Guru Ratings
Norman Vincent Peale
Bad.
Remember my ratings criteria. I’m not judging these gurus on “global” or moral values, but very specific criteria. Many of my favorite books would be rated “bad” by my criteria for self-help (probably, because they are not self-help books). My ratings don’t reflect how well an author met his own goals, but how well they met my criteria for useful, accurate self-help.
The Power of Positive Thinking (1952)
Peale’s method for “positive thinking” has three steps:
- Hypnotize yourself.
- Call down “divine power.”
- Avoid sad things.
He calls each of these a “scientific” technique.
The book was criticized by theologians, psychologists, scholars, and politicians. Albert Ellis explained in many books how Peale’s techniques could cause mental health problems.
Later research in positive psychology has reversed many of Peale’s claims.See Authentic Happiness by Martin Seligman.