Accentuate The Positive

Significant Early Programming Delivered by Bing Crosby

In traditional psychology much was made of the negative messages we got when we were young children, and not enough attention was paid to positive messages that were conveyed early on. That’s still largely true. I never, until quite recently, even made the connection between the first “favorite song” I had as a child and my attitude toward life.

It’s obvious to me now, of course, that listening over and over again, on an old 78 RPM record to Bing Crosby singing Accentuate The Positive had an impact. At that tender age, of maybe four or five, I didn’t really understand or pay much attention to the lyrics, which were written by the great lyricist Johnny Mercer (the music by Harold Arlen of Over The Rainbow fame). But take a look and you’ll see what I mean:

 You've got to accentuate the positive
 Eliminate the negative
 Latch on to the affirmative
 Don't mess with Mister In-Between

 You've got to spread joy up to the maximum
 Bring gloom down to the minimum
 Have faith or pandemonium
 Liable to walk upon the scene

A Whole Consciousness Training in One Song

It really is pretty potent stuff. Not only accentuate the positive, but eliminate the negative and latch onto the affirmative–and just as powerful, don’t mess with Mr. In-Between.

Interestingly enough, my other favorite song was also sung by Bing Crosby. Of course, nowadays, many people are not aware of how this crooner dominated entertainment in the 1930s, 1940s, and well into the 1950s. In fact, he was still going strong as an actor and TV star until his death in 1977. At one point in a career never duplicated, he had the number 1 record, the number 1 radio show, and was the top box office star at the movies. That other song probably also had an impact, now that I think about it. I certainly have lived my life devoted to personal freedom. And that song, Don’t Fence Me In, probably also was programming me unawares. There was also a third Bing Crosby hit, sung with The Andrews Sisters, that I loved, Pistol Packin’ Mama, and I have no idea what impact if any that had on my life.

What Were Your Powerful Positive Programming Events?

It would be useful for you to go back and remember some song or book or movie, or even TV show that was a special favorite, and then explore what positive message it may have given you that you may have been too young to fully understand or appreciate.

And now, thanks to the Internet, you can find those old songs or books or movies, and relive the childhood experience.

And though this was a pretty personal blog post, I did want to let you know that I have another blog that is even more personal, and not necessarily focused on prosperity consciousness. You can check it out by clicking on my name under Blog Roll.