What The Bleep Do We Know?

This is from my QUANTUM CINEMA column in Mr. & Ms. Magazine, May - June 2008 issue:
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I have just finished watching for the nth time the documentary What The Bleep Do We Know? Enthusiasts of the documentary The Secret, which has since been made into a book, should watch this one as it would give the principles of The Secret more scientific grounding.

What The Bleep Do We Know? had its theatrical release in the United Kingdom in May 2005. But the DVD became a top seller even before that time. Like The Secret, it has now reached the status of a cult film with its followers forming clubs and publishing newsletters. And of course, it has its group of detractors, too.

In order to compete with feature films, documentarists or documentarians have resorted to using dramatizations. This is usually the case now for documentaries in the Discovery or National Geographic TV channels. What The Bleep Do We Know? is a documentary with a narrative segment that illustrates further what the interviewees and the narrator are talking about.

Academy Award- winner Marlee Matlin (Children of a Lesser God) stars in this segment as a photographer who feels like a victim in life. She is a mute who recently divorced her philandering husband and is bored with her job. But one fine day, she experienced a quantum leap.

QUANTUM PHYSICS

Although the film talks incessantly of quantum physics, it does not however explain precisely what quantum theory or quantum mechanics is. Rather, it explains the implications of quantum mechanics / physics. The interpreters of quantum mechanics are physicists, physicians, a theologian and America’s leading medium. Three people directed the film – Betsy Chasse, William Arntz and Mark Vicente.

The film’s intention is to provoke the viewer to think. It begins with a voice over: “In the beginning was the Void, teeming with infinite possibilities—of which you are one”. This is accompanied with images of what could be the Big Bang – the beginning of the Universe, according to scientists.
The narrative segment begins with Matlin at a train station. She boards the train, closes her eyes and as the camera closes up on her face, the narrator says, “Are all realities existing simultaneously?” The narrator bombards the viewers with so-many thought-provoking questions: Why do we keep re-creating the same reality? Isn’t it amazing that we have options and potentials that exist but we are unaware of them? Is it possible that we are conditioned to our daily lives, so conditioned to the way we create our lives that we buy the idea that we have no control at all?

WHAT THE PHYSICISTS SAY

The film’s panel of experts claims that quantum physics brings in a new paradigm of reality, knowledge and meaning.

Dr. Amit Goswami, a Physics professor at the University of Oregon says: “Quantum physics calculates only possibilities, but if we accept this, then the question immediately comes -- who, what chooses among those possibilities to bring the actual event of experience? So, we directly, immediately see that Consciousness must be involved. The observer cannot be ignored.”

Dr. Fred Alan Wolf, physicist and author of Taking the Quantum Leap, asks: “Are people affecting the world of reality that they see?” And he answers, “You bet they are! Every single one of us affects the reality that we see even if we try to hide from that and play victim. We all are doin’ it!” Dr. Wolf is also in The Secret.

Dr. William Tiller, Professor Emeritus of Material Science and Energy at Stanford University says. “Our purpose here is to develop our gifts of intentionality and learn how to be effective creators.”

For Dr. Goswami, an individual’s purpose is “To acknowledge the Quantum Self; to acknowledge the place where we really have choice; to acknowledge Mind.”

THE BRAIN AND PERCEPTION OF REALITY

The film emphasizes that we participate in creating reality. The brain, says the narrator, processes two billion (2,000,000,000) bits of information per second. But we are aware of only two thousand (2,000) bits of information per second. We are unaware of 1,999,998,000 bits of information per second. We perceive only a very tiny portion of what is going on around us.

An optimist will see only the positive side of things while a pessimist will see only the negative side of things. Each individual’s brain becomes very selective in choosing that precious 2,000 bits of information per second that would make up one’s reality.

Also, the arrangement of neural connections in the brain constantly changes. Over 70% of the connections between brain cells change every day. Changing our responses to stimuli changes these connections. We do not have to be victims of our own undoing. We can do something -- we can ensure that these changes in neural connections make us more creative, intelligent, and versatile.

THE NEW PHYSICS

Quantum mechanics is just one aspect of the New Physics which has now united the subatomic world of electrons, photons, neutrinos, positrons, quarks, and the astronomical world of stars, galaxies, superclusters, black holes, quasars, wormholes, dark matter, etc.

Quantum mechanics was formulated in the early part of the 20th century by scientists like Niels Bohr, Max Planck and Werner Heisenberg yet its philosophical implications have still to be grasped by most people. The film - What the Bleep Do We Know?- tries to impart such awareness to the public at large and ends with a challenge: “Don’t just take it at face value. Test it out and see whether it’s true!” (end)

The Secret -- Law of Attraction

In my QUANTUM CINEMA column, I reviewed the film "The Secret". The book and the film are quite the talk of the town in the country since it was twice featured in Oprah's show.

In its trailer, it announced that “The Secret has passed through the ages known only to a few men,.. who… harnessed its Power.” This Secret was allegedly used to keep the rest of humanity ignorant and servile. On or after 1909, this Secret was released to the public by the few rich men who knew it. But in 1933, it was again banned. The visuals show a man in cardinal’s robe opening a parchment scroll. “Decades passed…Now, for the first time in history, the Secret is being released in a worldwide event.”

The Introductory part of the documentary follows the theme and visuals of the trailer. It is almost like The Da Vinci Code. The narrator / protagonist is in emotional turmoil. Then she re-discovers “the Secret” through a book. She then researches its history. We see an Egyptian copying the inscriptions on an emerald tablet onto a parchment. Then we see Roman soldiers running after the same man carrying a parchment much like the Dead Sea scrolls, and burying it. Then Medieval Knights (the Templars?) appear followed by a scene with a man in cardinal’s robes reading a scroll. The Secret was coveted. An alchemist is studying the scroll. The Secret was suppressed. Then, we see a present-day corporate board room with men in conference. Then somebody types the sentence: “the Secret will never be revealed to the public”.

The narrator says she couldn’t believe that the Secret was known to so many people including the great minds in history like Isaac Newton and Victor Hugo. Interestingly, Newton and Hugo also belong to another impressive list – those who belonged to the Priory of Sion who knew another kind of secret – the Holy Grail /Da Vinci Code kind.

The dramatic and sensational trailer and introduction of The Secret (2006) may induce people to watch it, but it may also turn people off. It smacks of crass commercialism.

RHONDA BYRNE

Rhonda Byrne, the Executive Producer of the documentary and author of the book of the same title, claims that a year before filming, her life was in shambles – she was burnt out from work, her father died unexpectedly and her relationships were in turmoil. Then, her daughter gave her a 100-year old book (most probably a reprint) that revealed to Rhonda “The Secret”, which turned her life around.

She then got a brilliant idea to make a film out of it so this “Secret” could be revealed to most of humankind. Leaving Australia, she then went to the US to interview scores of “teachers” of this “Secret”. The film was then followed by the best-selling book.

LAW OF ATTRACTION

This “Secret” that can give you the Midas Touch or bring you treasures like King Solomon’s Mines is called the “Law of Attraction.” This is one of the Universal Principles known to many writers, philosophers, astrologers, occultists, and great thinkers throughout the ages. Today’s New Age adherents are familiar with this principle. In its briefest form, this law means “like attracts like.”

If birds of the same feather flock together, then thoughts of the same frequency bond together. If you think rich, you get riches, if you think poor, you get poverty. The “teachers” of the film keep on repeating the essence of this Law: “You become what you think about most. You attract what you think about most.”

In the Bible, Jesus said: “For whosoever hath, to him shall be given and he shall have more abundance. To him that hath little, even the little shall be taken away.” (Matthew 13:12) In other words, the rich get richer, the poor get poorer. In the same vein, the wise get wiser, the dumb get dumber.

Rich people naturally think of riches because they are surrounded by abundance while poor people think of poverty because they are always around poor people and wretched circumstances.

Children who are told they are unintelligent will tend to believe it and so get poor grades. They will then have less enthusiasm for anything intellectual. On the other hand, children who are praised as intelligent will tend to study more and attract intelligent friends and elders supportive of their intellectual pursuits.

Bob Proctor, one of the film’s resource persons says, “Why do you think that 1% of the population earn around 96% of all the money being earned?” He says, “It’s designed that way. They understand something. They understand “the Secret”.

NO SECRET

Contrary to the film’s assertion, the Law of Attraction was never a secret. People through the ages have discovered this principle and disseminated it in oral and in written form. This wisdom is found in the Vedas, in the Bible, in the Qur’an and in thousands of books and manuscripts throughout human history.

However, Bob Proctor, Rhonda Byrne and people like them understand but the multitudes don’t. As Jesus said, “…they look but do not see; they listen but do not hear or understand.” (Matthew 13:13) Even with Byrne’s documentary and book, many people would still not understand. Fortunately, this law, according to the film, “is always working whether you believe or understand it or not.”

QUANTUM PHYSICS

When Albert Einstein, Niels Bohr and Max Planck made their discoveries on Relativity and Quantum mechanics in the early part of the 20^th century, the world of Science was turned upside down. The Universe could not be explained in Newtonian terms anymore. Newtonian physics become invalid when it comes to the very big like galaxies and astronomical distances, and the very small like electrons and neutrinos. In fact, the latest theories in physics like Superstrings and the M-theory suggest that there may even be multiple universes.

Yet most of humanity simply cannot think beyond Newtonian physics. Everything is still centered on Mass or Matter; i.e., on materialism. Many people still believe only in things material; i.e., things physical. Yet Einstein proved that Energy is Mass (multiplied by a constant); i.e., all Matter is Energy. Energy is not physical.

THE SECRET MICROSCOPE

In their desire to sound scientific, some of the “teachers” exaggerate. James Arthur Ray, who was designated as a philosopher in the film, says, “You are not a finite body. Even under a microscope, you’re an energy field.”

Bob Proctor, author of the international best-seller You Were Born Rich says, “Your hand looks solid but it’s really not. If you put it under a proper microscope, you’d see a massive energy vibrating.”

I have not heard of a microscope that can enable humans to see bodies as vibrating energy or energy fields. As far as I know, no microscope has yet been built that could magnify atoms or subatomic particles like electrons or protons so that they could be seen by humans.

In fact, I have always been amazed how millions of people do not believe that spirits exist because they could not see them. Yet they believe atoms or electrons exist even if they have not seen them either. Millions of people claim to have seen spirits. Nobody has claimed to have seen by his eyes (using machines) atoms or sub-atomic particles.

Yes, we are energy but that can only be proven through mathematical equations. You can put your hand under a giant microscope, but all you can see are bacteria or cells or even molecular chains. You cannot see pure energy; or even atoms or spinning electrons.

MIND OVER MATTER

In the film, quantum physicist Dr. Fred Wolf says, “You can’t have a universe without Mind entering into it, and that the mind is actually shaping the very thing that is being perceived.”

Another physicist, Dr. John Hagelin says, “Quantum mechanics confirms it. Quantum cosmology confirms it. That the Universe essentially emerges from thought. Ultimately, we are the source of the Universe, and when we understand that power directly by experience, we can start to exercise our authority and begin to achieve more and more.”

In today’s physics, most of the Universe is mental construct. Positrons, neutrinos, quarks, black holes, worm holes etc. – from subatomic to cosmological entities -- are mere constructs which can be validated through mathematics. Nobody knows them in the physical sense. They can only be understood through the Mind.

THE BOOK AND THE FILM

The nuggets of wisdom contained in the book and the film are the same. The format of the film is similar to the documentary What the Bleep Do We Know(?), which was mostly about quantum physics. It consists mostly of talking heads, with some dramatizations. The words of the Secret’s “teachers” are reproduced verbatim in the book, with annotations by the author.

Although the Secret features mostly talking heads, it is not boring at all. The resource persons are great speakers. They are very enthusiastic about the subject. They are all speaking from experience.

In the book, one reads these people’s ideas. In the film, one sees these ideas being presented by real people talking about not just grandiose concepts but about their very own experiences. And most, if not all of them, were self-made people. They re-invented themselves by using “the Secret”.

The dramatizations had good production values and the illustrations used as backgrounds to the talking heads are quite interesting. I just find it funny that Aladdin is Chinese in the film. Don’t these Occidentals know that Orientals come in different shapes and sizes and yes, races?

GREAT PACKAGING

Rhonda Byrne knows the power of media packaging. Getting an idea from a 100-year old book, an idea which is contained in hundreds of books in libraries and bookstores, she packaged it as a “Secret” and made it into an inspirational documentary, a book and a website.

But the fact that the film, the book and the website are all smash hits simply means that the Western (and Westernized) world are now veering away from the purely physical world (The Body) and into a holistic world where the Mind and Spirit are given their proper due in the scheme of things.

Go watch the film. It may change your life.

Published in Mr. & Ms. magazine, Supermonthly of the Body, Mind & Spirit, Nov. 2007

Check out The Secret's website http://www.thesecret.tv

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