Barbara Ehrenreich explains that positive thinking is often a bad (and dangerous) approach to facing adversity. She argues that:

1. Delusion is always a mistake; and
2. It is cruel to tell people struggling with adversity that it is all in their head (beware the central message of The Secret)

Ehrenreich is not advocating doom or depression either. We tend to slip into this because we are hard-wired to be vigilant. These can also be delusional. Instead of positive thinking or depression, Ehrenreich is advocating realism. She is advocating that we take the view that we can address many of our problems with hard work.