Spot on. I think her message is more about pointing a finger at exploitation or hijacking of 'positive thinking' ideology for quelling dissent than anything else.This is not the same thing as preaching 'negative thinking' or pessimism, as some of the commentators below wrongly assume.

Great Pictures. interesting Ideas. BAD SOUND. A little Audio-Tweaking and it would become digestable.

What a great point for discussion. There is certainly something to be said for "THINKING" and how we do it. The idea of "positive" thinking is hit perfectly here and it is much different than "Purposeful" thinking. Here is an example... Thinking about wanting $1 million, is far different than the way Victor Frankl thought during his time as a prisoner in the German Concentration Camp. He had purposeful thinking, and that is what got him to the point where he was counseling the prison guards before he was freed.

YOU SOUND LIKE MY MOTHER!! JUST LIKE YOU SEE A CLAER PATTERN SO DO WE, NEW GENERATIONS ARE OPEN MINDED, AND OLD GENERATIONS ARE NOT, YES ITS TRUE YOU HAVE MORE EXPERIENCE LIVING, BUT DO YOU TRUELLY KNOW, HAVE YOU TRIED IT OUT INSTEAD OF JUST EXPLAINING WHAT YOU THINK. ANYWAYS GREAT VIDEO I LIKE THE DRAWINGS, BUT KEEP IT SIMPLE!! YOU KNOW WHAT I ALWAYS PICTURED MYSELF HAVING A BAND, RECORDING A CD AND HAVING GIGS ADN GUESS WHAT I DO HAVE IT!! IF YOU PUT YOUR MIND TO ANYTHING YOU WANT TO ACCOMPLISH YOU CAN, BUT DOESNT MEAN YOU GOING TO SIT AROUND WAITING FOR IT JUST LIKE YOU THINK OR MAYBE HOW THEY EXPLAINED IT TO YOU, ITS ABOUT THINKING OF THE RIGHT PATH TO TAKE ITS CALLED THINKING WITH LOGIC, LOGIC THE ANSWER TO ALL YOUR QUESTION IS A LOGICAL NUMBER 1!! 1 WORLD, 1 HUMAN, 1 UNIVERSE AND THEY ALL LIVE IN 1!! THANKS BYE

Excellent. This is a beautiful and intelligent illustration of the trend of insanity which has become mainstream in certain countries. More importantly, it illustrates how dangerous this irrational belief or 'philosophy' can be for the economy, the social system, the international relations and how closely it resembles tyrannical societies which do not tolerate critical and constructive thought. It is a reflection of common sense which unfortunately is not so common anymore. Congratulations.

Very interesting. Several comments on this.

I do believe she is talking about what I call "blindfold optimism". The kind of optimism where you are totally blind to anything that is happening around you (hhmm...GW Bush?).

I do believe in the LOA but not in the way it is portrayed in The Secret...What??!! the people killed in the Tsunami were "thinking it?" Most of them were on VACATION!! That is a totally ludacris, insensitive comment...and as stated below, if they can say something like this about that event, then they can think it about the WTC...I had Loved ones in those buildings, that just made it out, and had several acquaintances die there)
I DO believe in, "give and you will receive" (simply because there IS more happiness in giving then receiving), I believe in "what goes around comes around", too...and in putting your best foot forward and not complaining about your troubles (EVERYONE has some sort of troubles today)....this does not mean, not thinking about your troubles and what to do.....but not bemoaning your troubles and doing something about them...no matter what that is, or how big or small the steps...this to me is "positive thinking".

Parts of her commentary is good, but parts miss the point I think. There is a big difference between the, "putting your head in the sand and pretend things will be ok...even good." optimism, and the "ok this is what it is now, what can I do to make things right, because I know things will even out at some point.", optimism..
Do I think optimism and positive works? ..I sure do...

I think it's an extremely pertinent lecture that touches upon some serious issues in a very positive way. The target is not the individual who is at liberty to think positive thoughts to change the individual world that that individual is living in. The target is the corporate world driven by greed and (yes) ignorance, where anyone who is not towing the party line and underlining the company's (or country's) message that sales will keep increasing, more more more of everything is fired. I have seen this happen, and it's obscene. The person who said that the Tsunami victims were thinking Tsunami thoughts and therefore brought it upon themselves needs to see a therapist. Imagine the outcry if she had said that all 6 million victims of the Holocaust had been thinking Holocaust thoughts and therefore deserved the gas chambers, or that all those people in the Twin Towers on 9/11 had clearly been not thinking the right kind of thoughts or they would not have attracted the bombs that blew them away. I have just spent the last six months in Singapore, and wish I could show this to every man woman and child here.....

Brilliant and thank you.

She say's "Powerlessness" not "Perilousness". Though either might be apt. For more details visit
http://www.awake2000.com

I think the Ms. Ehrenreich missed the point in her lecture on positive thinking. The theory as I understand it and practice it is not as she states that "all you have to do is think positive thoughts and your world will change." Instead, it is that when you think positive thoughts, that thinking will encourage you to take positive actions, and those positive actions have a better chance at creating improvements in your life as compared to taking no actions. The opposite tack, to think negative thoughts, will cause a focus on negative possible outcomes and lessens a person's drive to want to take action thereby maintaining the same state as was started in.

Ms. Ehrenreich is accurate when she states we have collective power to create positive results, but that too is impacted by the individual and collective thoughts of the group. It is no fun, and it is not as productive to be in a group with a lone cynic or a bunch of negative people. Conversely, it can be great fun to be a part of a group that thinks positively and is willing to try different actions to create positive results.

Being delusional helps no one. But look at the examples of many people over time, Ghandi telling the people of India they could get their country back from the British, Kennedy telling Americans thay could put a man on the moon, and so many others. Did lots of people think they were delusional? You can bet the house that they did. And yet their positive thinking drove others to strive for something most would say was unachievable; yet they achieved it.

When I wanted to start a non-profit I asked 23 people who had already done so or who ran non-profits if they thought I could do it too. They ALL said no; I didn't have the education, the background, the experience, etc. Well I did start Leadership Pasadena, and we now have graduated over 200 leaders in our community. That all started with a vision that many said was delusional and with one person who wouldn't stop thinking positively. Now I lead workshops on writing positive visions for people's lives. Comments? Gregapodaca@hotmail.com

Crazy. Those who don't use the techniques of positive thinking, and have no experience with the improved outcomes making commentary about how cruel it is and how it doesn't work. I used to be more of a realist, more pessimistic, and I have grown into someone that works to control how much I allow my thoughts to linger on what's wrong with this or that. My life is much different, much better. Things do flow more easily to me in success. Actually making positive thinking work in your life is much deeper than just think a good thought and it shows up. You have to practice and work that just like growing a muscle. Consider taking a moment at the end of each day to list on a page the good things that happened. Do that for 30 days and see if it changes anything.

we should work do better!

I think she misinterprets the point of positive thinking and I like her!

Great animation...
In a nutshell, Overly pessimistic or overly optimistic doesn't work realistic is the way to be. I don't agree entirely, I would say that the ideal approach to life is to be realistically optimistic. In this way you are not deluding yourself about what's really going on and you are still fun to be around.
In the book the author is fiercely critical and takes a rather ad hominem approach to Seligman's work on Positive Psychology and it is rather anecdotal. Little evidence is offered in support of the authors arguments and I think there is a great deal of misunderstanding of Seligman's work which is grounded in research. If this subject interests you I would take a look at Learned optimism to hear the other side of the argument.

Although not stated in the animation I think the take away could be positive thinking and smiling aren't targeted enough to realistically solve anything. It might be better to think about a bad turn of events more specifically with humor and satire. Humor and satire are the collision of incongruent thoughts. We laugh when we relinquish the tension set up by this incongruity. What remains is relief with insight and the energy to push towards are more reasonable solution. When a cartoonist or a comedian can craft a joke or metaphor about something it shows both a careful look at the many facets of a problem plus it is infused with a energy to move forward.

very useful information thanks, just what i was looking for.

This storytelling approach is very innovative. I think opposing viewpoints would have a very hard time getting anyone of comparable innovative talent to do an opposing stop animation scribe because Truth and McTruth are magnetic opposites. Just look at the cheezy corporate graphics on conservative news versus so called progressive or liberal sources. Dedicated artists and or innovators are hunter-gatherers, not brainwashed over-consuming, corn-fed domesticated cows.

I completely agree with Barbara - its cruel to expect a 'happy, happy, happy' all the time and quite bizarre in so many areas of modern life - when I see the forced smiling-through-suffering in everything from hyping cheerful animals-with-disability to porn to political losers, it stinks of social coercion and brainwashing. Like, "You won't fit if you aren't this way."
As the Buddha said 'Life is suffering'; I think the first step to living it is to acknowledge that fact.
I don't think we can be cheerful through everything unless we're high all the time on drugs or alcohol. Maybe the positive ideologists are unconsciously pushing those addictions along with their philosophy.

(Love the animation though - awesome work!)

I agree she is missing the point of positive thinking. She ends with professing our collective power and yet how could we all come together to express that collective power if we do not learn how to express that power for ourselves first. Much like the airlines ask you to put thew oxygen on yourself prior to helping others, the human race must learn how to empower themselves and then we will be in a position to help other. In addition comparing the positive thinking movement with socialism is just plain silly. I find this video divisive and trying to push a point that serves no one. If we are truly going to create a world that works for everyone we must begin by thinking such a world can exist and that will only happen when we all think positively. The positive thinking movement is not about smile and get over it, rather it is change your thinking and you will change your life, not in a flash but over time, and we do not teach "Get over it" but rather get on with life in a new, uplifting, positive way. My 2 cents. peace and Blessings because "Life is GOOD" All the time.

I love this plea for REALISM!!!!!! Wonderful animation!

I think she misinterprets the point of positive thinking. The point is not that thoughts can change external reality (which would be magic), but rather that positive thinking can help the individual overcome setbacks. If we sit and bemoan our fate, we won't work to change it. If we think positively -- that we can make things better -- we will work to make things better. we are hard wired to be optimists; in the face of defeat, we pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and start all over again. Those who did survived and passed on their genes; those who acceted defeat were less likely to do so. Being optimistic and overconfident had survival value, even if such attitudes aren't always realistic.

She say's "Powerlessness" not "Perilousness". Though either might be apt.