I’m reading “Democracy for Realists: …”   It has triggered a bemused fantasy about a series of “… for Realists: …” books.  In the tradition of those “… for Idiots …”.

Books stores have lots of shelf space for self-help books.  It’s a popular genre.

Let’s imagine some titles:   Schooling for Realists, Vacations for Realists, Project management for Realists, Home brewing for Realists, Gardening for Realists.

So’s why not?  I have my theories.  For example picking up a book of this title would seem to signal one’s appetite for disconfirmation.  Where’s the fun in that?  Or possible like the Monty Python argument skit it implies your shopping for a scolding or abuse.  At a minimum it would seem to signal that the author is war weary, scarred, old and cranky?

One take on self-help books is that they are selling a treatment for stress.   Realism doesn’t sound like a miracle cure, more like chemo.