Overdosing on Self-Help?

One of the things that Stephen Shapiro (author of Goal-Free Living) suggested to me was for me to STOP reading self-help books. I have read a lot over the last 10 years (and before that it was Christian help books). I picked up on some interesting articles against, or at least opposed to self-help books the other day which I will talk about over the next few days.

Now, do I think self-help books/tapes/speakers are bad? No. But it is always interesting to hear the other side. I will say that there are some very good points made in de-favor of the SHAM (Self-Help and Actualization Movement) that we can all learn from.

Why did Stephen Shapiro tell me to stop reading self-help books? Because he thought they were bad? No. the reason he told me to stop was because I had all of the “right” answers, now I need to go out there and do stuff. A person can read and read and read and never learn anything; or they can read and read and read and learn it all and never use it; or they can read and read and read and put it to good use.

Tell me what you think of this tidbit on SHAM.Sham : How the Self-Help Movement Made America Helpless


The money spent on SHAM would be okay if the programs actually worked, but for the most part, they don’t. Though SHAM promises to cure whatever ails you, it counts on failure - failure keeps you coming back for more and keeps the movement making money. Thus at best, Salerno argues, the self-help and actualization movement has a placebo effect, and at worst, it cons a person out of thousands.

Without a doubt, “mass-market self-help is a contradiction in terms,” but the movement does provide something people crave, a kind of religion, a kind of salvation. In a world filled with so much violence and inequity, SHAM gives individuals a kind of hope. That hope may take us for a ride, but isn’t that better than standing still?

Taken from Overdosing on SHAM.

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5 Responses to “Overdosing on Self-Help?”

  1. david Says:
    June 15th, 2006 at 9:04 am

    I agree. Stop talking and start chalking. All those books just take time away from what really matters.

  2. mary Says:
    June 15th, 2006 at 8:01 pm

    What’s chalking?

  3. Theresa Says:
    June 16th, 2006 at 9:31 pm

    I asked David and he said it is a saying when playing pool. Get it?

  4. Julie Plenty Says:
    June 19th, 2006 at 9:58 am

    I had quite a few self help books at one stage, but I had a big clearout and only kept the ones which seem to “speak” to me on a deeper level.

    There is a balance to be struck between reading and actually living your life and we can all get caught on one extreme or another. But I’ve found (especially in the books that I’ve kept) that they do offer a source of inspiration and insight.

    Because everyone is individual and responds to different ideas - this is bound to be reflected on the myriad of self help approaches out there. I don’t feel, as Steve Salerno does, that people are being conned.

    I do believe that everyone is an autonomous individual who has the right to do what they think is right. I think that any difficulty with that is that we are often not shown how to truly think for ourselves or listen to our gut instinct, or generally listen within at all.

    We go with expectations of being told how to live by the “experts”, then complain when it doesn’t work out.

    We swim (and often drown) in a world of resistance: the “should’ve” “would’ve” “could’ve”and “have tos”.

    My main gripe against most self help books is how much work they involve (all those exercises! No wonder people don’t do them) and my body instantly resists that. Stephen Shapiro’s book doesn’t sound so labour intensive in that respect.

    In fact, if there’s one self technique which transcends all others - it is the ability to be fully present and authentic. Easier said than done, when everything around us discourages this.

  5. Theresa Says:
    June 20th, 2006 at 7:12 am

    Thank you for your comments Julie. I agree with you. I am looking forward to reading Steven Salerno’s book because he has such interesting insights on things. I love it when he posts on his blog. Like you,I too have cleared off my shelves and left only the best books on there.

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