The best form of self-help is … a healthy dose of unhappiness | Tim Lott

We’re seeking solace in greater numbers than ever. But we’re more likely to find it in reality than in positive thinking

Booksellers have announced that sales of self-help books are at record levels. The cynics out there will sigh deeply in resignation, even though I suspect they don’t really have a clear idea of what a self-help book is (or could be). Then again, no one has much of an idea what a self-help book is. Is it popular psychology (such as Blink, or Daring Greatly)? Is it spirituality (The Power of Now, or A Course in Miracles)? Or a combination of both (The Road Less Travelled)?

Related: Now self-help books are aimed at men – but they have rarely actually helped anyone | Suzanne Moore

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from The Guardian https://ift.tt/2HEeVxj