Recently, I read that Janet Jackson is coming out with a new self-help book. Wow. She’ll tell us how she lost all that weight (surgery, probably…I mean, special diet plan). I’m so pumped. And you know I’ll be pre-ordering it..NOT. Janet Jackson? Self-help? Seriously? I think, if anything, Janet needs to read one or two [...]
READ THE FULL POST5 Signs a Self-help Guru is Really a Bullshit Artist
October 14th, 2010 with 14 CommentsThere are thousands upon thousands of self-proclaimed gurus who promise to teach you how to solve all your problems (for a price, of course). We, at DSP, aren’t going to stop you from seeking the answers, but we will help you figure out if the guru you’re seeking answers from is nothing but a bullshit artist. Here [...]
READ THE FULL POSTShould You Be Taking Economic Advice from Motivational Speakers?
August 25th, 2010 with 4 CommentsI thought Tony Robbins was a motivational speaker. But lo and behold I realized that he is now an expert on the economy. I watched a startling video he made warning of economic disaster up ahead. He says a whole lot of things about it. And he really got me thinking about something really hard: [...]
READ THE FULL POSTMichael Shermer on Strange Beliefs
August 10th, 2010 with 1 CommentHere’s a cool TED talk Michael Shermer did on strange beliefs. It was worth it just to watch the backwards Led Zeppelin and a more “scientific” version of Katie Melua’s 9 Million Bicycles in Beijing. It cracked me up! And it shows you a good way to deal with nitpicky scientists!
READ THE FULL POST3 Ways the Media Reports BS as Fact
July 29th, 2010 with 7 CommentsI don’t watch the news much. Why? Because most of it is crap. Half the time they don’t know what they’re talking about. And since news is more and more about market share, reporting has turned into info-tainment. Hence, a guy like Glenn Beck can get higher ratings than news programs and people think Jon [...]
READ THE FULL POSTVideo: Baloney Detection Kit
May 18th, 2010 with 1 CommentHere’s a great video from Michael Shermer and Richard Dawkins on how to spot baloney. Watch and enjoy and be sure to load up on other fun poop-detecting articles: http://dontstepinthepoop.com/category/poop-detection
READ THE FULL POSTWhy Most “Critique” Sites Suck
March 30th, 2010 with 1 CommentI just got back from the TESOL convention in Boston. Nice trip. Even better, I got to see some “Don’t step in the Poop” fans while I was there. It’s nice to see your readers in person for a change. In case you don’t know, TESOL is the Teachers of English to Speakers of Other [...]
READ THE FULL POSTHow to Spot a BS Self-help Guru
March 10th, 2010 with 10 CommentsI think self-help is fueled by a person’s desire for guidance and comfort. Unfortunately, these desires make self-help a breeding ground for charlatans and people who exploit these desires for their own personal gain. This is a shame. Sometimes it’s hard to tell who is really there to help you and who is there to [...]
READ THE FULL POSTSelf-help Books I Wouldn’t Wish on my Worst Enemies
March 5th, 2010 with 14 CommentsA self-help or personal development book should be as advertised: a way to actually help yourself or develop in some area. But some books present ideas that can actually cause you to regress instead of progress. Or they are so insulting to one’s intelligence that they take you for a fool. In one post, I [...]
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