The American Culture of Self-Improvement
A Manifestation of American Individualism
This essay is an addendum for paying subscribers to my essay from earlier this month. In this essay, I hone in on one aspect of America’s individualistic culture which makes us distinct from other nations: our obsession with self-improvement. Books on self-help, personal development, personal financial advice, and individual health continue to sell remarkably well in the United States. Amazon sells tens of thousands of separate personal growth titles. But the culture of self-improvement is nothing new. It goes back to the Founding Fathers.