Personally, I don't like self help books because they're... well, I wouldn't say boring, maybe... well, i can't think of the right word. I read a lot of books (sometimes 4 or 5 a week, if I have nothing else to do). The main reason I read is to escape from day-to-day life. I very rarely read a real-life story for the same reason. A self-help book feels a bit like a text-book to me. When I sit down to read something cover to cover, it's something like Harry Potter or Pride & Prejudice, because it takes me somewhere else, somewhere amazing, and it fills me with different emotions. When I pick up a self help book to learn something, it's like being a student back at uni. If i really need to know something particular, I google it (which funnily enough is how i originally found these forums).
So, maybe people might be into personal development, but just don't want to read a book. Also, I know many people who just aren't good readers and therefore try to keep as far away from books as possible. |