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Has AI already killed self-help nonfiction books?

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Re: Has AI already killed self-help nonfiction books?

#331

Post by Imustaskforhelp »

Fantosism wrote: post #246
murkt wrote: post #226

Earlier quoted context omitted.

“Never Split the Difference”, which is a book about how to successfully communicate with terrorists. Very suitable for talking with kids! I’ve even read aloud a few chapters to my kids, because it’s very suitable for communication with parents as well

I mean this with the purest intentions. I've read Never Split the Difference, Never Eat Alone, Getting More, How to Win Friends and Influence People, etc. How do you get it to feel like it's not manipulation? I get all of these books advertise not to lie, but at the end of the day, I'm reshaping my speech to achieve a certain goal, rather than to convey facts. The best line I've come up with is something like: am I s…

I have read How to Win friends and Influence People and I haven't felt like its manipulation.

[I can be wrong and I usually am ;)] but the book teaches just some way to better re-phrase your best intentions and I have started to think the phrases in my head...

Just be honest with people is what that book taught me. I highly recommend people reading it.

Now I will be honest that reading the book itself isn't gonna give you something. It depends highly on variety of factors. For example, the book also teaches to listen more often and I genuinely try to do it as well but I sometimes fail to do that as I am a bit expressive/talkative

I think it also depends on who you are and how the book reinforces some particular topics. You dont have to completely do everything the book says to have meaningful impact as then it would feel manipulative to other person, yea.

And at the very least, reading this books makes you aware of some logic behind what he's saying (for example. I speak a lot but I should listen more, because people like me are so many and everyone likes to speak and be heard but people who actually listen are rare)

and then I can realize that I am speaking too much and so I think that I am more aware.

More Awareness of a topic doesn't mean complete and utter mastery of it but long term persistence of that awareness helps out meaningfully.

TLDR: Just be yourself and see if something sticks from the books and to implement it slowly and the way you like. There isn't one perfect way (not one even in the books) to living life. At best, its collection of what other successful people are doing. I wouldn't suggest (completely) living off the books because you have your own life and way of living it and you should be honest about it to yourself as well.

Re: Has AI already killed self-help nonfiction books?

#332

Post by toasty228 »

digitaltrees wrote: post #117
__alexander wrote: post #50

Personally, I see the self-help industry dying because people are starting to realize that it’s just a network of individuals selling products, promoting each other’s products, and creating new avenues to sell more products. I refer to it as the “self-help mafia.” Tim Ferriss kind of created it.

Hard disagree. I have read lots of books, participated in events and training seminars and had profound results in my life. My marriage is better because of what I learned, I am a better father and leader because of what I learned. And the fact that people sell things as part of that growth journey is how they support their ability to share the lessons and techniques.

You know it's a cult when you can't tell if it's an erowid LSD trip report conclusion or a comment about the self-help community

Re: Has AI already killed self-help nonfiction books?

#333

Post by jpfromlondon »

MengerSponge wrote: post #84
curuinor wrote: post #69

Earlier quoted context omitted.

the man leveraged the fact that his name was the same as Andrew Carnegie (having no relation) to launch a publishing empire. it was hacks from the beginning

Highly recommend "If Books Could Kill" https://bsky.app/profile/ifbookspod.bsky.social It really is all the same book.

[dead]

Re: Has AI already killed self-help nonfiction books?

#334

Post by PatronBernard »

__alexander wrote: post #50

Personally, I see the self-help industry dying because people are starting to realize that it’s just a network of individuals selling products, promoting each other’s products, and creating new avenues to sell more products. I refer to it as the “self-help mafia.” Tim Ferriss kind of created it.

I'd say it's just moved from books to influencers on social media. Still plenty of money in misleading vulnerable people.

Re: Has AI already killed self-help nonfiction books?

#335

Post by nephihaha »

dimitrios1 wrote: post #183
__alexander wrote: post #50

Personally, I see the self-help industry dying because people are starting to realize that it’s just a network of individuals selling products, promoting each other’s products, and creating new avenues to sell more products. I refer to it as the “self-help mafia.” Tim Ferriss kind of created it.

Not to be a contrarian, because I agree for a lot of the industry, but there are some genuine gems out there. Few examples: Extreme Ownership really helped me be a better leader and take more accountability for my own actions Atomic Habits really helped me think about goal setting and what the underlying driver was Coaching Habit improved my 1:1s drastically (I basically stopped talking or advice giving and just list…

I'd agree with that. A lot of rubbish is out there, but there are some helpful things. Even the Law of Attraction can be helpful if viewed through the lens of positive thinking (i.e. you can handle bad situations better if you are in a good frame of mind which will make your life better.)

Re: Has AI already killed self-help nonfiction books?

#336

Post by nephihaha »

PaulHoule wrote: post #27
deadbabe wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes! plenty of them: The Secret, The 4-hour Work Week, Rich Dad Poor Dad, Think and Grow Rich, etc…

I think there are some good things in the 4-hour Work Week but the concept as a whole is problematic: e.g. Tim Ferris himself has more like a 400-hour work week. Rich Dad Poor Dad is a right wing scam. There is a psychotechnology that people call "magic" but The Secret and Think and Grow Rich won't teach you it.

The Secret is good for encouraging positive thinking. I think we have been fed fear mongering non-stop by the media and governments for at least ten years.

If you are in a good frame of mind, you will handle bad situations better, turning them into good situations which means you will have more of them. A better way of thinking about it than just saying you will attract positivity into your life.

Re: Has AI already killed self-help nonfiction books?

#337

Post by nephihaha »

jayers wrote: post #174
jasonfarnon wrote: post #128

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"because of what I learned." Do these books/seminars actually teach you something new about being married or a father, that you didn't know before? Like what? I always figured they were more about coaching, persuasion, convincing. To the extent I've scanned them, I never saw any kind of new fact, definitely not about something like being married.

Self help usually doesn't teach you anything that is new. Usually they just repackage the same common sense that you've heard a million times before in a new way. That doesn't mean it is useless though, I have had my own life changed by several self help/business books. Sometimes you just need someone to tell you common sense in the right way so that you actually listen to it.

What if you are raised in a toxic environment? Many are. The news media is also packaged in such a way as to cause fear, alarm and misery. Sometimes you have to break free of that. There is a lot of bad advice out there especially in the modern world.

Re: Has AI already killed self-help nonfiction books?

#338

Post by jeffrwells »

Here I had Claude rewrite his post into a 300 word version without all the filler.

https://claude.ai/public/artifacts/d49d81d6-7aab-4730-9c3c-4...

Which I’m sharing as a meta point…I think self help books are declining because there’s a better way to get the information without all the filler. But filler makes the books thick enough to sell at the airport

Also - aren’t LLMs the ultimate choose your own adventure version of the information?

Re: Has AI already killed self-help nonfiction books?

#339

Post by ubercore »

digitaltrees wrote: post #117
__alexander wrote: post #50

Personally, I see the self-help industry dying because people are starting to realize that it’s just a network of individuals selling products, promoting each other’s products, and creating new avenues to sell more products. I refer to it as the “self-help mafia.” Tim Ferriss kind of created it.

Hard disagree. I have read lots of books, participated in events and training seminars and had profound results in my life. My marriage is better because of what I learned, I am a better father and leader because of what I learned. And the fact that people sell things as part of that growth journey is how they support their ability to share the lessons and techniques.

Willing to bet the fact that you went looking to improve is the thing that made the difference, not anything you learned from those seminars.

Re: Has AI already killed self-help nonfiction books?

#340

Post by Ekaros »

geraneum wrote: post #263

> 2025 was the first big drop, 2026 looks more severe, and the only thing that’s really changed in that timeframe is the acceleration of AI. It all hinges on this statement. But I’m not sure it’s really AI that’s doing it, and not just a contributing factor. There’s higher cost of living, inflation, economic uncertainty, seemingly looming financial crisis, etc. A lot of impactful things happened!

Weirdly I would expect those things to boost sales. At least of certain type of content at right sale price. People will always look for easy solutions. And self-help is exactly that. Or maybe we are already over the horizon where no hope is left...
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