New year, new you. As we wrap up the first month of the new year, host Anita Rao has been thinking a lot about self-help. The genre鈥檚 cultural impact is undeniable, 鈥nd that number is three times what it was a decade ago. The internet has intensified this growth, proliferating the teachings of self-help gurus to social media, podcasts, and memes. But does self-help actually improve our lives? And why do we turn to this genre time after time?
Anita poses these questions to podcaster , who is well-versed in all things self-improvement. Kristen spent the past six years following the advice of over 50 self-help books with her co-host, Jolenta Greenberg, on their podcast 鈥溾�� (formerly 鈥淏y the Book鈥�). Kristen shares with Anita what she鈥檚 learned about both the industry and herself.
, professor and author of 鈥�,鈥� also joins the conversation to unpack the history of self-help literature from the Ancient Greek philosophers to the modern influencers of today.
Finally, Anita sits down with former self-help buff and writer . Sondra describes how the industry failed her as a woman of color and why she ultimately left the space behind.
Special thanks to , , , and for their contributions to this show.
Please note: This episode originally aired January 5, 2024.
Updates: The latest season of Kristen Meinzer鈥檚 podcast 鈥淗ow To Be Fine鈥� is all about the loneliness epidemic and friendship quandaries.
Sondra Rose Marie is now the editor and owner of the digital magazine for LGBTQ+ women called .
