http://www.alternet.org/world/147637
According to the author of the article, positive psychology is implemented in order to develop and improve “communication skills, cognitive reforming skills and help soldiers not to catastrophize -- don’t think of the worse case scenario about every potential problem.” The program also teaches soldiers to focus on “expressing appreciation” and “correcting negative views of ambiguous events.”
Now, I don't know about you, but I'm not comfortable with the idea of our military becoming a comedic, perpetual perky version of a modern day "Hogan's Heroes". If you are too young to remember the 1960's tv show, all I can suggest is look it up on Hulu or Youtube.
I'm not saying that optimism isn't a good trait to have, but when you are working in a volatile environment and when one false move can result in your death or someone next to you, I'm not sure if "putting on a happy face" and thinking positive thoughts is the prudent approach. When confronted by dangerous situations, it is wise to consider all negative consequences and worst case scenarios. This is nearly impossible when all you are trained to do is think happy thoughts.
Additionally, I can't fathom how it is possible to express appreciation when you are being attacked by guerrilla soldiers.
Interestingly enough, just before I came across this article, I read a book entitled: Empire of Illusion: the End of Literacy and the Triumph of Spectacle by Chris Hedges. He writes about the infiltration of illusions in American culture, and one of these illusions he tackles is the merits of positive psychology.
Chris Hedges argues that positive psychology is inherently destructive to individuals and society. He explains in the following paragraph:
"Philosopher David Jopling calls positive illusions 'life-lies'. He argues that so-called positive illusions may work for awhile but collapse when reality becomes too harsh and intrudes on the dream world. 'The deeper and more pervasive an individual's positive illusions,' writes Jopling, 'the greater their effect of diminishing his range of awareness of himself, other people, and the situation confronting him.' Jopling argues that self-deception strategies are reality filters that organize what people understand into self-relevant and self-serving packages. 'With the diminishing of the range of responsiveness and openness' to what is real. Ones' ability to interact intelligently with all of the world's real consequences diminishes. Jopling warns of the grave moral consequences for a delusional society. 'This means that the range of social, emotional, and personal relations that connect us to others, to the social world, and to our own humanity, are progressively weakened as self-deceptive strategies become progressively entrenched in behavior and thought.'" p. 123-124 Hedges
Corporations have been promoting positive psychology for decades, argues Chris Hedges. The results have been catastrophic and have facilitated the rise of consumerism, along with the emergence of an apathetic citizenry and the entrenchment of conformity and allegiance to authority: even in the midst of immorality. Hedges elaborates:
"Corporatism, aided by positive psychology, relies on several effective coercive persuasion techniques, similar to those often employed by cults, to meld workers into a "happy" collective. It sanctions interpersonal and psychological attacks and lavish praise to destabilize an individual's sense of self and promotes compliance. It uses the coercive pressure of organized peer groups. It applies interpersonal pressure, including attacks on individuality and criticism as a form of negativity, to ensure conformity. It manipulates and controls the totality of the person's social environment to stabilize modified behavior." p. 135 Hedges
Personally, I believe positive psychology is dangerous. It gives the illusion that all anyone has to do to change their circumstances is think positive thoughts and, poof..everything is rosy. It encourages reliance on magical thinking and denies the realities of social inequity and social responsibility. Most disturbing of all is it coerces conformity and an unhealthy allegiance to authority figures by stifling independent and critical thought.
As Albert Einstein said: “Unthinking respect for authority is the greatest enemy of truth.”
Empire of Illusion: The End of Literacy and the Triumph of Spectacle
