>"Reiterating: Other people are only projections of your own consciousness. If you are not a friend to everyone then you are not a friend to yourself."
Well, my approach is that you can benefit of operating in this mode, but I don't take it literally. Agreed that the less "The Secret" bullshit is around the better.
It might be my naivety that just assumes a non-literal interpretation of certain passages in the text, but I suppose one should account for a literal interpretation as well. I wouldn't imagine that would be an issue here on HN.
If by "operating in this mode" you mean having a generally positive attitude and being aware that your perception of reality is subjective, I'm more or less in agreement. That said, I'm willing to bet the author meant those statements literally, as do a surprising number of people. I always wonder why they choose to write anything at all, though, as by their theory they're only telling themselves things they already know.
Addition:
NiN's song "Only" could be interpreted as subjective reality (though it's almost certainly metaphor), and it explains why they choose to project me (and Hitler) into their world:
Yes I am alone but then again I always was
As far back as I can tell
I think maybe it's because
Because you were never really real to begin with
I just made you up to hurt myself
[x2]
I just made you up to hurt myself, yeah
And I just made you up to hurt myself
And it worked.
Yes it did!
Well, my approach is that you can benefit of operating in this mode, but I don't take it literally. Agreed that the less "The Secret" bullshit is around the better.
It might be my naivety that just assumes a non-literal interpretation of certain passages in the text, but I suppose one should account for a literal interpretation as well. I wouldn't imagine that would be an issue here on HN.