Tara Isabella Burton

What we're actually seeing is this overall normalization of the idea that the average person should try to become divine.

So the short version of New Thought is that in the 1860s, there was one New England clockmaker named Phineas Quimby who tries his hand at some faith healing.

So the short version of New Thought is that in the 1860s, there was one New England clockmaker named Phineas Quimby who tries his hand at some faith healing.

So the short version of New Thought is that in the 1860s, there was one New England clockmaker named Phineas Quimby who tries his hand at some faith healing.

Problem is, it only works sometimes. And he asks himself, like, what is it? Is it me that is not working? And he's like, no, definitely could not be me. It must be that the people who aren't getting better don't want to get better. And he comes up with this idea of what becomes known as New Thought, that wanting to be well is what's going to get you well.

Problem is, it only works sometimes. And he asks himself, like, what is it? Is it me that is not working? And he's like, no, definitely could not be me. It must be that the people who aren't getting better don't want to get better. And he comes up with this idea of what becomes known as New Thought, that wanting to be well is what's going to get you well.

Problem is, it only works sometimes. And he asks himself, like, what is it? Is it me that is not working? And he's like, no, definitely could not be me. It must be that the people who aren't getting better don't want to get better. And he comes up with this idea of what becomes known as New Thought, that wanting to be well is what's going to get you well.

And originally, New Thought is primarily about health. But there's a resurgence of this a couple of decades later in what's known as the Gilded Age, this time of incredible wealth inequality, where New Thought gets reinvented, but for money. And again, it's the same idea. If you're poor, it's your fault. And since this sort of dawn of wealth-related New Thought...

And originally, New Thought is primarily about health. But there's a resurgence of this a couple of decades later in what's known as the Gilded Age, this time of incredible wealth inequality, where New Thought gets reinvented, but for money. And again, it's the same idea. If you're poor, it's your fault. And since this sort of dawn of wealth-related New Thought...

And originally, New Thought is primarily about health. But there's a resurgence of this a couple of decades later in what's known as the Gilded Age, this time of incredible wealth inequality, where New Thought gets reinvented, but for money. And again, it's the same idea. If you're poor, it's your fault. And since this sort of dawn of wealth-related New Thought...

In the late 19th and early 20th century, there are various resurgences of this mentality. One of the most famous ones was Norman Vincent Peale, who wrote, I believe it was 1952, The Power of Positive Thinking. Yeah. He was also the pastor to the Trump family, make of that what you will. In the early 2000s with The Secret by Rhoda Byrne, popularized by Oprah Winfrey. But it's all the same.

In the late 19th and early 20th century, there are various resurgences of this mentality. One of the most famous ones was Norman Vincent Peale, who wrote, I believe it was 1952, The Power of Positive Thinking. Yeah. He was also the pastor to the Trump family, make of that what you will. In the early 2000s with The Secret by Rhoda Byrne, popularized by Oprah Winfrey. But it's all the same.

In the late 19th and early 20th century, there are various resurgences of this mentality. One of the most famous ones was Norman Vincent Peale, who wrote, I believe it was 1952, The Power of Positive Thinking. Yeah. He was also the pastor to the Trump family, make of that what you will. In the early 2000s with The Secret by Rhoda Byrne, popularized by Oprah Winfrey. But it's all the same.

There's this invisible energy. And if you want it badly enough, you can tap into it. And if you buy my book, you can tap into it extra. Or if you watch my TikTok, you can tap into it extra. You are your own god and the world is going to fall in line with what you want if you just want it badly enough.

There's this invisible energy. And if you want it badly enough, you can tap into it. And if you buy my book, you can tap into it extra. Or if you watch my TikTok, you can tap into it extra. You are your own god and the world is going to fall in line with what you want if you just want it badly enough.

There's this invisible energy. And if you want it badly enough, you can tap into it. And if you buy my book, you can tap into it extra. Or if you watch my TikTok, you can tap into it extra. You are your own god and the world is going to fall in line with what you want if you just want it badly enough.

Yeah. Some evangelical churches do make use of the prosperity gospel, which is this idea that God wants you to be rich. You can, in fact, attract these things that God wants for you to yourself. God wants you to have all these great things. And if you don't have those things, it's because you're not in touch with the divine will. The idea that God wants health and wealth for you is not a given.

Yeah. Some evangelical churches do make use of the prosperity gospel, which is this idea that God wants you to be rich. You can, in fact, attract these things that God wants for you to yourself. God wants you to have all these great things. And if you don't have those things, it's because you're not in touch with the divine will. The idea that God wants health and wealth for you is not a given.

Yeah. Some evangelical churches do make use of the prosperity gospel, which is this idea that God wants you to be rich. You can, in fact, attract these things that God wants for you to yourself. God wants you to have all these great things. And if you don't have those things, it's because you're not in touch with the divine will. The idea that God wants health and wealth for you is not a given.

I think a lot of religious traditions do start from the question of why do bad things happen to good people? And often the answer is, I don't know, or God is mysterious, or we're trying to learn some lesson, or a lot of other solutions to this problem, what's called theodicy, the study of why God allows evil, that don't blame the individual in quite the same way.