The Weird Irony of Self-Help Books
Are they really making us better?
For so many of us, the perfect morning routine or productivity hack seem to be just a quick read away. It’s in our nature as humans, especially in competitive Western societies, to continuously look for ways to improve. Whether it’s professional development, increasing confidence or how making a simple mentality shift that will somehow benefit us, our society adores self help.
It didn’t surprise me to learn that the self-help genre (including books, communities, motivational speakers, etc.) is an $11 billion dollar market. And who can fault us for that, really? Who wouldn’t want to learn how they can become better?
While I think that self awareness is an essential part of our ability to learn and grow, and I’ve enjoyed a number of resources that easily fall into the self-help genre, the irony of this industry is a bit difficult for me to swallow.
Let me explain.
Self-Help Feeds on Hope
And maybe even desperation
Similar to someone who has recently been laid off from their job setting aside money…