach a "prosperity gospel" that suggests God wants Christians to be successful and wealthy.
This new form of Christianity has gained significant traction. A 2006 Time magazine survey found that 17% of American Christians adhered to the prosperity gospel, while 61% agreed that God wants people to prosper.
The Rise of Mega Churches
The prosperity gospel has fueled the growth of mega churches – places of worship with weekly attendance of at least 2,000 people. These churches often promote the idea that faith and positive thinking can lead to material success.
Unrealistic Expectations
The prosperity gospel and similar teachings have led to rising expectations among believers. In its extreme form, this ideology suggests that personal beliefs determine everything that happens in one's life. This has set the stage for "get rich quick" schemes and books, as people expect to achieve wealth and success through the power of positive thinking alone.
The Corporate World's Embrace of Positive Thinking
Motivational Coaching: A Win for Employers
Positive thinking has found a particularly receptive audience in the corporate world. Businesses have embraced motivational coaching based on positive thinking principles, as it offers several benefits to employers.
Firstly, it shifts the responsibility for job satisfaction and success onto the employees themselves. This means that workers are more likely to blame themselves – rather than their employers or working conditions – for any discontent they feel at work.
Secondly, motivational coaching aims to boost employee morale and productivity. Techniques like creating "dream boards" are used to keep workers focused on their goals and motivated to work harder for the company's benefit.
Job Security and Positive Thinking
Another reason businesses promote positive thinking is that it helps alleviate employee concerns about job security. By encouraging workers to maintain a positive outlook, companies can keep them focused on their tasks rather than worrying about potential layoffs.
The Positive Thinking Industry
As a result of its popularity in the corporate world, positive thinking has itself become a thriving industry. Motivational speakers, coaches, books, and conferences generate billions of dollars annually. In 2007 alone, coaches preaching the positivity doctrine earned $1.5 billion globally.
The Questionable Health Claims of Positive Thinking
The Belief in Mind-Body Connection
Many proponents of positive thinking claim that it has significant health benefits. The argument goes that maintaining a positive outlook can help prevent or even overcome illness by strengthening the body's immune response.
Some, like surgeon Bernie Siegel in his book "Love, Medicine and Miracles," have gone as far as to suggest that cancer might be a "blessing" as it can help patients develop a more loving attitude towards themselves and the world.
Scientific Scrutiny
However, these claims often don't stand up to scientific scrutiny. Several studies have failed to find a significant link between positive thinking and improved health outcomes:
A 2004 study by cancer researcher Penelope Schonfield found that lung cancer patients with optimistic attitudes had the same survival rates as those with gloomier outlooks.
A 2007 study by psychologist James Coyne and his colleagues examined the relationship between psychotherapy (which can improve mood and reduce stress) and cancer survival rates. They found that none of the studies claiming psychotherapy increases survival rates held up under scrutiny, often due to flawed methodologies.
The Dangers of Blind Optimism
Denying Reality
While optimism isn't inherently bad, the insistence on positive thinking at all times can lead to a denial of reality. By believing that everything will be fine simply because we think it will, we ignore the fact that bad things can and do happen to everyone.
Victim Blaming
This ideology can also lead to victim-blaming. For example, Rhonda Byrne, author of the bestselling self-help book "The Secret," suggested that victims of the 2006 Indonesian tsunami must have "manifested" the disaster through their negative thinking.
Ignoring Warning Signs
Perhaps most dangerously, blind optimism can cause people to ignore signs of potential danger. This goes against our evolutionary instincts, which have helped us survive by keeping us alert to threats.
The 9/11 Example
A stark example of the dangers of blind optimism can be seen in the events leading up to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Despite various warning signs and intelligence reports, the U.S. government, blinded by optimism, failed to take necessary precautions that could have potentially prevented the tragedy.
The Evolutionary Advantage of Pessimism
Survival Instincts
Contrary to the claims of positive thinking advocates, our species has survived and thrived not because of constant optimism, but because of our ability to anticipate and prepare for danger. Our instincts tell us to remain vigilant and ready to fight or flee when necessary.
Practical Pessimism
This "negative" thinking actually serves a positive purpose. It helps us prepare for, deal with, and sometimes prevent bad outcomes. Common practices like buying health or life insurance or getting a suspicious mole checked by a doctor are all examples of this beneficial pessimism in action.
The Profit in Positivity
A Lucrative Industry
The positive thinking movement has spawned a highly profitable industry. Self-help books, motivational seminars, life coaches, and corporate training programs all capitalize on people's desire for easy solutions to complex problems.
Corporate Benefits
For corporations, promoting positive thinking among employees can be particularly beneficial. It can increase productivity, reduce complaints about working conditions, and shift responsibility for job satisfaction onto the workers themselves.
Final Thoughts: The Need for Balance
While "Smile or Die" presents a strong critique of the positive thinking movement, it's important to note that Ehrenreich isn't advocating for constant pessimism. Instead, she calls for a more balanced and realistic approach to life's challenges.
The book suggests that we need to find a middle ground between blind optimism and crippling negativity. This balanced perspective allows us to:
- Acknowledge and prepare for potential problems
- Take responsibility for our actions without blaming ourselves for circumstances beyond our control
- Maintain hope and resilience in the face of adversity, without denying the reality of difficult situations
- Critically examine claims about the power of positive thinking, especially in areas like health and wealth
In conclusion, "Smile or Die" serves as a wake-up call to a society that has perhaps become too enamored with the idea of positive thinking. It reminds us that while optimism has its place, it shouldn't come at the expense of realism, critical thinking, and genuine problem-solving.
By questioning the cult of positivity, Ehrenreich encourages readers to develop a more nuanced understanding of success, happiness, and personal growth. She invites us to embrace the full spectrum of human emotions and experiences, recognizing that both positive and negative thoughts have their roles to play in a well-lived life.
Ultimately, the book's message is not to abandon hope or optimism altogether, but to temper them with a healthy dose of skepticism and realism. In doing so, we may find ourselves better equipped to face life's challenges, celebrate its joys, and navigate the complex terrain of the human experience.