History of self-help Should Self Help be eliminated for true growth?

[charlie cho]

I had encountered many saying self-help cannot help anybody especially spiritually. I think there is a certain truth in this statement, but not entirely. So I inquired into this matter seriously whether this is true or not.

If we define self-help, anything that helps the person consuming it is self-help right? Isn't the Tao Teh Ching, Chuang Tzu's writings a self help book then? After all, it is regarded mostly to be written for leaders of a country (at the time when several warlords were fighting for power in china) explaining how one should govern first himself and the people of the realm. What about Sun Tzu's Art of War? Nietzsche's books such as "Thus Spoke Zarathustra" or "Beyond Good and Evil"? Musashi's "Book of Five Rings".... etc.

What is the history of self-help? Why do people regard Tony Robbin's books self help but immediately put "Thus Spoke Zarathustra" or Plato's Republic on Philosophy? After all, most Nietzsche's writings were to hammer on the useless ideas Nietzsche regarded to be wrong. He said, "I philosophize with a hammer. I speak what others write in a book in one sentence." Plato was brooding on how one should govern a city... etc. Aren't these self help for the mind and being a leader? Leadership ain't a joke. 

 

[Advocate]

@charlie cho Isn’t every human action in a sense an action of self-help? Even if it’s destructive from an outside perspective, it may still be “helping” someone. For instance, manipulative behavior in a relationship that helps keeping the relationship alive. 

[aurum]

@charlie cho

Yeah it's a pretty silly label. I wouldn't let people's perceptions about it bother you.