Poll of the Day > I just don't understand people who read self-help books.

(+) Yeah! (+)

And I don't mean dumb people. I mean comparatively smart, and rather perceptive people, that read this shit. How?
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You want to know how they can read?
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Usually you start when you're young and your parents help you learn what letters are. Eventually you go from reading Clifford books to big people books.
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Yeah, I hate that self-help shit. They just package a bunch of vague statements and obvious advice in a way that's supposed to sound unconventional and revelatory. It's even worse with the ones who do speaking appearances. They speak in... stilted... terse sentences. With big pauses... and ostentatious hand movements. I'm... drawing out... my words... because that means... they're more important.

I definitely remember talking to a friend of mine and he was bragging about improving himself because he read all these motivational self-help books. But he hadn't actually accomplished anything. They're built to make you feel good about yourself but they don't offer anything relevant.
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There's nothing wrong with wanting to improve yourself.

What they're supposed to do is provide vague reinforcements that leave it up to the reader to interpret and go from there. Also reading in general helps synthesize thoughts in a similar way to dreaming.

Basically allows readers to unwind whatever is bothering them while coming up with ideas for improvement.

Not always the case, most people read directly and don't put any other influence into their self improvement besides what the book says.

WastelandCowboy posted...

There's nothing wrong with wanting to improve yourself.

Sure, but there is something wrong with following advice that you don't really do anything with, and isn't telling you anything in the first place, just so you can pat yourself on the back. And I think there is definitely something wrong with being a peddler of such advice, probably knowing full well that people are banking on the promise and perception of your alleged helpfulness, regardless of what the reality is.

It's like saying there's nothing wrong with wanting to speak to your dead loved ones. I wouldn't disagree with that, but it doesn't change my opinion that such a thing is impossible, and that most psychics/mediums are scam artists who prey on vulnerable.

The people I have met with shelves full of those books have been people that probably just need to go see an actual therapist for once

There are some books for self-improvement that help, sure, but this genre of books appeals to certain kinds of people that often do little to actually help themselves.
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