Self-Improvement: Technologies of the Soul in the Age of Artificial Intelligence

The self-improvement industry is a billion-dollar industry, but apps, workshops, speakers, retreats, and life hacks have not made us happier. This book explores how self-improvement culture became toxic and why we need a new concept of the self and a mission of social change to escape it. Mark Coeckelbergh advocates new "narrative technologies" to help us tell different and better stories about ourselves, but cautions that there is no shortcut to the ancient philosophical quest to know yourself.

Format: Hardback
Length: 152 pages
Publication date: 19 July 2022
Publisher: Columbia University Press

The pursuit of self-improvement has become an obsession, driven by a billion-dollar industry that offers a multitude of apps, workshops, speakers, retreats, and life hacks. However, despite these resources, we have not found greater happiness. In fact, we have become restless, anxious, and desperate, driven by an unquenchable desire to perfect ourselves. This culture of self-improvement stems from philosophical classics, perfectionist religions, and a ruthless strain of capitalism.

Today, new technologies, such as artificial intelligence, social media, and big data, have reshaped what it means to improve the self. These powerful tools not only inform us but also measure, compare, and potentially change us forever. This book explores the toxic nature of self-improvement culture and why we need a new concept of the self and a mission of social change to escape it.

Mark Coeckelbergh delves into the history of the ideas that shaped this culture, critically analyzes the role of technology, and offers surprising paths out of the self-improvement trap. He advocates for new "narrative technologies" that can help us tell different and better stories about ourselves. However, he cautions that there is no shortcut that avoids the ancient philosophical quest to know oneself and the obligation to cultivate the good life and the good society.

In conclusion, the obsession with self-improvement has become a burden, leaving us restless, anxious, and desperate. We need to shift our focus away from self-improvement and towards cultivating the good life and the good society. By embracing new technologies and narrative technologies, we can tell different and better stories about ourselves and create a more fulfilling and meaningful life.

Dimension: 198 x 129 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780231206549