Somebody should tell them

I saw a blog post a couple of days ago that really surprised me. The author was writing about a few e-mails he’d received from an “anonymous” persuasion expert. These e-mails were critical of The Secret and this blogger tried to discredit the man who wrote them.

In part, here is what he said…

This guy claims to be a persuasion expert, and, theoreticaly, has an education in psychology.

One of the things he’s apparently forgotten is that you can’t change a belief with logic.

Can’t do it.

Things that people “believe” falls into a special category where critical thinking doesn’t apply. I won’t get specific, because you might be one of the people who believe something I think is irrational, and I wouldn’t want to upset you…

Now, I did not write the e-mails he referenced and I do not have an education in psychology, but I do know there are a lot of well-meaning, highly educated people who don’t realize it is impossible to change a belief with logic.

So, in the interests of trying to get this information to the right people, I responded with the following comment:

Has anyone told this to those who practice and/or have benefited from Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy or Cognitive Behavior Therapy?

Since these therapies are largely based on the idea of producing change by using rational (i.e. logical) thinking to dispute irrational thoughts, maybe someone should let them know they have been wasting their time.

I should have said “to dispute irrational *beliefs*” as that would have been more accurate. But still, I think I got the point across.

However, this blogger has yet to approve my comment so I thought I better post it here.

Maybe somebody can get the word to these people before they waste any more time.

- - - - -

Okay, I know I’m being a smartass here. But there is a lesson behind this entry:

Human nature is complex. The more I study it, the less I seem to *know* about it. Maybe it isn’t something to be known. Maybe it is simply something to be appreciated, like a fine work of art.

Oh, how I wish I could go back with this lesson in mind and rewrite everything I’ve ever written. I am certain it would improve both the accuracy and value of my work.

Though I cannot “unwrite” the things I’ve written, perhaps I can “un-dogmatize” the things I’ve yet to write. I will certainly try.

But human nature being what it is, I imagine I’ll slip up more often than not. And when I do, I sure hope there’ll be somebody there to tell me.

The line forms to the right.

Posted on Thursday, March 15, 2007 at 06:57 AM

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