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The self of self-help books is adrift from social and economic facts | Psyche Ideas
Self-help vs Social science
Self-help literature, like information, exists as raw, uncurated, unexamined information, while social science is like knowledge, beginning with the aggregated data and the processes of thinking, developed and updated over time.
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Key Ideas
Ontology
This is a branch of philosophy that deals with the questions of being and identity.
Ontological psychologists and social scientists start with examining our self in social, political, economical, cultural and psychological terms, knowing the base value, before any self-help advice can be dispensed out by them.
Self-help vs Social science
Self-help literature, like information, exists as raw, uncurated, unexamined information, while social science is like knowledge, beginning with the aggregated data and the processes of thinking, developed and updated over time.
Myopic points of view
Many best seller self-help books like the much-celebrated How To Win Friends And Influence People by Dale Carnegie, written way back in 1936 provide a personal view of influencing and persuading others, which has later been proved to be ineffective.
This is because many of these books are detached from various social and economical facts, offering a myopic view of the world.
The appeal of self-help
The packaging and tone of a self-help book help a lot towards its appeal to the general public, giving them a sense of personal control and a sense of excitement, making them take action.
The real value of the self-help book may be to energize the reader to take action, and not simply following the instructions of the book to the tee.
SIMILAR ARTICLES & IDEAS:
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Dale Carnegie
He is one of the most influential authors in the self-improvement industry, and the creator of the book "How to Stop Worrying and Start Living", which deals with tactics for ...
"What's the worst that can happen?"
When worries overwhelm you:
- Ask yourself what's the worst that could possibly happen.
- Prepare to accept the worst.
- Figure out how to improve upon the worst, should it come to pass.
Gathering facts objectively
- You can pretend that you're gathering this data for someone else, so you're distancing yourself emotionally from the process.
- You can pretend that you're a lawyer who is preparing to argue the other side of the issue — so you gather all the facts against yourself. Write down the facts on both sides of the case and you'll generally get a clearer picture of the truth.
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The Scientific Mind
The mind of a scientist cannot be that just a set of beliefs. It has to be an objective, open and experimental mind. A scientific way of thinking is always systematic, based on testing, bui...
Not Trusting Scientific Knowledge
Though science has helped humanity for centuries, it is not fully trusted. Part of the reason is that scientific knowledge is incomplete.
It is often resisted by a section of people, who don’t believe in vaccines, climate change, or the man-made genetic advancement in crops. As an example, many families believe vaccination causes autism in children, and no matter what is done to counter it, the belief is stuck in people’s brains.
Science And Pseudoscience
Many people from all sections of society do not trust in science, as they don’t trust the authority of the scientific community. The Pseudo Scientists try to debunk science by:
- Arguing that the entire scientific consensus is a conspiracy.
- Getting fake experts to produce information that contradicts scientific findings.
- Argue using selective data, and using a small example to discredit the entire field.
- Deploying false analogies and other fallacies that appear logical.
- Setting impossible expectations and counter-arguments towards the scientists.
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Dale Carnegie’s advice to make people like you
- Become genuinely interested in other people.
- Smile.
- Remember names.
- Be a good listener. Encourage others to talk about themselves.
- Talk in terms of the ot...
Actively showing interest in other people
When people speak, the best responses are both active and constructive: engaged, enthusiastic, curious and has supportive nonverbal action. Ask questions. Be excited. Ask for details. Smile. Touch. Laugh.
It's a powerful technique - it makes you more liked and people more receptive to your requests.
Smiling does make you more attractive
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