Why I am negative about Positive Psychology

Best not watch this on a big screen as I screwed up my colour adjustment and the green screen effect is awful.

NOTE: In the UK, I am called a 'Critical Psychologist'. In Australia, which is where I presently live, the title 'psychologist' is a protected title used to denote psychologists who are registered with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA). I am not registered as a psychologist with AHPRA as I am not a qualified health practitioner - I am an academic and social activitist and I do not offer psychological services, I offer critical and political analysis to benefit those working to create progressive social change.

[edgyintellect]

It's not that having a ton of money will make you happy but that having no money will make you very unhappy.

[newtonmoon]

I heard some talks in the context of pos. psych. that were touching on the bigger picture, economies etc. There needs to be an interdisciplinary approach. I believe the negative is necessary and perhaps "Flourishing or Well-being psychology" would have been a better term.

[prosodiac]

Shame this video doesn’t have more clicks. It makes a very good point. Positive psychology blames everything on the individual and therefore is quite neoliberal. Fits perfectly into modern day economic systems. Work hard, bla bla. Maybe it’s the system that makes people unhappy and sick. Maybe work itself is an issue…
No surprise the founder of positive psychology, Martin Seligman, is making a shit load of money with this concept that doesn’t work but will keep selling because it sounds good.

[shalavefrancispasagui]

I'm currently working on my thesis right now about Toxic Positivity. Do you have sources for this or do you have studies that supports this? Please advise. I really need this one. Thank you so much

[MekebibTadesseAssefa]

you have good points put, I want to debate about this with you can you we do it ?

[emka]

yes! psychology is political and positive psychology is conservative.

[jeninebow]

2 Questions Paul- 1. I thought Positive Psychology's target audience were middle-class Westerners who had forgotten gratitude. Am I wrong? 2. I support your point about governments ignoring poverty and it being abhorrent. I was once told that Indians are the happiest race on earth. They may have been wrong, but I have conflicting ideas here, with poor people being happy nonetheless. Please enlighten my naive impression.

[claudelebel]

I am negative on your big music. Is what you have to say so unimportant that you wish to make it more difficult for us to concentrate on the message and the messenger ?

[Userx]

This video gives strawmans of positive psychology.