The Sceptic's Guide to Self Help

8 snips

Oct 25, 2023

Guest

Sarah Wilson

Guest

Oliver Burkeman

Oliver Burkeman, a Journalist and author known for his thought-provoking columns and bestseller on time management, teams up with Sarah Wilson, founder of the global ‘I Quit Sugar’ movement and author exploring spirituality. They dissect the shortcomings of the self-help industry, emphasizing the need for mindfulness and critical thinking. The conversation uncovers the illusion of empowerment in self-help, urging listeners to embrace vulnerability and authenticity. Together, they offer strategies for a balanced, purposeful life amid societal pressures.

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INSIGHT

Many Methods, Limited Results

Trying many self-help methods reveals their limitations.
This realization offers valuable insights into personal growth.

ANECDOTE

Sarah Wilson's Wellness Journey

Sarah Wilson's journey into wellness began with illness and a retreat.
Her "I Quit Sugar" movement grew alongside social media, revealing its complexities.

INSIGHT

Democratization of Advice

Oliver Burkeman discusses the democratization of self-help advice.
He contrasts this with the limitations of rigid social psychology studies.

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Oliver Burkeman is the anti-self-help author that everyone interested in self-help should read. He encourages us to embrace uncertainty and imperfection in a world obsessed with self-improvement and relentless goal-setting. For over ten years he wrote the popular ‘This Column Will Change Your Life’ column for The Guardian and his latest book, Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management For Mortals, was a huge bestseller on both sides of the Atlantic. Sarah Wilson is the founder of the global ‘I Quit Sugar’ movement, was editor of Cosmopolitan Australia at the age of 29, and has interviewed two Australian prime ministers, Beyoncé, Brené Brown, the Dalai Lama and dozens of moral philosophers, effective altruists and existential risk experts during her career. Her most recent book, This One Wild and Precious Life, won the US Gold Nautilus Prize and describes how she spent three years hiking around the world, following in the footsteps of Nietzsche and Wordsworth and emerging with a blueprint for living a wilder, more connected life. For this episode, Burkeman and Wilson come together at Intelligence Squared for an engaging discussion about the limitations of the traditional self-help industry, the importance of mindfulness, and practical strategies for leading a more balanced and purposeful life.

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