Why self-help books are so popular in China
To cope with rapid change, some people crave pointers
BOOKSHOPS IN CHINA are replete with works offering advice on self-betterment. Topics range from coping with shyness (“How to Make Friends with Strangers in One Minute”) to succeeding in business (“Financial Management in Seven Minutes”). The title of one recent bestseller urges: “Don’t Opt for Comfort at the Stage of Life that is Meant to be Difficult”. Their popularity and contents reflect the stresses of a society in rapid flux—one in which paths to wealth are opening up in ways barely imaginable a generation ago and competition is fierce (see article).
This article appeared in the China section of the print edition under the headline “Highly effective people’s republic”
From the November 14th 2020 edition
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