Good Vibes Only™

The latest in a long line of belief systems that encourage people to see a lack of society-defined ‘success’ as the result of personal failure.

What troubles me about the Good Vibes Only Gospel - the language of which has become almost as ubiquitous as its pseudo-psychotherapeutic counterpart, Therapy-Speak - is that it conflates spiritual progess with finanical prosperity, and overlooks the role that systemic injustice plays in blocking so many millions of people from ‘manifesting’ their ... See more

The idea that “Everything you need is already inside of you” might feel uplifting on first read, but it overlooks the perennial truth that Bowler notes (and WeWork exists to confirm), which is that: “…Most of what you need is going to be outside of you. It’s structural justice and a community that holds you, and coming to terms with your own limita... See more

Let me state here that I am not refuting the benefits of channeling positive mental energy in the direction of your personal goals (if your Dad isn’t handing you a million-dollar cheque, how else are you supposed to do it?)

While the concept of universal energy has its roots in the most ancient of eastern traditions, the co-option of these principles as a framework for modern success has come to feel more like writing a shopping list for life than developing a genuine spiritual practice.

According to the rules of modern manifestation, the only thing standing between you and the seven-figure salary/sun-drenched holiday home/vintage convertible is your ability (or lack thereof) to channel your own mental energy towards its acquisition.

There's different versions, but all of them have the same belief in a rabid individualism.” The metaphysical ideas on which these books were based, Bowler explains, “formed some of the primary assumptions of what we call the American Dream.”