Fiction Is Better Than Self Help (why I never liked self help books)
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 11 มิ.ย. 2024
- In this video I talk about why fiction is better than self help and why I never liked self help books. I tell you how you should read books to gain knowledge and the types of books you should read.
00:00 - Intro
00:37 - Video structure
01:06 - Why do self help books sell?
03:00 - Why fiction is better than self help
06:16 - What other types of books to read
07:28 - How to read books to gain knowledge
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Sadly, every time one thinks of non-fiction one thinks of self-help books, very rarely one thinks about philosophy, pop science, or biographies. Apparently, these books help more in improving oneself than the so-called self-help guides.
Hopefully, more people listen to this video ❤
Exactly! My problem is that self help has become synonymous with non fiction. And in my opinion there are so many other genres in non fiction that might actually help more.
Problem with self help book is: people don't stick to one book but try to use many books to change themselves......😮😮😮😮
It's okay if people read more than one book. It's that they don't use it and implement it that is the problem.
So here is the thing, I started my reading journey with a nonfiction book..and here I am, fallen in love with reading because of fiction.. that's the power of a good fiction book❤
Edit: I truly admire your work Shruti..love from West Bengal❤
Fiction books have the capacity to draw you in like no other. Of course, this is totally biased opinion 😉
I absolutely agree! I am not a big fan of self-help books. Fiction in many cases are not just stories, but one can learn a lot as it has a lot of element of truth, history, scientific facts etc. Also, the message is best conveyed when it's told through POV of characters and stories. A few examples are: Birdsong by Sebastian Faulks enlightened me about the war tactics used in world war 1, Seven moons of Mali Almeida talked about the riots that marred Sri Lanka in the 80s, The Midnight's Children beautifully depicts the political scene in India right after independence, Dark Matter a science fiction, educated me about the Schrodinger Cat experiment. I have learnt so much from these fiction, and these are just a few examples.
Thanks Shruti, for making this much needed video.
You put your examples forward in such a nice manner. People rarely talk about the lessons from fiction books but they are soaking in so much as they read. That’s the power of good storytelling!!
One of the best videos on this topic, completly agree.
I was a self help books addict but after sometime... They all say what we already know but are afraid or lazy of doing. Like eating less and exercise more to lose weight. We already know that.
Fiction is totally different and some really challenge our world view
Happy to see you back, making youtube videos 🤍
You and your way of explaining stupendous.❤
Great video Shruti❤❤
I couldn't agree more . I mean people think reading self help " non fiction" in general is "intellectual" ...I feel reading is nothing to do with intelligence...it's about a source of entertainment. Or a source of research.....no one should make you feel less reader or inferior because you like your kind of genre...if one does then they seriously have some issues I am sorry..I always feel " read whatever you like...just read" read or watch anything makes you happy and entertains you..and you feel content with your utilisation of your leisure time. I have seen people shaming saying " you have a bad taste if you enjoy y/a books" i mean if a kids book is getting an adult into reading, if a y/a is getting someone out of their reading slump then who arr you to shame us judge us for reading the genre we like? Booktalks and book tubes are getting toxic these days Shruti. I want to tell you that you are the one book tuber that i am subscribed to ...and i enjoy your videos and love them....keep good care of yourself ❤❤❤ happy reading ❤
I read 7 habbits.. Monk who sold his.. Power of subconscious mind.. Subtle art and all.. Was never convinced. But then i switched to fiction and there was no way back
1. Fiction books keep you engaged. Its a brain exercise because you need to remember the events for next session of reading.
2. Scenario based learning.
3. The more you switch between authors, the more your brain benefits from reading as style changes moulding your way you interact with different styled people.
3. Fiction books that have character based chapters help your brain engage in knowing how will person think based on his nature.
4. More empathy through reading fiction.
5. They are fun.
Sameer. So agree ❤
I'd love some fiction suggestions. ... on nvm, I found your book playlists! Oh and talking about history and politics: RF Kuang's 'Babel'. That was so thought-provoking.
100% agree with every single word you said. So true what you said about self help books offering cookie cutter solutions, no two people think the same so I feel these books are pointless. Also people follow the book's advice without proper guidance from qualified people and when they dont see the results the book promised, it leads to bigger issues in my opinion. And its truly sad that non fiction has now been reduced to only self help books. There is so much more to explore like you said. I am a hardcore fiction reader, occassionally dabbling in non fiction, mostly memoirs and autobiographies. My dad is a voracious non fiction reader, mostly reads political/ journalistic books.
I love how beautifully you articulated the issues with self help books. I could never put it this way to people who argue i should read self help books. Will show your video next time someone bugs me to read self help books 😂
I 100% agree with the title💕
I've felt the same way too; I never really understood why some or most of the people consider reading non-fiction as productive and fiction as a waste of time when, in reality, stories have a deep impact on us.
Ughh!! I hate when people say these things about fiction books.
Thank you so much shruti for pointing this out!
For me, real life motivation and self realization >>> self help books
Totally agree that self realisation is a good way to grow! 💯
@@fandomnewbie yes so true shruti!
Self help books might not work the same for everyone 😬
Just today I removed around 40 self help books from my (600+) tbr!! I think only a handful of self help books are good and I think I have already read them. Also, I think lot of popular self help books have intriguing titles that makes people buy them.
Yeah, Atomic Habits is one of them. That's possibly the only self help book I have liked.
You opened my eyes! Started reading 1 year now I had to start with self-help books cause i have insecurities which is rightly pointed me to buy such self-help books to feed my unsuccessful feeling. ... After having a shelf Full of self-help books now I'm still same but I've became fast reader.... Your video is an eye-opener for me now I'm going to continue reading Just to feel good about reading nd finishing a book. Making new shelf for graphic novels now😊
Reading non fiction is really like reading academic books. I have some non fiction collection especially self help books and I haven't read anyone of them till the date.
Your videos are addictive. I frequently check TH-cam for your videos(even though I get notifications whenever you post them). They are a motivation for me to read books whenever I am in a reading slump.😄
Looking forward for more videos❤️
I think it all comes down to your liking. There are some genres within non fiction that I really enjoy - like memoirs or some historical, true crime, journalistic books. But sadly no one talks about these because self help has become synonymous with non fiction.
@@fandomnewbie That's right 💯
I really agree with you didi .......
Well the bigger issue of younger generation is that they read no books!
I never read a self help book nor I am gonna be . I feel like Self-help books give wrong and sometimes harmful advice, they give false hope, they make uncertain people just feel worse about themselves also if they already work, it is not because of the advices given in the self-help books, but because of the fact that people pay attention to something that they didn't pay attention to before.
Yup, I agree with you. I'm not sure about harmful advice, but I think a lot of the advice is very superficial. Especially in the clickbaity books that are super famous.
I agree with you 💯
I don't agree that self help books don't help they are helpful if you put those learnings into action they are science based, psychology based knowledge how human brain works & every author is not saying the things you want to achieve will come to you sooner if you follow them they are just perspective of people in different ways.
Example: I read Atomic Habits & it helped me to develop a workout habit that I've been following since 2 months .
Conclusion: self help books are helpful if you put action on it.
I totally agree with you. There are definitely some self help books which are better than others. Atomic Habits is one I have read myself and I really liked it. As for them being scientific, my counter to that is, how many people actually go and check if the science they refer to is legit? How many do the homework to see if the scientific papers they are saying are sources are peer reviewed or if there is an alternative to their views?
When you read a self help book, you take what the author is saying as sacrosanct. Just as I read Atomic Habits and didn't really read any other book about habits because one was enough.
Even when it comes to self help, I feel that people need to have more critical thought. People need to check sources. People need to read other authors. That's how in my opinion you gain knowledge. Even if you put into action what a self help book tells you, have you really become more knowledgeable?
@@fandomnewbieself help books of good authors are backed by research, you can check yourself.
Reading them increases your intellectual, psychological, decision making knowledge, it changes perspective of one towards life makes them more humble and ground to earth
Reading them makes new neurons connection in the brain which improves cognition whereas reading fiction or imaginary stories just gives dopamine shot, it doesn't improves cognition
I agree to most of points you made, except some of your opinions regarding self help books, where I could sense, being from a business major, that you don't know the basics of economics.
She is talking my inner words in her voice.
I'm glad this resonated!!
@fandomnewbie self help books of good authors are backed by research, you can check yourself.
Reading them increases your intellectual, psychological, decision making knowledge, it changes perspective of one towards life makes them more humble and ground to earth.
Reading them makes new neurons connection in the brain which improves cognition whereas reading fiction or imaginary stories just gives dopamine shot, it doesn't improves cognition
I agree that there are certain self help books that might be good. But I disagree that fiction is useless. There is neurological and psychological research done that shows that reading fiction improves social cognition, increases empathy, reduces stress. Renowned authors like Wilde, Orwell etc, are known to impart philosophical teachings and their writing helps improve critical thinking.
Hi Shruti didi can u recommend me novels where the story goes through journal entries. I hope u get what i am trying to tell
The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a great book which is written in this format. There is also Anne Frank's diary if you haven't read that already :)
Please do a review of Percy Jackson and the chalice of gods...
Just started reading non fiction books again after a long gap & then you put this video online 😜 lol
hahaha..I think there are many non fiction books which are great - like memoirs, historical books, true crime :)
@@fandomnewbie 💯
Cant agree more Shruti
I started reading several self help books and now been saturated and bored
So i sarted to enjoy Fiction books and finished of my first fiction book “the Alchemist " now want to read
Book on ROMANCE can you just one for the beginners book on romance preferably by indian author please
I haven’t read it, but you could consider reading Forty Rules of Love by Elif Shafak.
No, I do not agree with you on some things. If a book not giving you anything new, then pick up that book read a little and leave it.
Self-help books are like therapy sessions. You've to take action against things that bother you. And also every book is not for everyone.
Fantasy/Fiction books are my favourite but self-help books also help me with some(not all) critical things in my life.
So People shouldn't stop reading self-help books because you told them to. It's their choice. Only share your thoughts about why you stopped reading those books.
You cannot claim that fiction is superior to non-fiction. Fiction can offer readers amusement, escape, and understanding of the human condition by letting them examine other viewpoints and experiences. Self-help books, on the other hand, provide helpful tips, methods, and resources for developing oneself and solving problems. Each genre has advantages and disadvantages, and what is ultimately "better" depends on the needs and goals of the individual.
Your first statement is what I find extremely problematic. I never said fiction is superior to non fiction. I said in my opinion (opinion being a key word) that fiction is better than self help. Self Help has become synonymous with Non Fiction, and that mindset needs to change. In fact through my video I have given various examples of non fiction genres to read - historical, political, business, memoirs explaining the journey of a person. All of these are laced with tips, resources and methods - and again in my opinion, they help more than self help.
There are definitely some self help books that are great! Atomic Habits is one I've read that has immensely helped me. But a lot of the ones that become famous have surface level tips and a few like Rich Dad Poor Dad have even been proven to not work. This video is to tell my audience to open their horizons and to look at sources of the books they are reading, to read as many books on a subject as possible and critically think about the content of the book.
@@fandomnewbie "Should someone who is having trouble developing positive habits look at 'Atomic Habits' or study politics and history? Is there a method that works for everyone? If I can't put self-help books' advice into practice, there might be a deeper problem than just the material in the book. I would suggest that if someone confides in me about their struggles with habits, they should look into "Atomic Habits" rather than binge-watching fantasy literature like the Harry Potter series. Going even further, journaling is a significant discipline that promotes reflection and frequently leads to the revelation of answers. Plus, reading through 'Meditations' by Marcus Aurelius provides priceless insights. But even with this level of knowledge, your video has given me a fresh perspective. I'm grateful for 🙏
@@alfamale7091 LOL of course not. If a person turns to politics or history for habit building, they would be looking in the wrong place. However, I did also mention business books which can help in picking up tips for how to do certain things. Some sports persons have also written books with tips about habit building. And so along with Atomic Habits, I would ask them to consume these to gain various perspectives from people and then form their own opinion on what might work for them. Rather than just taking one book as sacrosanct.
@@fandomnewbieI think that self-examination or self-questioning is significantly more advanced than reading fiction because you already possess all the knowledge and perspectives you will ever need; Despite TH-camrs vampire-like hold on your attention, focus it on things that fulfill you and help you achieve your goals. Ask yourself questions; self-reflection is more insightful than the wisdom of a thousand fictional characters.all that's needed is everyday action and a compelling narrative. Achieving your goals on a daily basis through patience and dedication is the foundation of success. Such unwavering efforts are what lead to actual accomplishments.