Attitude Fanaticism

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http://www.debunkingskeptics.com/Attitude_Fanatics.htm

What does everyone think of what the author wrote here? I truly believe he is correct on everything he says. I think this is one of the things that is wrong with this country. If you notice and look around you in the USA this positivity nonsense is everywhere. Why is it that one is not to state a truth even if it is negative in nature?

In America, it is unacceptable to blame an external entity with rare exception. Why is this? How is positivity truly viable?

This is completely true. When I say that I'm unhappy because Americans (and West Coast people in particular, like the article states!) are self-centered people just accuse me of having a bad attitude! It's hard for me to thrive and be happy in a hostile environment and when people expect me to have a beaming smile without giving me any reason to actually feel joy. It's no wonder drugs and alcohol are so popular on the West Coast - it's the only way to keep such an illusion going and "fit in" with the fake smiley culture.

Insofar as this phenomenon happens (and I have seen signs of it myself, but I'm unsure about its prevalence), I think it is a feature of mainstream U.S. culture, meaning that I think it is something one would be more likely to encounter amongst European-descended peoples ("white" people), especially those in the middle-to-upper class bracket.

I say that because, as I have noticed an increase in the discourse of minority groups concerning their mistreatment by the majority, I've also noticed responses that suggest discomfort from people in that majority. They're uncomfortable with the idea that the U.S. isn't a meritocracy, that they have what they have due to the fortune of being born into powerful groups rather than working hard. The decent ones are likely also feeling uncomfortable with their powerlessness in the face of the reality that whole groups of people are being mistreated with little or no redress. Perhaps many of these people seek to allay that discomfort with this positive thinking ideology. No doubt some are simply so privileged that they literally have little idea of the possible extent of the effects of circumstances outside of one's control.

I have not noticed people in U.S. sub-cultures display this attitude, not in California, at least. Then again, I've not interacted with huge numbers of people in my life. And yet again, this attitude is reflected in the media, albeit perhaps not in so strong a form as is described in the linked article. For example, there are a LOT of self-help books out about "having the life you always wanted," landing one's dream job, becoming wealthy, and so forth. A lot of the life goals that form the subject matter of these books is obviously FAR from being entirely under the control of the people who might wish to achieve them, yet there is significant emphasis on the idea that the reader is capable of bringing about these outcomes single-handedly. This is another reason why I believe this attitude is mainly limited in scope; the media largely reflects mainstream American values and attitudes,

I think it's the reason why our politics has shifted to the right to. Conservatism is inherently based on victim blaming and promoting elite interests.