Daak Weekly: Self-Help Through the Ages

In 2023, the self-help or self-improvement industry’s market size was estimated to exceed USD 40 billion, with projections suggesting that it could double by 2032. What does this tell us about the human condition? If we choose to look at this in an optimistic light, we might conclude that we have an insatiable desire to grow, improve and find equilibrium in this hyper competitive, hustle-endorsing world. We often feel (as every generation tends to do) that we’ve left behind a simpler time with innocent and easily solvable problems, involving no corruption of morals or ethics. And that our current questions and concerns are somehow more nuanced.

But the truth is, every era and generation has grappled with existential crises, seeking answers in more enlightened sources. In the absence of technology and modern scientific traditions, the source was often religion. Forget spiritual guidance, it seems that people were even turning to religion for their day-to-day concerns regarding how to live, socialize and be liked. In his 1955 book, Indian culture in the Days of the Buddha, A. P. De Zoysa, a Sri Lankan social reformer and Buddhist scholar, painted a holistic view of the Buddhist way of life, drawing from diverse sources such as ancient Buddhist scriptures, the Tripataka and Jataka Stories. His unintentionally humourous account tells us how to be a considerate party host and guest to minimize the discomfort and awkwardness these situations inevitably cause.

Some of these texts target specific demographics, unsurprisingly women. For example, Maulana Thanvi’s Bahishti Zewar (literally translating into Heavenly Ornaments) is an instructional guidebook from the early 1900s, which codifies Islamic beliefs and practices, serving as a comprehensive handbook of faith and ritual for Muslim women. Contrary to the dictates one might expect for a woman in an early 20th century guidebook, this manual advocates for the acquisition of more meaningful “ornaments” such as intelligence, compassion and talent — worthy pursuits for any one in any era.

However, not all advice proves beneficial. For example, Hakim Muhammad Yusuf Hasan’s popular medical book on sexual science, Do Shiza (A Virgin), published in the early 1900s, prescribes a hyper-vigilance for parents who wish to protect their children from “evil”. There is a great emphasis on monitoring children secretly and at all times, eliminating any privacy from their daily rituals. This text offers real gems on bad parenting, showing us how to erode trust and instill shame in young people naturally inclined towards curiosity and self-discovery.

So, our existential concerns — how to build a good, meaningful, and enriching life — persists, and we continue to look for answers in different sources. While these historical texts offer some signposts, perhaps the true resolution lies in another source — more on that next week!

Love,

Team Daak