There are two aspects very prominent in so-called self help materials. One is the idea of victimization which has given us the term dysfunctional; and the other idea is empowerment which is focused primarily upon human potential.
In 2005 Steve Salerno wrote a book entitled “Sham” which stood for the “Self Help and Actualization Movement (SHAM). Many of my thoughts about the limits of self help come from this and other sources.
When I say that self help is better than no help I am making a distinction between the twin ideas in the movement and referring to the idea that empowerment is better in my mind than the idea of being a victim.
Victimization is when a person is exploited or treated unfairly. When this idea is emphasized and used as the basis for counseling, therapy, or some other form of treatment, then we see its use in SHAM.
Empowerment on the other hand is to sanction, it is to give authority or power to, to enable. Inherent in this whole idea is the power of choice and making decisions. The rationale is; you can be a victim or you can be empowered to act.
With empowerment the view is usually towards the present and the future whereas with victimization the emphasis seems to be towards the past.
Self help or empowerment is better than victimization or no help – this is the thrust of my statement. I hope this gives clarification so that I can address the other idea of self help not being enough.
Here is a quote from Marilyn vos Savant which is used in “SHAM”:
“Compared to the possibilities in life, the impossibilities are vastly more numerous. What I don’t like to hear …is that you can be president or anything else you want to be. That’s not even remotely true…You can try to be just about anything, but your chances of success are another thing entirely.”
The only place where you can “be what you want to be” is on cloud 9 – a song popularized by the singing group, The Temptations, back in the 70’s. In the world in which we live this is not even remotely true; having said that, the truth of the matter is that most of us can achieve and accomplish a lot more than we have.
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