The Surprising Truth of Why We Are Drawn to Self-Help
And Why it Doesn’t Actually Help
Stepping into my friend’s apartment was like entering a batter of sophistication meets simplicity. High white ceilings, minimalist furniture. However, it was the secondhand bookshelf that got my attention. Stacked with probably over 200 books, meticulously organized by genre. Academic tomes lined one section, reflecting her work interest. And then there was the self-help section, practically daring me to transform myself into my best version right there — just by staring at it. Who knew enlightenment needed so much paper?
The self-help book market has been a huge segment of the publishing industry for many years, with millions of titles sold every year and its market worth billions of dollars annually.
Why is it that we are so interested in self-help? And why is it that we consume vast amounts of it while research shows that overall happiness doesn’t increase? Shouldn’t we all be living our best lives by now?
As with any multi-faceted question, there is no easy answer. But there are better and worse explanations. I have a pretty good one.
The role of outdated philosophies
The way we live our everyday life, how we eat, what we care about, which partner we choose, how we…
