Re: [silk] On self-improvement
On Fri, 2013-08-23 at 23:23 +0530, Srini RamaKrishnan wrote: > Privileged kids don't usually face serious hardship that shatters > their confidence until their start-up fails, their marriage tanks or > their addictive habits get the better of them. While I agree with the general point you make about self help books, the above assertion is inaccurate to the extent that privileged kids have far faaar many more opportunities to have their confidence shattered than those three reasons. It's just that parents of privileged kids can provide the buffer required in terms of money and time to help their kids recover. shiv
Re: [silk] On self-improvement
On Fri, Aug 23, 2013 at 12:25 PM, Vinayak Hegde wrote: > On Fri, Aug 23, 2013 at 9:05 PM, Thaths wrote: > > > Do you have a particular view on the self-help > > > genre? > > My view is that judging by the fact that platforms in India are littered > > with pirated copies of these books, there must be a large leadership. And > I guess you meant readership. Freudian slip eh ? :) > :-) Thaths -- Homer: Hey, what does this job pay? Carl: Nuthin'. Homer: D'oh! Carl: Unless you're crooked. Homer: Woo-hoo!
Re: [silk] On self-improvement
On Fri, Aug 23, 2013 at 9:05 PM, Thaths wrote: > > Do you have a particular view on the self-help > > genre? > > My view is that judging by the fact that platforms in India are littered > with pirated copies of these books, there must be a large leadership. And > I guess you meant readership. Freudian slip eh ? :) -- Vinayak
Re: [silk] On self-improvement
On Fri, Aug 23, 2013 at 9:05 PM, Thaths wrote: > I began to wonder if hipster life hacking was different from self-help. > Maybe the difference between the two is socio-economic? Are you saying being socio-economically backward might help in preventing the development of a large ego? An ego that doesn't refuse help when offered at cut rate prices? I think confidence stemming from a good education, early success, good looks or brains comes with the following baggage: a) I am perfect as I am, no self help guru is going to help me improve b) My self image would be hurt if a self help book could teach me something, my success is all my own c) The trash that the commoners read couldn't possibly be also applicable to me, I'll need something written to my level of elegance d) I'm supposed to know all this, so I'll assume I do Everyone reaches out for help in self development at some point in their lives. It can be via expensive therapists, religion, a soul mate, friends, mentors, hobbies, adventures or self help books. The age at which they reach for help usually depends on their lack of failure until then. Privileged kids don't usually face serious hardship that shatters their confidence until their start-up fails, their marriage tanks or their addictive habits get the better of them. That's when their ability to persist gets truly tested. When you are closer to the bread line this test comes very early and self help books are affordable and accessible. Self help books are are written to help and not to win the Pulitzer. I think they rather deliberately don't use big words or scary terms - it would go against the idea of extending genuine help. Plus, the advice is still as good if it comes off the sidewalk hawker in pirated print. I am glad self help gurus and their books exist for the unwashed masses who can't afford personal sessions with Sri Sris and SSRIs.
Re: [silk] On self-improvement
On Fri, Aug 23, 2013 at 7:37 AM, Sriram Karra wrote: > On Wed, Aug 21, 2013 at 9:42 AM, Thaths wrote: > > > On Aug 20, 2013 8:48 PM, "Sriram Karra" wrote: > > > > > > > > > > I was asking if GTD can be considered self help. > > > > > > > > > The above strongly indicates your question is really something else. > > If not > > > why do you care one way or the other? So, Thaths, what is your *real* > > > question? > > > > I don't understand. Can you elaborate? > > > > Hehehe. What I am personally curious about is to know why you asked that > question in the first place. As I prefaced my first post in this thread up-stream, I did not even remember seeing this thread (from 2009) when it first appeared in this list. I stumbled into this thread searching for something else. Re-reading this thread I wondered if there were socio-economic factors behind the uniformly negative reactions (in this thread) to the Covey/Carnegie-genre of self-help books. > Do you have a particular view on the self-help > genre? My view is that judging by the fact that platforms in India are littered with pirated copies of these books, there must be a large leadership. And they must sell well because, presumably, a largish segment of the population find these books useful. I began to wonder if hipster life hacking was different from self-help. Maybe the difference between the two is socio-economic? > Do you feel it changes anything about the self-help genre or about > the GTD cult one way or the other? It was the juxtaposition of your > question with Kiran's strong views that triggered this curiosity. > It doesn't change anything about the self-help genre (or GTD). Thaths -- Homer: Hey, what does this job pay? Carl: Nuthin'. Homer: D'oh! Carl: Unless you're crooked. Homer: Woo-hoo!
Re: [silk] On self-improvement
On Wed, Aug 21, 2013 at 9:44 AM, Udhay Shankar N wrote: > On Wed, Aug 21, 2013 at 9:42 AM, Thaths wrote: > > > > The above strongly indicates your question is really something else. > If not > > > why do you care one way or the other? So, Thaths, what is your *real* > > > question? > > > > I don't understand. Can you elaborate? > > > Sounds like Karra is experimenting with an ELIZA bot. :) > > Heh, reading the above exchange, hard to say which side Eliza is on? :)
Re: [silk] On self-improvement
On Wed, Aug 21, 2013 at 9:42 AM, Thaths wrote: > On Aug 20, 2013 8:48 PM, "Sriram Karra" wrote: > > > > > > > I was asking if GTD can be considered self help. > > > > > > The above strongly indicates your question is really something else. > If not > > why do you care one way or the other? So, Thaths, what is your *real* > > question? > > I don't understand. Can you elaborate? > Hehehe. What I am personally curious about is to know why you asked that question in the first place. Do you have a particular view on the self-help genre? Do you feel it changes anything about the self-help genre or about the GTD cult one way or the other? It was the juxtaposition of your question with Kiran's strong views that triggered this curiosity.
