The Secret
by Rhonda Byrne
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Book Summary Information
Author: Rhonda ByrneEdition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2006-11-28
ISBN: 1582701709
Number of pages: 198
Publisher: Atria Books/Beyond Words
Product features:
- the secret
- The Secret (Unabridged, 4-CD Set)
- The Secret Gratitude Book
- El Secreto (The Secret) (Spanish Edition)
Book Reviews of The Secret
Book Review: Generally, Just Generalities
Summary: 5 Stars
/
"The Secret" by Rhonda Byrne
I wish to examine the facts concerning the claims within "The Secret". It is a book co-authored by 24 different self-proclaimed "Teachers" I guess you would call them. That's what Byrne calls them, so permit me to examine the book.
Page xiii contains the acknowledgements and identifies the "Teachers". On the next page, xiv of the Acknowdgements, the author identifies the Chief Executive Officer of "The Secret" as "Bob Rainone" and the author declares:
"The CEO of The Secret, Bob Rainone who was delivered to us from heaven." (I'm not kidding. It's on page xiv of the Acknowledgements. Bob Rainone was delivered "from heaven".)
A couple paragraphs down in the Acknowledgements, the author identifies "The great avatars and master teachers from the past..."...well, ok, so far so good. Previously, on the actual first page of the book, which commences the FOREWARD, author Byrne claims to have traced the SECRET "back through history". She states;
"I couldn't believe all the people who knew this. They were the greatest people in history: Plato, Shakespeare, Newton, Hugo, Beethoven, Lincoln, Emerson, Edison, Einstein."---p. iv, FOREWARD, The Secret
I was curious about the specific identification of the "great avatars and master teachers". p. xi of the Foreward, the author affirms the general nature of the power of The Secret, stating:
"There isn't a single thing that you cannot do with this knowledge. It doesn't matter who you are or where you are, The Secret can give you whatever you want." -- p. xi, the Foreward, The Secret
The above claim is affirmed on page 1, in quotes from:
(1)Bob Proctor:PHILOSOPHER, AUTHOR, PERSONAL COACH
(2)Dr. Joe Vitale: METAPHYSICIAN, MARKETING SPECIALIST, AUTHOR
(3)John Assaraf: ENTREPENEUR and MONEYMAKING EXPERT
Conclusion? So much for the author's proposition that, "It doesn't matter who you are...etc."
WHAT IS A MONEMAKING EXPERT ANYWAY?
(the stage is set)
/
[Capitalized words are mine, for emphasis]
"Throughout history there have been MANY who coveted the knowledge of The Secret, and there have been MANY who found a way of spreading this knowledge to the world."
-----p.
These words come below a quote from Dr. Denis Waitley, and I cannot specifically tell if this is Byrne's synopsis of what Waitley wrote, of if this is from Waitley. However, the point is that there is a two-fold contradiction.
(1) that MANY "coveted" the knowledge
(2) that MANY "spread" the knowledge
Does this strike the reader as a contradiction? It certainly does me; but not only on one level, but on more than one. HOW MANY IS MANY?
Statistically, it doesn't add up.
If MANY "coveted," does it mean the majority of people?
If MANY "spread" does it mean the majority of people?
This begins a basic comprehension of the flawed logic contained in this book. It is full of GENERALIZATIONS, and moreover the generalizations often CONTRADICT each other.
Given that fact that the Greek Philosopher PLATO is identified as having known the Secret, isn't it also a contradiction of the fundamental premise? After all, PLATO's writing is full of metaphysics, inclusive of Socrate's account of the SOUL, KARMA, REINCARNATION, and so on. Since much of Western Culture's educational tradition is founded upon Plato (and Aristotle his student) how is it supposed that something secretive was "coveted" or denied to people?
Dr. Denis Waitley is quoted:
"The Secret was kept in the few."--p. 2
That seems absurd. Considering Dr. Waitley's credentials, he is identified as "PSYCHOLOGIST AND TRAINER IN THE FIELD OF MIND POTENTIAL". Nothing indicates specific expertise in the HISTORY OF KNOWLEDGE. No factual evidence is offered by Dr. Waitley, nor is any authority on PLATO cited, indicating that any secret was withheld. In fact, much can still be inferred from careful reading of the metaphysical propositions in the writings of PLATO. I would venture to say little is "hidden" for those who know how to look carefully.
Dr. Waitley states:
"The leaders in the past who had The Secret wanted to keep the power and not share the power."-p. 2
Any careful and thoughtful metaphysician would begin demanding specific information concerning a couple of issues, e.g., the introduction of the term POWER. It is never defined, which as any metaphysician, or even a person applying only rational methodology would know, is essential in the acquisition of any systematic knowledge.
These are the problematic issues which extend virtually throughout the book. The CARTESIAN AFFLICTION is evident, wherein claims are made without factual support; but terms like POWER are also used which are never defined. Beyond this however, the book contains a litany of non-stop GLITTERING GENERALITIES.
If an author chooses to be non-specific and coy, they can always write a GENERALITY. A GENERALIZED statement is almost always at least HALF-TRUE or GENERALLY so, and it cannot be demonstrably proven false for that reason. So Author Byrne has collected a barrage of GENERALITIES, citing a 24 person platoon of "Little Corporals" who parade GENERALIZATIONS out like a marching band of Breakfast-Cereal Boxes.
Bob Proctor explains what the Secret is on the bottom of page 3:
(1) "We all work with one infinite power."
(2) "We all guide ourselves by exactly the same laws."
(3) "The natural laws of the universe are so precise that we don't even have any difficulty building spaceships, ...etc."
(4) "...--we're all working with one power. One Law.
It's Attraction!"
Personally, I have no problem with someone expressing a personal belief such as that there is "one infinite power". Lots of people feel that things like that are a defining statement of Life force or such things. That's something of a universal religious statement. Everybody is entitled to a personal opinion on metaphysics. Don't misunderstand me please. It's the rest of Proctor's claims that become utter irrationalisms.
Having identified the plural, "NATURAL LAWS OF THE UNIVERSE" Proctor goes on to identify that "we're all working with ONE POWER. ONE LAW. IT'S ATTRACTION." p. 3
I'm sorry, Proctor just identified a PLURALITY of LAWS in NATURE, then suddenly claims that all NATURAL LAWS are the ATTRACTION LAW. It doesn't make the least bit of sense.
I don't mean to be unfair. I think people can lay out an entire series of metaphysical LAWS or PRINCIPLES. Other books have done this, and I enjoy the books; but Proctor, and author Byrne are claiming that there is only a SINGLE LAW. This means that even the familiar CAUSE & EFFECT suddenly becomes the LAW OF ATTRACTION. That's just plain silly.
The collective of "teachers" does move on to other propositions.
""Every thought of yours is a real thing."---p. 4
Here, the graphics department for the book decided to use an actual signature for the quote, and I cannot entirely read the scribble. It looks like PRENTICE MELFORD or something (1834--1891); at any rate, it looks like the guy died in 1891, so that obviously, he didn't attract ETERNAL LIFE or discover the Fountain of Youth.
So he's affirming THOUGHT, and perhaps MIND. That's okay, but study will show that nothing of the metaphysical tradition is identified concerning propositions for THINKING, THOUGHT and MIND. In fact, the same difficulty with GENERALIZATION continues on throughout "The Secret" with no definition or clarification as to what THOUGHT is, or what MIND is.
One might observe that this would have been the opportunity to introduce the perrennial MIND/BODY PROBLEM (MBP) of Philosophy, but this book is written at a very pedestrian level, with a vocabulary less sophisticated than Reader's Digest magazine. That seems to be precisely the targeted market for this book. The author and the "teachers" want people who cannot think very deeply to rush out and buy the book with promises of everlasting glory for everybody. Never mind knowing what a THOUGHT actually is, nor MIND either. Who the heck needs THINKING anyway? They're selling books dang it, not metaphysical knowledge. There's only the mere pretense of knowledge. That's why they have "teachers" with credentials such as "MONEYMAKING EXPERT". Frankly, I prefer BUBBLEGUM SALESMAN. The latter is probably the brighter of the two.
RELIGION:
"Religions, such as Hinduism, Hermetic traditions, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, and civilizations, such as the ancient Babylonians and Egyptians delivered it through their writings and stories. Recorded throughout the ages in all its forms, the law can be found in ancient writings through all the centures. It was recorded in stone in 3000 BC. Even though some coveted this knowledge, and indeed they did, it has always been there for anyone to discover."--bottom of page 4, and top of page 5, "The Secret"
So what's wrong with this general statement?
One must go back to page 2, and Dr. Denis Waitley's quote:
"THE LEADERS IN THE PAST WHO HAD THE SECRET
WANTED TO KEEP THE POWER AND NOT SHARE THE POWER.
THEY KEPT PEOPLE IGNORANT OF THE SECRET.
PEOPLE WENT TO WORK, THE DID THEIR JOB, THEY CAME HOME.
THE SECRET WAS KEPT IN THE FEW".--p. 2, Dr. Waitley
Obviously, most of the writing in the previously identified Babylonian and Egyptian civilization was in some sense under the dominion of the LEADERS. The proposition that the SECRET was simultaneously "kept in the few" while at the same time, published in the writings and stories (oral tradition) of two entire major civilizations as well as FOUR MAJOR RELIGIONS and the HERMETIC TRADITION, is about as irrational a claim as can be made. Why mince words about it?
It just doesn't make any sense at all.
CONCLUSION:
I could meticulously analyze the book in its entirety; but its so full of gross simplifications and frankly goofy propositions that all of its GENERALITIES together do not produce a good read.
As far as propositions for THOUGHT and MIND, people will take some inspiration from the book, and that's fine as far as that goes. I'm sure many will get something out of it. However, books like this often to as much harm as good. They are marketed to the unthinking, and promoted as thought provoking. In this particular book the very paper itself is intended to create the imprssion that it is sacramental. In fact, the marketing department did a fine job with the surreal "antiqued" paper effect and the bright red WAX SEAL graphic on the cover is coyly attractive. I cannot imagine a dysfunctional personality who would not want the book.
/
Summary of The Secret
Fragments of a Great Secret have been found in the oral traditions, in literature, in religions and philosophies throughout the centuries. For the first time, all the pieces of The Secret come together in an incredible revelation that will be life-transforming for all who experience it.In this book, you'll learn how to use The Secret in every aspect of your life -- money, health, relationships, happiness, and in every interaction you have in the world. You'll begin to understand the hidden, untapped power that's within you, and this revelation can bring joy to every aspect of your life.
The Secret contains wisdom from modern-day teachers -- men and women who have used it to achieve health, wealth, and happiness. By applying the knowledge of The Secret, they bring to light compelling stories of eradicating disease, acquiring massive wealth, overcoming obstacles, and achieving what many would regard as impossible.
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