Halfway through Lindy's little Youtube movie I realized I'd seen this presentation before. No need to see the movie or buy the book. It's on every late night on TV, the same presentation, the same marketing, the same promises, the same earnest testimonials by scrubbed and oh-so-reasonable spokesmen, the same appeals to fame, fortune, security, love, etc. Sometimes it's how to get rich on real estate, or by flipping repo'd houses, or how to find the truth through Jesus or lose weight, or clear up your complexion, or remove years from your face, or get laid, or meet that perfect someone, or cure fecal impaction, or find the perfect product to scrub out the grout in those unsightly bathroom tiles. It's all based on the ultimate consumer fantasy--if I pay THIS, I will receive THAT in return. If I do this, I'll get that, If I only believe this, I will understand that. If I can only find the way to properly pay, I must certainly get the merchandise I am entitled to by divine right.

No. The universe does not work that way. Listen carefully: The world does not care whether we live or die, it simply does not give a shit about you or me or anyone or anything.
The only thing the universe cares about is the bookkeeping: matter/energy is neither created nor destroyed, momentum is conserved, electrical charge and gravitational attraction attenuate according to predictable formulae, etc. The universe sees to it that the trains run on time, it does not care whether you are on them or not, and it certainly doesn't give a fig whether or not you miss your appointments. Listen up. Forget the pop psychology and the New Age bullshit. Forget the religion, the paranormal and the superstition, too, they are just thin disguises for the same lies. What will happen will happen. There is nothing you can do about it. Nothing! WISE UP, FOR CHRISSAKE! The rules are spelled out for us: F = Ma and you can't push a rope. Everything else is commentary.

This does not mean we are helpless playthings of fate; we can perceive our surroundings, and to a certain extent we can influence them. By using our brains and and our relationships with others, what we've learned and what we've observed, and by taking advantage of our own failures and successes and those of others, we can improve our chances of surviving and even flourishing in an otherwise random and chaotic universe essentially unfriendly to life. There are things we can do, and alliances we can form, and we can love others, which guarantees us even some measure of immortality and continuity over and above our own mortality. This is called LIVING. It is what LIFE is all about. It is about lasting as long as you can and having as good a time as possible. You have a right to do this, you are entitled to do this, and the universe will do nothing to stop (or for that matter, help) you. Some of us are better at it than others, some of us are luckier than others. Sooner or later we always lose, that's guaranteed; but most of us can do OK for a while, and sometimes, it can even be delightful.

That is the real, true secret. The universe has given us life and it is a phenomenal gift. But sooner or later, like all entropic, physical processes, even life succumbs and unravels. Enjoy it while you can, play your best, play to win, and prepare to lose gracefully, because sooner or later, you will.

Just remember the Laws of Thermodynamics:

You can't win.
You can't break even.
You can't get out of the game.
And it's the only game in town.