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Rebuttal to The Law of Importance:
Better than the Pursuit of Importance
is the Pursuit of Exportance!
by Matt Moody, Ph.D.
Yet another Snake Oil salesman coming down the pike. This latest variant of psychological "Snake Oil" is enough to get Secreteers all hot and bothered — there are numerous images in the I-ology Movie that copy-cat The Secret.
Like The Secret, I-ology is just old hot-air in a new balloon; it's a more narrow version of Hedonism on the surface, but expands to full-blown Hedonism once all the sources of feeling Important are identified and explored. Let me explain:
Hedonism is the assumption, and/or practice, that life is fundamentally about living for pleasure. In the case of I-ology, the pursuit of pleasure is aimed at the feeling Important. When we dig deeper into i-ology (or importance-ology) and explore the sources from whence people "import" a feeling of importance, i-ology expands to full-blown hedonism: the pursuit of pleasure, power, prestige, profit, promotion, pride, and property — all these are the basis for the egotistical fix of Self-Importance!
I can hear shrieks of "unfair" ringing out from the I-ologists: "We're not about egotism and pride they'll explain, we're about heightened Self-Awareness." The rhetoric looks good from the bun, but it's baloney between the bread. Just watch the I-ology Movie, and you'll quickly see the inconsistencies.
On second thought, . . . don't watch the Movie, just take my word for it: This psychological "Snake Oil" called "I-ology" is not worth buying.
For example, the Movie asserts that the Pursuit of Self-Importance drove Pharaohs to be buried with their treasures, and inspired Kings to build castles of distinction, to surround themselves with the finest — all to get high on Self-Importance!
HELLO . . . turn off smoke and mirrors . . . turn ON brain: talk of Pharaohs and Treasures, Kings and Castles . . . is not a message of Self-Awareness; instead, is a example of gluttonous materialism rooted in hedonistic lusts for pleasure, profit, power, prestige, and property— all these things making people feel Self-Important.
The I-ology Movie makes this statement: "This desire to feel important makes us want to wear the latest fashions, and drive the latest cars." The movie depicts people feeling Important while driving flashy sports cars and wearing the latest fashion. HELLO that's not a message of self-awareness!
In the words of Chief Crazy Horse: "I-ology Movie speak with fork tongue!"
Though I-ology proponents try to rationalize around a message of blatant materialism and hedonism, what the Movie is really "selling," comes through: Psychological Snake Oil for your Narcissistic Needs!
Human Nature
The single authoritative statement that supposedly legitimizes the "Law of Importance" is this quote from John Dewey:
"The deepest urge in human nature is the desire to be important"
To beef up the validity of this statement, i-ologists add the title of "Dr." in front of John Dewey's name. Now, in terms of his educational credentials, Dewey is indeed a Ph.D. kind of "Dr." (just like Dr. Matt), but putting such titles in front of the great men and women of history is quite unnatural: Dr. Sir Isaac Newton, Dr Ghandi, Dr Mother Therasa, Dr Leonardo Da Vinci, Dr Socrates, . . . Dr Shmockter — I-ologists are playing a silly language game to gain credibility. And why are they doing this?
Because their philosophical, scientific, and religious underpinnings to assert what they are asserting . . . is so paper thin, they try to beef up their one-phrase premise by putting "Dr" in front of the person who penned the premise.
The people who have put this presentation together clearly do not have much formal education: those who are interviewed have titles like: Peak Performance Trainer, Communication Specialist, Personal Development Expert, Financial Visionary, and Life Architect.
In the search for legitimate credentials among the living, there was one person, Dr. Fran Harris, who promotes the I-ology Paradigm. But what does the "Dr." in front of Fran's name stand for?
Fran Harris purports to have a Ph.D., but alas, as I researched her credentials, she openly mentions her Bachelors Degree and Masters Degree from the University of Texas (a legitimate institution of higher education), BUT then Dr. Fran conveniently swallows any mention of where she earned her "Ph.D." in Business Administration.
Hello . . . a "Doctoral" degree in Business Administration? . . . yes, that would make her an authority on Human Behavior . . . NOT! Studying Business Administration would qualify Fran to judge whether "self-importance" is humanity's primary motivational force . . . NOT!
As for Fran's supposed Ph.D., I'm wondering which diploma mill printed her credential? And if her "doctoral" degree did not come from a diploma mill, possibly a mushy little school where classes are easier to pass than gas, after eating a bean burrito.
Something's not right, because Fran is NOT clearly declaring exactly how she got her "Dr." credential? Further, the "letters" associated with Doctorates in Business Administration are typically NOT Ph.D . . . but D.B.A.
Again, if she earned a legitimate Doctorate from a legitimate university, then she would be shouting that fact from the roof tops. Consider this: when a person earns a Ph.D. from Harvard, the Harvard part of the credential is as prestigious as the Ph.D.
So, I'm dying to know where I-ologist Fran Harris got her Ph.D., because I know from experience that getting a REAL Ph.D. from a REAL University is one steep mountain to climb — it's like scaling Everest while giving a piggy-back ride to a Gorilla .
SIDE NOTE: In my PhD program, I remember studying many months to take a Comprehensive Exam. To prepare for this exam, here is what I was told: "Know all that every has been known since the beginning of time, and we'll ask a few questions about that!" Comprehensive means: EVERYTHING IS INCLUDED!
Little did I know, the Department at my university intentionally FAILS every comprehensive exam-taker on the first attempt, just to see who has the grit and determination to soldier on! I eventually took my Comprehensive Exams four times! Twice in each area of specialty (Social Psychology & Sociology of the Family).
Gut-wrenching describes this schooling experience! In contrast, I earned a CHT credential (Certified Hypnotherapist) in a couple of weeks. All of my Boy Scout merit badges were harder to get than my CHT credential.
Bottom Line: I'm thinking Dr. Fran Harris found herself a mushy little school (or Diploma Mill) that prints up Dr. Degrees, and that is WHY this I-ology expert isn't saying where she got her piece of Ph.D. paper!
Dr Matt has studied Human Behavior in a depth way, in a rigorous environment of power-mad, opinionated professors that would completely kick your butt if you had no evidence to back an assertion. Here's what Dr Matt knows about Human Nature that the script writers for I-ology do NOT know:
There is no single Human Nature; instead, there are two possibilities:
1) the Nature of the Natural Man — man on his own without Love and Light, or worse, in partnership with the powers of darkness (Ephesians 6: 12) VERSUS . . .
2) the Divine Nature — the way we are from birth, naturally honest and loving; a way that spontaneously flows from us until we are taught and/or enticed from it.
Read more about Two 2 Basic Natures.
The I-ology Movie asks this question: Why do some people find strength, faith, and confidence, and others encounter frustration, fear, and disappointment?
I-ology's answer to the driving force behind all of man's greatest achievements? I-ology asserts that All human behavior is governed by a person's feeling of importance! Just like we need food and we need water: Human Beings need to feel important.
I assume that the script writer had $$$$ Signs in his/her eyes when this batch of psychological "Snake Oil" was cooked up. Look at the word: Import . . . what YOU bring IN that make YOU feel good. Sounds like Selfishness to me?
In contrast, Jesus encouraged opposite orientation: The pursuit of Exportance! Jesus was about Exporting love and service and truth to others. Christ taught that we should "lose our life" for His sake! Christ never once taught, or even hinted at, the pursuit of Importance.
As previously mentioned, the cast of Snake Oil Salesman include people with questionable credentials:
Brett Baughman, Peak Performance Trainer
Jonathan Sprinkles, Communication Specialist
Bryan Robert, Personal Development Expert — yeah, and I'm a Brain Surgeon!
Adam Hawkins, Life Architect
Garret Gunderson, Financial Visionary — uh huh, and I'm the queen of England
What does a person with a legitimate credential say? Tami Walsh, M.A. Counselor, Author says: "what makes you feel full, what make you feel excited, what fires you up every day?"
Since the ideas cannot stand upon their own merits, I-ology needs Tami Walsh to apply a little Positive Mental Attitude upon the project. This is the Old Hot Air, that's been put in a New Balloon.
Again, the need to feel important is why Kings build Castle of distinction, and surrounded themselves with the finest . . . the desire to feel important drove them to "conquer the world." EXACTLY: this was why wicked kings would kill their blood brothers in the Old Testament. The Need to Feel Important . . . the slogan sounds good on the surface, but it's selfish Narcissism at the roots.
I-ology suggests that: throughout history of world, people have risked life and limb to feel important AND if not for the feeling of importance, great scientists and inventors would NOT have made their discoveries — so MUCH Baloney I could puke.
Richard Leitz says "There are natural laws in the universe, and when we understand those laws and understand the principles that govern those laws, then we can effect change, and use those laws and that KNOWLEDGE to benefit humanity."
By understanding the Law of Gravity, man set foot on the moon. Weather and earthquakes are governed by natural laws, . . . and supposedly the same natural laws apply to human behavior. Leitz states: "what looks like chaos is actually governed by the Law of Importance."
Dr Matt Responds: What looks like Chaos . . . IS Chaos! The Law of Importance is not governing orderly behavioral movements of mortals, beneath apparent chaos; instead, chaos on the surface, and chaos at the core happens via a myriad of free will choices, made by millions of people — a large portion of which behave upon the basis of their selfish desire.
As the Movie continues to tell you: I-ology has nothing to do with "ego" and being better than others or "Pride" . . . the astute observer asks "Why is the Movie disclaiming something that they are NOT."
This called a Freudian Slip: Because I-ologists sense that their message really is: Materialistic, Hedonistic, and Narcissistic . . . a justification claiming the opposites "slips" out!
The Movie tells the story of a Quadriplegic. After being rigged up with a way of communicating for the first time, the first words out of his mouth were NOT . . . Hi Mom Hi Dad or Thanks . . . nooooooooooo . . . it was "Go Bruins!" Because rooting for the "Bruins" was the thing that made this Quadriplegic. feel important.
Another story is told of Tony McGee, and how a Gang Banger pointed a shot gun at him. In that moment Tony's life flashed before him:
He wanted to live. He wanted to pursue his PURPOSE FOR LIFE. He thanked GOD that he was NOT shot.
Instead of exploring Tony's PURPOSE FOR LIFE, the I-ology narrator burps about the importance of . . . Feeling Important! How strange that the I-ology Movie steps right over the question of "life's purpose" and goes straight to FEELING IMPORTANT.
So, is the I-ology Movie implying that God created man in His own image, so that man might Feel Important?
The scriptures declare that "God is Love." Jesus taught that the first and great commandment is to Love God with all heart, mind, strength, and soul; and to Love our Neighbors as we would have them Love us. Exactly WHERE does the egocentric aim of feeling important fit with the Selfless Compassion that Jesus taught?
Tony McGee's trauma cultivated a yearning within himself to feel important. Tony's Trauma lead to total Self-Awareness of what make HIM feel important. (This is soooooo much Baloney! Get the Barf Bucket out, I'm gonna hurl!)
Because Tony discovered what make him feel important . . . he's gained one of the most important thing of humankind: he gained the "diamond" he'd been searching for: Freedom! First it's "feeling important," and now we segue to . . . "freedom." Can you say . . . non sequitur?
Five 5 Sources for Feeling Important:
1 - Independence
2 - Family
3 - Success (movie shows visions of hot cars and stock market productivity)
4 - Faith
5 - Going for it (movie shows images of dirt biking and surfing.
Whenever you're having 2 or more of your "i's" being met, this is when you're having your UPS. When 2 or more of your "i's' being offended, this is when you are having your DOWNS.
PROBLEM: There's a slight contradiction between Source #1 and Source #2: the Source call "family" is a social order of interdependence . . . so HELLO make up your mind! Is Independence . . . or Interdependence a Source of getting one's I-ology FIX?
Truth is . . . independence is a lower level progression from co-dependence. Emotionally Healthy people pass through co-dependence and independence, on their way to the fulfillment and enlightenment realized through interdependence. You see "interdependence" is the LOVE previously mentioned — the Love that God is all about, the Love He would have all humanity embrace. Learning how to Love as He Loves . . . is one of Life's primary purposes.
Now, notice how I-ology puts "Faith" at #4 . . . that only reconfirms how messed-up the I-ology Mindset is.
The Greatest Prize
for Life's labors isn't
in material possessions
or impressive accomplishments,
but in the progress of personal character.
You labor for your own becoming, this is your richest reward.
Who You Become is your greatest possession,
make it your Masterpiece!
(Changing Your Stripes, 2nd Edition, page 274).
"Changing Your Stripes" presents principles for getting out of
the ditch in which you've been dumped (the difficulties of which you are a victim),
and the ditch in which you've jumped (the difficulties for which you volunteer).
"Mastering a challenging situation
is ultimately a matter of
mastering yourself!"
- Matt Moody
"Changing Your Stripes," teaches you the principles that lead to lasting change,
making you a new kind of creature capable of communicating
with calm, even as storms of contention swirl.
If these ideas resonate and ring true,
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Social Psychologist & Personal Advisor