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/lit/ - Literature

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16725135 No.16725135 [Reply] [Original]

Why does the general public seem to love these self help change your mindset live your best life books but refuse to read legitimate philosophy?

>> No.16725155

>>16725135
As you can tell subtlety isn’t their strong suit

>> No.16725156

>>16725135
What thread posted after this one just got deleted?

>> No.16725402

>>16725135
Isn’t it obvious? It’s easy. This particular movement has been in control since the 60s. The concept that, if you simply fill somebody with a high self-esteem they will become happy, was something everybody fell for at some point or another. It came from psychological studies that have since been debunked as far as I know. It is the equivalent of telling a guy who wants dating advice to “just be yourself bro” Through the decades people have become more miserable but also more entitled. The crass nature of these books show the death grumble of this “philosophy” as it’s gone from something positive to something negative which becomes exhausting quite quickly.

Actual philosophy takes work, not just the literature but the implementation of the principles in daily life. Taking this path means that you will constantly fall short and excoriate yourself for every failure because you’re aiming for something akin to the divine. Now Anon you tell me, why would you do all that, when you just stop giving a fuck?

>> No.16725443

The more annoying thing is how this "genre" has sabotaged the reputation of self-improvement works in general. People equate the garbage quality of mass market self help books with the idea of self-help literature in general, when the latter still has tons of potential and ways we can build off of what our ancestors left us.

>> No.16725534

>>16725135
Yes, this book is cringe, etc. However, do we really need a thread on /lit/ circlejerking ourselves for pretending to read Hegel or whatever and therefore being superior to the unwashed masses who read pop philosophy with the shameful and pathetic ambition of improving their mindset? Ironically the pretentions of smug elitists such as ourselves probably contribute more to the general public's hatred of "real philosophy" more than we're comfortable admitting. Maybe this will serve as a gateway to better books for a few readers, or maybe not. It also serves an important narrative function for you: it represents something that you are *not*, something you are above.

>> No.16725551

>>16725135
"Legitimate philosophy" is for mongs who can neither get laid or get a job
Comfy dumbed-down books that tell people what they already know and makes it appear smart it good for your self-esteem

>> No.16725580

>>16725135

>why does the general public love low effort, jokey, confirmation-bias type books instead of ones which challenge or expand their world view?

>> No.16725607

>>16725135
The former offers a solution to the problems in their lives. The latter is utterly irrelevant.

>> No.16725621

I haven't read this book, but I have it downloaded.
I instead read The Courage To Be Disliked, and much prefer it to what I'm assuming this book is about.
TCTBD isn't the author telling you what to do and feel, but rather you reading an explorative conversation between a naive youth and wise old philosopher.
I read it through my phone and ivona TTS while going on walks or doing dishes. As the characters discussed, I analyzed and understood.

>> No.16725637

>>16725443
Can you suggest some examples of self-help literature that is actually worth reading?

>> No.16725647

Why do you read a book every few days but 50+ tweets in a day?

>> No.16725651

>>16725637
The Courage To Be Disliked was pretty great, you can see how I feel about it >>16725621

>> No.16725659

>>16725637
Meditation and contemplation of ones own self

>> No.16726765

self help is gay because it doesnt even pretend ti be based on, or searching for, any kind of truths
it's all happy thoughts that have to be accepted because the author says so

>> No.16726793

Because it offers more "practical" solutions than some self-absorbed "philosopher" who rambles on about obscure and abstract concepts in such a manner that makes understanding what point they're trying to make unclear. Most philosophers are utter garbage and would be ridiculed if they put forward their views in a way that could be clearly understood (hence blocking the ability of them to hide behind obscure wording).

>> No.16726798

>>16725135
Legitimate philosophy isn't an intellectual form of self-help you dumb nigger

>> No.16726801

Self help and philosophy are two completely different things. How the fuck is Kant or Deleuze gonna teach me to not give a fuck and fuck hot bitches?

>> No.16726809

>>16726798
Isn't stoa though?

>> No.16726823

>>16725637
Benjamin Franklin's life was like an experiment in how great a man can become by strict adherence to a set of precepts designed to bring out the best of his potential.

>> No.16726825

>>16725637
Mastery and The Art of Seduction by Robert Greene are pretty good if you're looking for something contemporary.

>> No.16726866

What is this book even about?

>> No.16726879

>>16725534
Fantastic post. Sometimes when I read stuff like this on /lit/ I wonder if it's all coming from the same person. Even the punctuation is high IQ. Based and self-pilled.

>> No.16726880

>>16725135
Because it's easy.

>> No.16726889

>>16726825
cringe

>> No.16726908

>>16725135
Serious question: Do these books ever benefit people? Or is it just placebo?

Like, have people actually learned to not give a fuck from this book, or have they just read things they like and as a result rated it highly?

>> No.16726913

>>16726908
Many self helpers will say that the placebo effect is enough for them.

>> No.16726914
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16726914

>>16725637
This is pretty great. Lil B is kind of an outsider, but this book gives you a new perspective on the world. It's one third philosophical aphorisms, one third self-help and one third autobiography of Lil B.

http://1339.archive.tjw.moe/oupmik.pdf

>> No.16726920

>>16726809
No. Self-help is antimetaphysical and pro-pragmatism. Stoicism is antipragmatic.

>> No.16726969

>>16726920
I probably haven't read enough bzt why is stoa anti pragmatic? What I read sounded like result oriented, practical rules for a better life.

>> No.16727030

>>16726913
Placebo effect is a myth.
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/study-finds-placebo-effec/

>> No.16727266

>>16727030
At the end it says that there is an effect for studies with subjective outcome and pain, the exact things self help is used for.