Help! Debunking the Outrageous Claims of Self-Help Gurus

by Paul Damien

Under the guise of self-help, a disturbing tribe of "gurus" has formed; its leaders include Deepak Chopra and, most recently, Rhonda Byrne with her much-ballyhooed The Secret. Do these authors really provide helpful and coherent ideas about dealing with life's issues? In Help! Debunking the Outrageous Claims of Self-Help Gurus, Paul Damien exposes these authors and other "professionals" in this field as emperors without clothing. With a devastating combination of humor, satire, and logic, he reveals the vagueness, vapidity, and utter silliness that constitute the work of many prominent self-help authors. Drawing on influences such as Emily Dickinson, Richard Feynman, and Bertrand Russell, Dr. Damien shows that self-help books are about as useful as a root canal on a toothless person. (back book cover, Help! Debunking the Outrageous Claims of Self-Help Gurus, Paul Damien, 2008)

Paul Damien certainly feels strongly about his topic and draws the reader in by his vivid comments on one of the most popular gurus of the present time, Rhonda Byrne and The Secret. Having "experienced" a little of the buzz around The Secret, I cannot but smile and gloat after reading his explanation of the eagerness of the "spiritually hungry subpopulation" to devour pure rubbish. The whole book comes back to the explanation on pages 1 and 2 about self-fulfilling prophecy of self-help gurus.

She (Rhonda Byrne) speaks to her followers, "Are you all entirely persuaded that I possess a secret?" With one voice they reply, "We are." She goes on, "Would you like to know what it is?" "Yes, we do!" they gush adoringly. Raising her arms skyward, she says, "Go read my books or watch my DVD, and see if you can unravel it. And if you can, good for you!"

As Paul Damien and many others who consider ourselves "smarter than the masses" laugh knowingly, we cannot deny the audacity of such claims and the willingness of people who are seeking something greater than themselves to fall into such illogical logic. After having had my laugh, I realize how sad it is that people will willingly soak up such nonsense in the search for something real that they can believe in. They pretend that they are somehow "more enlightened" if they can figure out "the secret" and berate themselves for not being "enlightened enough" when they cannot find "the secret" in the book.

The author continues to attack and attempt to bring down some of the great "philosophers or self-help gurus" throughout his book using some very inflammatory and attention getting comments. At one point he compares self-help gurus as "oozing sores in private areas of the body" (pg. 11). He does make more sexual comments with his development of a "questionnaire" "which will not fail to lure readers in today's society." (pg. 51) Some of my readers, may find these metaphors and activities to be offensive and I caution you before you read the book.

Apart from his personal attacks on the "self-help gurus" he does get into logic in a quite detailed way. For example, on page 13 he describes some terminology: "Postulates, also called axioms, are nothing more than assumptions around which a rigorous theory is constructed." A large part of the book delves into Chopra's theories and arguments against such philosophy. This part of the book is more heavy reading and I confess I skipped sections of it. For someone who is interested in the Seven Laws of Chopra and the author's Seven Laws to debunk them then this book will inform as well as entertain them.

For someone who wants to be aware of the different theories and strategies with which self-help gurus attempt to win your allegiance, you will find this book quite informative.

If you are wanting a simple book that debunks the main points of self-help gurus then this book is more than you are wanting.

Overall, I found this book a little "over the top" in the language with which the author tries to get your attention. It is often inflammatory and full of ad hominem arguments. While you may find such language and writing style amusing, I find that it tires me by the end of the book.

Christian Content: none

Warning: Sexual metaphors and a sexual questionnaire for the reader to take.