Post 79 - Let them? Or not.
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- Опубликовано: 5 фев 2025
- Why are strange 'self help' books popular at the moment? What is going on? This Post explores self help in our present, and the strange popularity of Mel Robbins and her book The Let Them Theory. Let's - together - make meaning and mattering.
Thanks Tara. I vividly recall someone introducing Mel Robbin’s to me and felt ill as I listened to her speak. Fortunately I was not vulnerable when I heard her speak. What a way to speak about other human beings, the known and unknown to her. People living without a home are living. The choices made by people suffering as a result of structural and policy inadequacies don’t feel like they have choices. Mel Robbin’s misuse of her privilege offensive. Thanks for the analysis always appreciate the rigour you bring and the references you provide to further our education.
I love how you do the work to understand who these people are. Mel Robbins, Sheryl Sandberg, Vice Chancellors. Their biography is so often shadowy, scant, fictive; the narrative they’ve crafted taken at face value. It reminds me of Naomi Klein’s work to understand Naomi Wolf in Doppelgänger. Thank you for sharing these original insights.
Hi Lucky Henry - you rock. And yep - my priority is to try to get underneath the PR. And present the references - so you can all check my work and correct me! But I'm trying to re-establish the importance of credibility, transparency, rigour and accountability. I will fail - but let's all give it a good go :) txxx
Tara , you did justice to this one ! Thank you for such an insightful video which reminds us not to blindly consume unfounded popular culture material which “everyone “ seems to celebrate and not question.
Morning Bev - thanks so much. I want the best popular culture - Thinking Popular Culture - and this book is not it ;). Thank you for being you! txxx
Thank you for your insight into the self help genre. Mel Robbins has always caused me discomfort but I could never put it into words. xxx
Me too, Kerang. Me too. It was good to do the research and see what is happening. Biggest wave to you! txxx
Self help is a scam. Thank you Tara for exposing it and the so called gurus who profiteer from it. Yes please to a Post on TEDTalkification. I’m looking forward to it
Helloooo magnificent Noma. Thank you for the comment. You are magnificent. And yes - I've got some books arriving in the mail and downloading to the iPad. Tedtalkification - we are on :) Biggest hug to you :) txxx
A narcissist acting like a narcissist doesn’t shock me. What I find appalling is this: firstly, that our societies have become so uncaring and lacking in empathy towards our fellow humans, that the cruel messages that Mel Robbins proposes aren’t registering as cruel or wrong to people. I personally have always felt that social media is heavily to blame for the warped behavior and mentality that too many people seem to display nowadays.
Secondly, I’m appalled by the lack of journalistic integrity that the New York Times continues to display, whether it’s in news articles or, in this case, a best sellers list. I personally stopped taking the NYT’s seriously years ago when I saw that the ideas they were promoting and/or reporting on were either unethical or clearly not fact-checked/researched.
So the fact that they’re once again promoting inappropriate material unfortunately doesn’t surprise me. But if one good thing could come from this, it’s that i hope academia starts asking serious questions about journalistic integrity, as well as integrity in the information age; especially when we now live in a world where everyone thinks they’re ‘investigators’ in the age of social media.
👏👏👏🔥🔥🔥
Thanks JC - a naw-tee one ;) txxx
Very interesting analysis. I will reference this in my research. I don't think I had a participant who reads Mel Robbins at all. Interestingly, recommendation played a huge part in choosing what to read in the personal development and self help genres so that suggests their recommenders don't read Mel either. Further reflection: my bookcase is full of authors that my clients read and there is no Mel on my bookshelf.
Great and useful video as usual.
Tara's Takedowns! I loved your takedown of Sheryl Sanderg and her 'Lean In.' Now a takedown of Mel Robbin's and her more contemporary 'Let Them.' Wonderful! Well-researched, well-organized, and well-presented. We---including those of us who would be vulnerable to these self-help messengers---need more of Tara's Takedowns! At the very least, we would save ourselves some money or a few hours reading the wrong thing at the public library.
Oh And, as always, your fast-moving reference list is a treasure trove!
Wow, I remember Mel Robbins from 2018 when I would resort to the internet's less known corners for comfort (an interesting period);
I wonder how many people have noticed these 'contents' are purely based on repetition and an outdated dose of unnecessary stubborness. Something my religious and fascist relatives would be very envious of lol
Thank you again professor, for speaking the truth :)
High-five myself after completing tasks?
Okay, Mel - I could. I could do that.
Or I could crack on with the next task.
I think I'll do that. Yeah. Option two.
🙄
I'd far rather be stuck in a lift with Giselle Pelicot.
Oprah has not had the greatest track record bringing so-called “experts” to the public. She’s got Dr. Phil, Dr. Oz, and The Secret to answer for.
Well said 8531022. The pseudo-spirituality - which was also part of Samuel Smiles - is so present. And unwelcome... txxx