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Self-Image, Destiny, and “A Sense of Epic Hope”: The Grandfather of Self-Help Books Really Does Have Something to Offer

rredick March 30, 2022
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woman stretching in sunlight

Why do some people enjoy an improved sense of self-worth when their circumstances improve, while others do not? Sixty years ago, a plastic surgeon came up with an theory of unconscious, lifelong messages to the self. His book exploring that theory has a vast following to this day. 

If you’re dubious about anyone eager to declare that YOU TOO CAN CHANGE YOUR LIFE!—well, you have a lot of company. Historian Mitch Horowitz is right there with you. But in this post, he makes a sober, persuasive case for exactly that sort of book: the 1960 bestseller Psycho-Cybernetics: A New Way to Get More Living Out of Life, by the groundbreaking plastic surgeon Maxwell Maltz.  

Click here for more.

Horowitz’s concise summary of Maltz’s theory is better than any I can offer, so I’ll just note that we’re definitely not in the realm of auras and tarot cards: Maltz’s program is secular, non-mystical, and demanding. It’s never been out of print, has sold millions, and has given hope and help to generations of readers, including celebrities from Salvador Dali to Nancy Reagan. Have a look, and see if it speaks to you. 

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rredick

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