Pronoia: believing that the universe conspires in your favor

It is a stretch that distances the optimistic attitude that generates “good vibes” from that manifested by the standard-bearers of that “positivism” with magical touches that has made so much of a career. A good part of these perspectives give rise to what is called pronoia. That word refers to a state of consciousness that has practically become a doctrine. In it it is postulated that some rituals must be carried out of autosuggestion to make the universe “conspire” in our favor.

The word pronoia arises in opposition to the disorder known as “paranoia”. In the latter, delusional ideas appear, the central content of which is the conviction that the universe conspires to harm us. So any difficulty or obstacle is interpreted as the effect of an invisible plot, without any evidence of this. The source of this universal conspiracy would be a “higher power”, which may well be the devil, the Martians, etc.

In pronoia there is a similar mechanism, although the object of the plot is the opposite. In this case there are “higher powers” ​​conspiring so that everything turns out wonderfully well for us. And as paradoxical as it may sound, who assumes pronoia as a philosophy of life is also very close to falling into paranoid states. This is because the logic of both mental conditions is the same.

Pronoia and the new age mentality

There is a debate about whether pronoia should be considered a mental disorder. in itself or if it is just a symptom. There is no consensus on this. What there is agreement on is that it is a distorted view of reality.

“Positive mindset” trends began to gain popularity during the 1980s. This happened at the same time that the doctrines of the so-called “new age” were spreading throughout the world. Towards the end of the millennium, the idea spread that there would be a change of era and that this represented a new “positive” consciousness. To get on the bus of these new times it was necessary to use objects and rituals that attracted “good energies.”

A large part of these ideas came from some Eastern religions such as Hinduism, but they were taken out of context and poured into pieces into Western thought, deriving them to material questions and desires. The existence of the so-called “law of attraction” was widely spread, according to which to achieve something you must feed the deep desire to achieve it, thus increasing the probability that the desire will come true. This nutrition of desire is done, according to these currents, through autosuggestion rituals.

Thus, the foundations were laid for the appearance and consolidation of this symptom known as pronoia.. If you want to have a mansion, they say, you must visualize it every day in your mind. Focus a lot on that image and even start furnishing it. If you do it right, the universe will collude and sooner rather than later she will be yours.

toxic positivity

An offshoot of the New Age or New Age It is the current of toxic positivity, the one that urges you to smile even if you are dying inside. It is a set of messages, normally spread through the networks, that ensures that success in life is achieved through visualization and positivity, so that, this time, the locus of control is located in the person and nothing else.

Although this is in contrast to the idea of ​​pronoia, it does have certain similar characteristics, such as the obligation to be happy. It nullifies people’s feelings and makes them believe that if they are unhappy, it is their fault and no one else’s.

Is it a disorder?

Although the term pronoia has become a cultural and social word, the truth is that it began being described as a syndrome. Thus, in 1982, Fred H. Goldner described it as the illusion that one’s actions and efforts will always be seen as positive in others and will attract goodness in return.

Given the evolution of this idea until today, it is logical that many think that there is no problem in thinking that the universe works in our favor from time to time. However, the problem comes, as always, when extremes are seen: when the perspective of reality is lost and attentional and information processing biases are adopted.

Symptoms of pronoids

Sometimes it is difficult to differentiate a pronoia from a positive thought. However, pronoids have behaviors such as the following:

Denialist state: the locus of responsibility is always outside, in others, and never in the person themselves. Attentional and information processing biases. The entity that favors the individual has a name: the universe, the guardian angel , karma, etc. Beliefs far from reality, such as that effort and dedication do not contribute anything to the result.

A highly profitable business

Ideologies that promote pronoia sell hope. This, in principle, would even be laudable, if it were not for the fact that an entire market was really configured around “the positive mind.” The reprehensible thing is that in many cases they only lead people to deceive themselves and ultimately waste valuable time. Not to mention the costs of living reality from a distorted position and bearing the weight of the disappointments that derive from this attitude.

From an ethical and psychological point of view, it is serious that people are induced to believe that they can achieve their goals at the expense of “concentrating” on them and “visualizing” them. And to help yourself do this with quartz, “energy attraction” practices, etc. Something that detracts from the value of work, effort and perseverance. Meanwhile… many fill their pockets.

Any ideology that sells you paradise at a bargain price is, to say the least, suspicious. At the bottom of these currents of thought what is promised is an impossible: absence of difficulties or effort. It is common for those who are immersed in these postures that promote pronoia to tell you that you have to avoid problems or keep a distance from those who have problems, understanding the problems as contagious diseases. They sell smoke and there are many who buy it.

The support of these “positive” currents is none other than a careful marketing strategy.. They know that many people in the world fear difficulties because they have not discovered that tools can be developed and built to face them. They feed the illusion of being in a universe in which it is enough to “tune in” for our desires to come true. They scam people emotionally and financially.

Don’t leave everything in the hands of the universe

There is little written about pronoia in scientific literature, rather they are theories and hypotheses of specialists. However, this does not mean that we should be cautious. Certain mystical movements tell us to desire everything we want very strongly and in a short time we will have it. The dangerous thing about pronoia is not thinking that the universe favors us, what is dangerous is abandoning ourselves and letting life drag us down..

We can spend months, if not years, wishing for something to happen or to have a new possession, without actually fighting to get it. Therefore, it is so important not leave what we propose in the hands of the universe, but walk towards our goals. We may think that, if we act correctly, everything will be in our favor and we will achieve the desired results, but without stopping working for what we want.

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Images courtesy of Henrietta Harris