In the last twenty years people have been buying self help books like the end of the world is coming. It makes you wonder what people did to survive all this time. It seems there is a guide out there for every possible situation, problem, or lifestyle. I know that sometimes we really need guidance with something, but I think the amount of self help books out there is just this side of crazy. Doesn’t anyone know how to do anything anymore without some stranger telling them what to do?
I’m being a bit hard on self help books, I know that, but there are really good ones and there are some that are just plain worthless. The funny part is that the ones that are useless are the ones that seem to be the best sellers. There are indeed hard things to in life, and if you need help that you can get from a book, I think it’s wonderful that you can get that help. However, there are some things that are common sense. You don’t need self help books to help you with these things, and you aren’t giving yourself enough of a chance to think for yourself.
I have bought a few self help books in my day, and most of them saddened me when I finished them. I never found anything that I didn’t already know, and I wondered why so many people had to have what was contained within those self help books spelled out for them. My gut reaction was that many bought the books like I did hoping for some insight, only to feel just like me when they were done. Though there are some who just don’t know the basics, most of us don’t need these books to tell us what we already know.
There are some exceptionally good self help books out there, however, that I would hope anyone would buy if they felt the need. If you are living with someone who is abusive, is an alcoholic, or if someone has a life altering illness, you should get self help books to help you deal with what is going on. There are some situations and problems that really aren’t something we just know. When it comes to special circumstances like that, you need all the help you can get, and self help books are certainly a good first step towards healing the problem or situation.
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