What is the most comical about the self-help industry? –@steveroh
I think of the self-help industry much how I think of the media industry. Mildly informative if you can pluck out the gems, but mostly dangerous. Many of these so-called gurus need to make a living and so they pluck away at the fear and greed strings on the emotional guitars of their willing adherents.
Many of these people have never lost a home, lost a business, lost a wife, lost a family, and suffered real hardship but then claim the label of “coach” or “guru” and have at it. Then ten years later we hear about the sex scandals, the financial scandals, the cover-ups, the killings, the real “secrets” in The Secret.
I wish people would be honest. Instead of saying “this is how to be perfect” I wish these people would start from the premise, “hey, I’m striving also. I’m trying to figure it out. Here’s what’s worked for me. Here’s what hasn’t worked for me. And, by the way, here’s the screwed up crap I’m dealing with today. I hope I survive also.”
Just be honest. Is it really that hard in every industry to be honest? Particularly an industry that, first and foremost, about honesty? (Just like the finance industry should be but isn’t).