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> I have thousands of non-fiction (mostly self-improvement) books in my reading list “An honest bookstore would post the following sign above its ‘self-help’

> I have thousands of non-fiction (mostly self-improvement) books in my reading list “An honest bookstore would post the following sign above its ‘self-help’ section: ‘For true self-help, please visit our philosophy, literature, history and science sections, find yourself a good book, read it, and think about it.’” — Roger Ebert (https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/larger-than-life-1996 https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/larger-than-life-1996)

analog31 7y ago
I once read a hypothesis, that all self help books work. The reason is that they make you monitor your own behavior for a while.
- dmos62 7y ago
  There's probably a self-help book about that.
  - deleted 7y ago
    [deleted]
bitlax 7y ago
I feel the same way about education degrees.
carapace 7y ago
The people in the self-help section need something else. Those things (philosophy, literature, history and science) are the luxury of folks who aren't struggling with e.g. depression, abuse, drugs & alcohol, co-dependency, etc. It's a little like, "Have you tried not having a broken leg?" Honestly, you're lucky if the only personal problems you have can be solved by philosophy, literature, history and science. (I had crippling depression for many years and was cured in a single session of hypnotherapy by a guy who publishes "self-help" books, so, while YMMV, I'm a lil defensive. I'm sure he meant well.)
- Barrin92 7y ago
  >Honestly, you're lucky if the only personal problems you have can be solved by philosophy, literature, history and science. most problems in your life can't be solved by reading a book, period. Self-help or otherwise. The first lie of self-help books is that they're actually 'helping' you in any meaningful sense of the word. Digging yourself out of bad situations takes time and there is very little magic involved, and sometimes it's not possible at all. What philosophy or literature or history or science can however provide for anyone, is to understand the world a little bit better, which even if it doesn't solve your personal problems still gives you some perspective and solace. If you're reading philosophy or literature, or just pulpy fiction at least you're reading for reading itself instead of just buying into some racket of "i'll spend ten minutes of reading self-help books and then I'll have 20% more energy and make a thousand dollars!" And not to doubt your personal story but actual clinical depression is typically not solved by one off hypnotherapy sessions with self-help gurus.
  - carapace 7y ago
    > most problems in your life can't be solved by reading a book, period. How do you know? Not to be rude but why should I trust you more than some author of a "self-help" book? I mean, a religious person might tell you that you can solve all your problems reading Scripture. Heck, I openly maintain that most people could solve most of their problems by reading (and applying) the "Core Transformation Process" book. Do you mind if I ask what your own personal experiences are that have led you to form your opinion? > And not to doubt your personal story Thank you! :-) > but actual clinical depression is typically not solved by one off hypnotherapy sessions with self-help gurus. Oh I know! (This wasn't the first thing I tried. I was miserable and desperate enough to shell out ~$4000 to attend a week-long seminar in hope of meeting this guy and getting help. At one point I volunteered for a demonstration on stage, ten minutes later (subjectively it was ten seconds) I was cured. I've written about it on HN a little, if you're interested you can search my comments. A few years later there was a relapse. It lasted three days and then I went back to normal. Those three days are the single most frightening thing that has ever happened to me. Only time in my life I've ever contemplated suicide. Thank God, after the third day I woke up normal again.) My basic point is that, whatever this guy is doing, that's what we should be paying attention to. Now, you might say it's unfortunate that the ways he's chosen to bring the information to people is unscientific, and people do say that and worse, but it would be foolish IMO to throw that baby out with the bathwater of self-help.
deyouz 7y ago
Can you (or someone else) recommend me some great books about philosophy, history and science? I feel like I haven't read many books from these sections and I'd like to start doing that. Thank you!
- smacktoward 7y ago
  To get you started, I’ll recommend you one book that checks all three boxes at once: Louis Menand’s magisterial The Metaphysical Club: A Story of Ideas in America (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28202 https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28202). Enjoy :-D
- peteforde 7y ago
  Yes! Enlightenment Now by Steven Pinker Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari Astrophysics For People in a Hurry by Neil deGrasse Tyson bonus round: Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman Shoedog by Phil Knight The Death of Truth by Michiko Kakutani
  - keiferski 7y ago
    These are all pseudo, pop-science books. I would recommend reading the works of actual scientists and philosophers directly, or textbooks.
    - phosfox 7y ago
      Are there any particular ones you could recommend?
      - keiferski 7y ago
        FiveBooks.com is a good place to find books. Here are some relevant lists: https://fivebooks.com/category/philosophy/ https://fivebooks.com/category/philosophy/ https://fivebooks.com/category/mathematics-and-science/ https://fivebooks.com/category/mathematics-and-science/ https://fivebooks.com/category/technology/ https://fivebooks.com/category/technology/

analog31 7y ago

I once read a hypothesis, that all self help books work. The reason is that they make you monitor your own behavior for a while.

dmos62 7y ago
There's probably a self-help book about that.
- deleted 7y ago
  [deleted]

bitlax 7y ago

I feel the same way about education degrees.

carapace 7y ago

The people in the self-help section need something else. Those things (philosophy, literature, history and science) are the luxury of folks who aren't struggling with e.g. depression, abuse, drugs & alcohol, co-dependency, etc. It's a little like, "Have you tried not having a broken leg?" Honestly, you're lucky if the only personal problems you have can be solved by philosophy, literature, history and science. (I had crippling depression for many years and was cured in a single session of hypnotherapy by a guy who publishes "self-help" books, so, while YMMV, I'm a lil defensive. I'm sure he meant well.)

Barrin92 7y ago
>Honestly, you're lucky if the only personal problems you have can be solved by philosophy, literature, history and science. most problems in your life can't be solved by reading a book, period. Self-help or otherwise. The first lie of self-help books is that they're actually 'helping' you in any meaningful sense of the word. Digging yourself out of bad situations takes time and there is very little magic involved, and sometimes it's not possible at all. What philosophy or literature or history or science can however provide for anyone, is to understand the world a little bit better, which even if it doesn't solve your personal problems still gives you some perspective and solace. If you're reading philosophy or literature, or just pulpy fiction at least you're reading for reading itself instead of just buying into some racket of "i'll spend ten minutes of reading self-help books and then I'll have 20% more energy and make a thousand dollars!" And not to doubt your personal story but actual clinical depression is typically not solved by one off hypnotherapy sessions with self-help gurus.
- carapace 7y ago
  > most problems in your life can't be solved by reading a book, period. How do you know? Not to be rude but why should I trust you more than some author of a "self-help" book? I mean, a religious person might tell you that you can solve all your problems reading Scripture. Heck, I openly maintain that most people could solve most of their problems by reading (and applying) the "Core Transformation Process" book. Do you mind if I ask what your own personal experiences are that have led you to form your opinion? > And not to doubt your personal story Thank you! :-) > but actual clinical depression is typically not solved by one off hypnotherapy sessions with self-help gurus. Oh I know! (This wasn't the first thing I tried. I was miserable and desperate enough to shell out ~$4000 to attend a week-long seminar in hope of meeting this guy and getting help. At one point I volunteered for a demonstration on stage, ten minutes later (subjectively it was ten seconds) I was cured. I've written about it on HN a little, if you're interested you can search my comments. A few years later there was a relapse. It lasted three days and then I went back to normal. Those three days are the single most frightening thing that has ever happened to me. Only time in my life I've ever contemplated suicide. Thank God, after the third day I woke up normal again.) My basic point is that, whatever this guy is doing, that's what we should be paying attention to. Now, you might say it's unfortunate that the ways he's chosen to bring the information to people is unscientific, and people do say that and worse, but it would be foolish IMO to throw that baby out with the bathwater of self-help.

deyouz 7y ago

Can you (or someone else) recommend me some great books about philosophy, history and science? I feel like I haven't read many books from these sections and I'd like to start doing that. Thank you!

smacktoward 7y ago
To get you started, I’ll recommend you one book that checks all three boxes at once: Louis Menand’s magisterial The Metaphysical Club: A Story of Ideas in America (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28202 https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28202). Enjoy :-D
peteforde 7y ago
Yes! Enlightenment Now by Steven Pinker Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari Astrophysics For People in a Hurry by Neil deGrasse Tyson bonus round: Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman Shoedog by Phil Knight The Death of Truth by Michiko Kakutani
- keiferski 7y ago
  These are all pseudo, pop-science books. I would recommend reading the works of actual scientists and philosophers directly, or textbooks.
  - phosfox 7y ago
    Are there any particular ones you could recommend?
    - keiferski 7y ago
      FiveBooks.com is a good place to find books. Here are some relevant lists: https://fivebooks.com/category/philosophy/ https://fivebooks.com/category/philosophy/ https://fivebooks.com/category/mathematics-and-science/ https://fivebooks.com/category/mathematics-and-science/ https://fivebooks.com/category/technology/ https://fivebooks.com/category/technology/