Are self-help books hypocritical?

Answer 1

That depends on how you look at it. Each book is written by a person based on their own education and life experience. Some have learned from their mistakes and offer their new found (or long term) knowledge to possibly help others who are going through similar situations.

Because everyone is different, you will find conflicting ideas in these books. What works for one individual, may not be the best choice for another. It's also important to remember that we are all human; we all have flaws, we all make mistakes, and we will all continue to make mistakes...even the writers of self-help books.

Armed with that knowledge, I believe that the books aren't meant to prove that the authors are perfect, flawless, and all-knowing. Instead I think their purpose is to help the rest of us realize that we are not alone in our struggles as we go through life; that others have gone through similar situations to those we are experiencing now, and we can use their knowledge to gain new ideas and perspectives that will help us change old patterns and adopt new ways of improving (not perfecting) our own state of life. I think the books are meant to be used as a catalyst and starting point, giving us some new insights as we work towards continually making improvements in our own situations.

Hope this helps.

Answer 2

It depends on who wrote the book.Dr Phil has several books on marriage,but he cheated on his first wife to be with his current wife Robyn.

Answer 3

no