In simplest terms, the law of attraction is a theory that states that whatever you think about, you will attract in your life. This means that whatever your dominant thoughts are, whether they be positive or negative, you will attract the same type of outcome. While some people believe in this theory wholeheartedly, others seem to have more trouble accepting the claims of the law of attraction. The arguments into the validity and plausibility of the law of attraction will always remain as there is no definite answer as to whether this theory is valid or not.
Those that believe in the law of attraction believe that their thoughts directly affect what happens in their life. Proponents of the law of attraction will therefore try to create a mental state that is always positive and stress-free so that these elements will be reflected in their lives. When something bad happens, they believe that it must have happened as a result of their thinking and the vibes that they are putting out into the world. To remedy this, those that believe in the law of attraction will try to alter their way of thinking to get back to a good place and attract only positive things.
In order to make a change in one’s life, the law of attraction states that you need to align your thoughts with that change. Therefore, if someone would want to attract a certain type of ideal partner, they would need to focus their thoughts on what they want that partner to be like and set a goal of finding that ideal partner. In turn, the person who believes in the law of attraction will believe that their ideal partner will be found, and it will be as a result of their thinking.
Critics of the law of attraction generally point to the fact that there can be no real scientific proof into whether or not this theory is valid. Because the evidence is usually anecdotal, it’s impossible to verify whether claims of the law of attraction working are completely true and valid. Those that are skeptical of the law of attraction also note that people that believe that the law of attraction is valid will claim that positive outcomes are due to the law of attraction, even if this may not be the case. Claims that are made about the law of attraction working are open to confirmation bias and selection bias, making them hard to pin down. Most researchers and members of the science community also criticize the law of attraction as having immeasurable and unlikely outcomes.
In the medical community, the law of attraction has sometimes been linked with the placebo effect. The placebo effect is essentially believing that something will happen and then perceiving that a change has occurred even though there was no outside influence to make the change. While the placebo effect usually refers to testing out medications, the same principles can be applied to evaluating the law of attraction. Many claim that the law of attraction seems to work for many people simply because they believe that it is working.
Whether or not the law of attraction is valid or simply happenstance in someone’s life, it’s hard to ignore the controversy that surrounds this topic because it seems that people are either completely for or completely against its claims. In recent years, films and books such as “The Secret” have delved into the metaphysical principles that govern the law of attraction. Many self-help articles, books and courses also rely on people believing in the law of attraction to make positive changes to their lives.
