Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Self Help Nation

I was recently at a garage sale perusing the the books - fill a bag for $1! (I really have to calm myself down at these things).

I did find some gems: Some old library books marked for discard, and a lovely vintage cookbook. I also found a great set of coffee cups and a creamer that must be from the 60's. Cream on the outside with some retro designs and then a lovely shade of avocado on the inside. (Purchased with the promise to my spouse that I would toss out 4 other mugs if I wanted to use these... sure honey.)

And one thing really struck me as I took in the book selection - almost all of the discarded books (and VHS tapes!) fall into one of these three categories:

Finding Jesus - bibles, bible-like books, devotionals and biographies of televangelists

Losing Weight - diet cook books, multi-step workout books, inspirational stories of weight loss and workout tapes,

and

Discovering Love - Fictionalized, ultra-simplified romance: especially the ones with half dressed women on the covers.

There's lots of advice and dreams written, sold and then discarded in those book bins at garage sales.
Why do we keep buying it?
Why do we think the next book will work?

2 comments:

Hot Cup Lutheran said...

oh yes... there's a sermon brewing in them there thoughts!

emily j. cole said...

Who knew one could discover such profundity at a garage sale?!