SoylentNews

Mind-reading, prediction and intelligence - these three books promise three superpowers. But do they make Kate Douglas a better person? SELF help. Now try to keep an open mind. This is the world's bestselling genre, with around 45,000 titles in print. What's more, it has intellectual credibility. Today's cutting-edge titles are written by respected scientists and journalists, and include a sophisticated blend of neuroscience, psychology and philosophy. It's only human to want to better oneself, if just to outsmart the competition. So we should applaud the trend to bring the latest insights from the human sciences to a wider audience. But, having read a fair few of these titles, I can't help noticing a distinct lack of personal growth. Sure, I know more about my brain, mind and behaviour, but am I a better person?

http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg22129581.000-can-these-popsci-selfhelp-books-make-you-smarter.html