Vlog Summary: Candace A. McCullough reveals how “The Secret” is a modern-day version of snake oil. The vlog discusses the history of snake oil remedies and phrenology, both of which represent forms of pseudo-science. Based purely on claims, without scientific evidence, snake oils explode in popularity through hype and aggressive marketing. According to the law of attraction, the underlying theme of “The Secret”, your thoughts determine your destiny, and positive thoughts are of utmost importance. Based on this logic, Deaf people are entirely to blame for audism. Critics of the self-help book and DVD include psychologists, counselors, and social workers, many of whom are concerned about its blame-the-victim philosophy. Included in the vlog is a clip from the DVD, shown to illustrate the materialistic aspect of “The Secret”.

To cite:

McCullough, C. (2007, May 1). The Secret: Self-help Snake Oil. ASC on the Couch. Retrieved May 1, 2007, from http://www.ascdeaf.com/blog/?p=308