Law of Attraction - the Root of New Evil?

The Law of Attraction produces sweet, abundant fruit, providing a source of nourishment for the hungry, hope for the desperate and empowerment for the downtrodden. It is the model for equal opportunity, impartially yielding like results whether one is young or old, rich or poor, loved or hated, ugly or beautiful, saint or sinner.

Law of Attraction, thanks in part to the popularity of the Secret, has changed many lives.   By learning to focus our incredible resources of imagination, belief, emotion and awareness, we can consciously improve our lives instead of unconsciously sabotaging ourselves. As we practice and persist at heightening our awareness, directing our focus and confidently taking action on new opportunities, we experience dramatic changes in our lives.

And through the Law of Attraction, our proficiency at aligning our inner resources is mirrored by the outer circumstances in our lives.

It is a wonderful arrangement. Where is the evil in that?  Better yet, the Law of Attraction exists in an infinitely abundant Universe, negating the need for conflict, competition, judgment or separation.  Here are the ingredients for creating peace on earth. So what has gone wrong?

I have been receiving ever more email extolling the superior character of the rich and citing the deficient mindset of the poor. The inference is that the Law of Attraction supports this view.

Just as money can be used for good or evil, the law of attraction is being misused to separate rather than unite humanity. Included below are a few of the statements that I have recently read illustrating this point.

"The rich must separate themselves from associating with common people to protect their minds from thoughts of poverty and struggle."

 "If you have prosperity thinking, you will rightly feel nauseated by poverty and struggle."

"Do not concern yourself with poverty or suffering, you have nothing to do with them."

"Since poverty and suffering are a choice, we need not risk contaminating our thoughts by providing charity."

"The rich enjoy the finer things in life because they hold ideas, beliefs and mindsets that are different than the diseased mindset held by the common people in society."

 "Do not read books or papers that give circumstantial accounts of the wretchedness of tenement dwellers or the horrors of child labor. Keep your awareness free of negative images."

"The poor waste their money on thrift store trinkets, while the rich wisely  invest their money in assets that will increase their wealth."

"The poor do not need charity, they need inspiration. If you want to help the poor, demonstrate to them that they can become rich, prove it by getting rich yourself."

These statements appeared in various sources: recent emails, articles, promotions or ecourses. Disappointingly, they were written by some of the more successful internet gurus.  And this perversion of the law of attraction is gaining momentum.

First let's clear up some misinterpretations. The Law of Attraction is a Universal Law, on par with the Law of Gravity. It does not distinguish between saints and sinners. If you step off a tall building you will fall to the ground. The rate of your descent is determined by your weight not your character.  Similarly, the Law of Attraction will be equally effective whether one's focus is humanitarian, materialistic, destructive, or neutral.

However, the emerging doctrine contends that the wealthy have effectively utilized the Law of Attraction due to their superb character, advanced mental abilities and superior control of their impulses. Circular reasoning has resulted in these troubling and faulty observations.

Successful implementation of the Law of Attraction does require a burning desire, dedication, disciplined focus and a strong belief in oneself or at least something greater than oneself, but only as it applies to the specific desire. Character and integrity are irrelevant.  And equally insignificant is one's lack of control, irresponsible behavior or scattered thinking in other areas of their life.

Here are two examples that illustrate this concept. Both individuals had a burning desire, determination, focus, and the belief that they could manifest their dreams.

Hitler was very adept at utilizing the law of attraction. He had a vision. He believed that

he was meant to accomplish it. He devoted all of his attention and focus into

achieving it. Hitler acquired wealth, power, and public devotion, so absolute, that he nearly succeeded in exterminating all the individuals he deemed inferior.  His downfall began when his desire became so obsessive it interfered with his strategic judgment. Many of the trains were needed to transport troops to the fronts to repel Allied attacks. Instead, he diverted them to increase the pace of extermination of the second-rate populace.  His deteriorating health completed his downfall by depleting his energy, weakening his focus and eroding his absolute confidence.

Joe Kennedy wanted money, power and prestige. He believed he could achieve it.

He focused his attention on acquiring this dream every waking moment. He created his financial fortune by underhanded dealings in the stock market before it was regulated. He associated with the elite and backed the winning politicians to secure a position of power. To remain in good standing with this powerful majority, he encouraged his sons to enlist in a war to which he was opposed.  The ultimate prestige, having his son win the Presidency, was his greatest dream. He attracted this desire with the power of his will, fierce determination and a few huge donations to the powerful and persuasive mob.

Contrast Hitler and Kennedy with Gandhi and Christ, who were not financially well off by most standards. Which ones had character?

I grew up in family that was financially very well off, in a wealthy neighborhood, and socialized with wealthy and influential people. I have also had the opportunity to live with families in the projects. I saw no difference in the character, determination, discipline or mindset between the two groups. Except, perhaps, for one. The poor were more honest about their shortcomings.

We all do the best that we can at the time in whatever situation that we find ourselves. Therefore, my observations in this article are in no way directed at or a comment about the personal choices that anyone makes in their own life. I am not privy to another person’s situation, history, fears, needs or dreams.

People and circumstance change from moment to moment. Desires can become obsessions and acceptance can turn into apathy. We all experience situations that require us to choose between our priorities, desires and principles. Character is distributed evenly between the rich and poor. And only the exceptional few have that special quality to consistently demonstrate the courage of their convictions when something that they hold dear is at stake.

Therefore, my only intention is to express my deep concern over the opinions mentioned earlier. Respected individuals, with a reader following are influential. Comments that judge, separate, categorize, even unintentionally, may plant seeds of negativity and condemnation. And that can profoundly affect the lives of many people.

The next few paragraphs are devoted to pointing out the shortsightedness of the statements that I quoted at the beginning of this article.

If we chose to remain unaware of the plight of our human brethren, atrocities continue unabated. Awareness, attention and compassion are the catalyst to change.  If people in the past had ignored suffering, there would still be no child labor laws. Slavery might still exist in this country as it does in other countries today. And women's place would still be barefoot and in the kitchen.

The torture at Guantanamo would have gone unnoticed, unchecked, and unchallenged. The horrors Hitler perpetrated on the world went unnoticed for many years because no one cared or believed or wanted to get involved. "It had nothing to do with them." Dictators control the media to maintain secrecy. Without awareness and compassion, they will not face interference from the people.  Hence, they can continue the terror, abuse and rape of the country and its people, its poor people. 

Dictators, no doubt, will champion this type of thinking. If we consciously choose to remain aware of the plight of the common man, dictators can rest assured that there will be no interference. Instead of wasting their time on propaganda, they can get on with their business.

Abused spouses have only recently seen any hope of improving their situation. Why? Partly because it was kept quiet and few people were aware of the problem. And partly because the prevailing attitude was that the abused either asked for it, deserve it, or had a choice to leave, never mind that they were  penniless, unemployed, uneducated, alone except perhaps for their children and afraid.

The suggestion that one should withhold charity and instead inspire the poor by amassing personal wealth, leaves me dumbfounded.  People who are starving, their farms decimated by drought and their children's bellies swollen from hunger will only be more acutely aware of their lack and failure in the presence of others who are championing their own personal success. Furthermore, it demonstrates a lack of compassion and an ignorance of human biology and psychology.

Unless our basic needs are satisfied - food, water, shelter, clothing - we are not likely to concerns ourselves with concepts. What would you do if your only means of providing for your family was destroyed by drought or pestilence, no relief in sight, your children starving and shivering with cold, and someone dripping with money approached you and said, don't asks for handouts, think positive, visualize fertile farms and you will be prosperous.  I know what I would tell them.

I concur, handouts without education is short sighted. And contrary to many people's opinion, most people want to be self sufficient. Handouts tend to be demeaning. However, handouts are easier, a band aid to the larger issues.  Actually addressing the underlying problems would require many committed individuals. To develop a lasting solution, one needs people with awareness and compassion who are dedicated to implementing a long term plan of action.  Although focusing on solutions is always the best approach, sometimes, understanding the cause is essential to craft an effective solution rather than a placebo. Unless the causes are resolved and the needs are met, any solution will be short lived.

Perhaps there is some truth to the saying "Birds of a feather flock together." However, avoiding all interaction with the poor or struggling for fear of being contaminated by their diseased thinking, suggests a lack of confidence in one's own mental fortitude. Since the wealthy are claiming to have a superior mindset, perhaps, they could direct their laser focus on thoughts that would attract immunity against contamination by the diseased mindset of the common man. With their claim of elite mental faculties, that should be a cake walk.

Naturally my personal experience has affected my view. There was a point in my life that I needed a few hand outs to get back on my feet. I also needed some free services and therapy. And my predicament was mostly due to my own misguided perceptions and poor choices. That’s hardly a situation that would elicit compassion from most individuals. But fortunately, there were some high minded people who helped me just the same. And had I not received this help, support and guidance, I would be in wretched circumstance or perhaps dead. But gratefully there were some aware people who noticed my plight. They also did not shun charitable organizations. Their concern for my struggle enabled me to change my life.

However, in my dire circumstances, homeless, hopeless and ill, simply telling me to think positive and believe in abundance, would have been meaningless to me, if not laughable. And under those conditions, I would not have had the opportunity to ever have heard about the Law of Attraction. My circumstances today, and the benefits that I can provide for others, are due to the people who believed that I and others like me were there concern. Their assistance enabled me to meet my physical needs. Only then did I have the luxury to discover, appreciate, understand and apply the Law of Attraction.

The Law of Attraction is a Universal Law and thus it is neutral. It works equally well no matter your character, no matter your requests. Just like money, it is neither positive nor negative. They both provide the freedom to shape your life as you desire. The Law of Attraction works for the person that has self serving or even destructive intentions as well as for the one who is pure of heart. Keep in mind that the energy of your intentions and motives are even more powerful than your beliefs. And those energies are equalized by another Universal Law. Perhaps you have heard of it. It is the Law of Cause and Effect, better known as Karma.

Lauren Kennedy