Bookworm: Smile or Die

Barbara Ehrenreich warns us that boundless positivity can be damaging to our lives and careers.

An intriguing title. What’s it all about?

Barbara Ehrenreich (an award-winning American author, journalist and political activist) wrote Smile or Die following her diagnosis of breast cancer. She’d experienced for herself how the culture of positive thinking rooted in pink-ribbon cancer care can stifle the expression of a person’s true emotions – and ultimately cause them further harm.

From this starting point, she explores the wider impact of positive thinking on mainstream culture and shows how by convincing ourselves that we alone are in control of our happiness, we are buying into a damaging mass delusion.

But is there anything wrong with positive thinking?

According to Ehrenreich, the idea of the US as a place of boundless optimism and opportunity has created a cultural obligation for people to be cheery and optimistic at all times, regardless of the realities they are facing.

In addition, some churches are preaching a ‘prosperity gospel’, claiming that God will directly help believers to prosper if they maintain the right (read ‘positive’) attitude.

If only we are good enough, riches will come – along with spiritual enlightenment. But while that might be seductive for some, the idea that we can do anything as long as we try hard enough can be really corrosive. It can lead to victim blaming and it can raise expectations that simply can’t be fulfilled by positive thought alone.

Just as we couldn’t beat Usain Bolt over 100 metres simply by believing ourselves faster, the relentless pursuit of happiness at all costs can be fruitless. We simply end up exhausted.

What’s a good example?

Ehrenreich invites us to consider the tremendous dangers of positive thinking through the lens of blind optimism demonstrated by the Bush administration in the run-up to the September 11 attacks.

The government was aware of potential clues, such as warnings about an impending terrorist strike involving a plane and suspicious student pilots. But the FBI and the president refused to believe these details, and therefore failed to take precautions.

Surely there are health benefits to positivity?

In his book Love, Medicine and Miracles, surgeon Bernie Siegel suggests that greater self-acceptance can boost our immune system, helping it to fight cancer. He also argues that cancer might be a “blessing”, as it can help us adopt a more loving attitude towards the world – and ourselves. However, science gives us plenty of reasons to mistrust such claims.

Ehrenreich cites the findings of cancer researcher Penelope Schonfield, who found that lung cancer patients who remained optimistic during their treatment had the same survival rates as those who maintained a more downbeat attitude. And she also introduces us to psychologist James Coyne, who, along with his co-authors, found that not a single experiment claiming that psychotherapy increases cancer survival rates held up under scrutiny.

As for breast cancer, which Ehrenreich developed despite having no family history of the disease or other known risk factors, women are living longer due to improved detection, better surgical techniques and the emergence of more targeted treatments. This has nothing to do with positive thinking, which is more likely to be perceived as an additional burden for patients to carry.

We can’t think ourselves well, any more than we can think ourselves faster.

So, who are the winners in the world of positivity?

 In a word, corporations. From motivational coaching to books and conferences, positive thinking is a multi-billion-dollar industry. And one, argues Ehrenreich, which encourages employees not only to blame themselves for any discontent they are feeling at work, but also to improve performance and generate more profits for the company.

It’s a win big/lose small scenario. And one which individuals have no reason at all to be positive about.

What lessons can I take from this?

The glass isn’t always half full. If a mole looks suspicious, we should get it checked out – and by a doctor, not a life coach.

What am I most likely to say after reading this book?  

“I’m binning my dream board.”

What am I least likely to say after reading this book?  

“Lighten up.”