The Toxic World of Self Help: Hustle Culture, Toxic Positivity, Addiction, and Fake Gurus.

Comments · 30K

• JA

  @JamesJani · 6 years ago (edited) · pinned

  IMPORTANT CLARIFICATION/CORRECTIONS:<br>I want to preface this by saying that I don’t think the entirety of the self-help industry is bad – and as some of you have rightly pointed out, not all the fault should be given to the industry itself, consumers of the industry need to take accountability for their actions as well.<br> <br>Self-help has benefited me greatly, but only when I approached it from a place of not using self-help as a “quick fix” for motivation and happiness –this video was intended to look at various traps that people can fall into if they use this industry in the wrong way, which I had been doing previously. <br><br>I realise now that there must be a BALANCE – both your consumption and action must have a symbiotic relationship, and a combination of both can make self-help something that could prove to be genuinely useful. <br><br>So with that in mind, see this video as a look into the aspects of self-help that have been taken and misused by both the producers and the consumers of the industry, but not a hit piece on the self-help industry as a whole. <br>Hope this clarifies things! 🙏<br><br>Edit #1: Also, when I say “my first year in college” in this video I am referring to sixth form (US equivalent of grades 11/12) - we sometimes call this “college” in the UK.<br><br>Edit #2: I was harsh when including clips of Gary Vaynerchuk in this video! - Although I didn&apos;t mention him by name specifically, I did imply that he was somehow a negative influence of the &quot;self-help&quot; community. Gary V is actually very outspoken against certain aspects of the self-help industry that I&apos;ve referenced to in this video, and he is a legitimate entrepreneur who profits mostly from his media company, not from self-help. By no stretch of the imagination should he be pegged in the same category as &quot;guru&apos;s&quot; like Grant Cardone - this was definitely a mistake on my part.<br><br>Edit #3: I recommended Echarte Tolle&apos;s &quot;The Power of Now&quot; book at the end of this video. I want to emphasise that whilst I enjoy this book for its philosophy on mindfulness, and bringing awareness to your thoughts, I do belive that are many elements of the book that are &quot;woo-woo&quot; and pseudoscience. Bare that in mind if you ever purchase his book.

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• AL

  @alr.3137 · 6 years ago

  The point is: Life is confusing, there is a lot of suffering, and there will never be anything perfect

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• JO

  @joshcollins5362 · 6 years ago

  Spot on. When I saw authors quoting themselves, or starting off with &apos;I was a loser like you&apos;, that when the illusion was broken. The narcissism was sickening.

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• KA

  @kamauxkamau · 1 year ago

  Reading too much self-help books is like watching workout videos and expecting to get fit

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• RA

  @randombear5353 · 1 year ago

  I actually had a friend addicted to all of it. Every time I asked how he was doing he always answered with a &quot;I&apos;m rippin&apos; and grippin&apos; it!&quot; He always had a tape playing with some kind of motivational speaker. He killed himself one day at 40.

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• JO

  @john_dren · 6 years ago (edited)

  Toxic positivity is a huge one that in culture globally, people have now ended up shaming others for being <b>real</b> rather than <i>“positive”</i> .

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• IN

  @inkdragon3455 · 5 years ago

  “A patient healed is a customer lost.” <br>This is the mindset of the self care industry.

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• JA

  @jademondia6537 · 6 years ago

  &quot;DO NOT consume more than you put into action.&quot; &nbsp;<br>That, right there, is gold! 🔥👏🏽💛

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• MR

  @MrSaunamies95 · 1 year ago

  This self help industry trap reminds me quote from South Park<br>&quot;If it needs to be seen by everybody, then why don&apos;t you put it out on the internet for free?&quot;

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• GI

  @gibransanchez5753 · 6 years ago

  &quot;the business of selling hope&quot; is going to grow exponentially during this global crisis, great video! Thank you!

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• RE

  @renepeterhans6225 · 5 years ago (edited)

  <b>Reading self-help books can be in itself a form of procrastination.</b>

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• BU

  @BugsandMammot · 5 years ago

  Life becomes complicated when you’re looking not for happiness but for perfection, looking for acceptance from the others not by self acceptance

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