AIBU to think majority of people want to feel empowered

[Salrose123]

So thinking of writing a books on increasing self confidence, self reliance power of positivity, promoting resilience, creating contentment, maintaining compassion and kindness without becoming a doormat etc just few ideas.... Does anything think there's a demand.....

Our ancestors were more tenacious, patient, hard working, less entitled more caring towards their communities.....

There's a lot to learn from the past generations and their outlook to life.....

Some of these values are very much needed in this modern society where anyone can feel slighted over the tiniest of things, we need to build our levels of reselience....

What do you mean by 'empowered'?

The thing is that where are you getting data that "the majority of people not happy or content"?

While the happiness index dropped during covid (for obvious reasons) majority still are on the happy side. Most people around me are happy/content. The ones who are not now were majorily affected by covid -long covid/deaths in a family/subsequent serious health issues etc. Then of course cost of living hit.
That is not something you can empower yourself out of.

if things are much better than in the past why are the majority of people not happy or content, surely it should follow as we have progressed tremendously we should be happier than ever

I would argue that the biggest barrier to people's happiness in the modern world are due to the "progress" of the modern world - the climate crisis and the existential insecurity of that, the economic situation and the tangible effects of poverty on people's lives (and no, I don't think you can Pollyanna your way out of that misery, or just make better choices), coupled with a toxic relationship with media and technology. The poverty factor isn't new, of course, it's just ever-changing with modern life.

I'd argue that, in general, the relationship of the individual with the community is more important for happiness than the relationship with a deity.

Based on your last comment I am also confised about what do you mean by empowered.
It sounds more like "it was better in good old times so we ahould bring it back" rather than empowerment?

Alot of people want different lives to the one they are leading but maybe feel they don't have the power to change

Empowerment in terms of positive thinking, taking control. I think "manifesting" is the buzz word here aswell.... But empowerment to be better for self and others xx

For me, bringing in elements of faith would put me off. It wouldn't put everyone off, of course.
For your book, you need to come up with a gripping title and an eye catching cover. (I have self published 3 books and am currently working on a fourth).
Do lots of research first, get it professionally edited, and if you're not familiar with the process, get someone to format and upload it for you.
That is, of course, if you are thinking of self publishing.

Uh - were they?

Which ancestors do you mean? Exactly what era are we talking about?

There have always been people who were lazy, feckless and didn't work for themselves or their communities.

If you're an English teacher, I recommend this post before you start writing books:
hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/2010/04/alot-is-better-than-you-at-everything.html

Ha! Beautifully put

My question as well

I think that a lot depends on your target audience.

on the negative side, I have found that my community links were shot to shit from lockdown, my beliefs are a life raft when I'm desperate.

on the plus side, I'm much better off than I was 20 years ago....because I'm literally much better off than 20 years ago in terms of money.

people tried to recommend this sort of thing to me 20 years ago when much of my misery was working long hours to make ends meet. It was useless. The only thing that could solve it was luck and time. And it's genuinely thanks to medication I got this far.

so yeah...what does "empowerment" mean? It was a meaningless and overused word 20 years ago. Maybe it still is to some extent?

I would find this in the same genre of manifesting or lucky syndrome or whatever new age guff is happening right now, and call it toxic positivity.

It would be lapped up of course, people always want a quick fix.

But it wouldn't mean anything.

This too
there is still lots of good community work going on.

Snip yes, toxic positivity is it.

OP have you ever read Barbara Ehrenreich "Smile or Die"? That helped me through the toughest years.

but that might not be your market...but do you want to write a book or do you want to help people in a practical way? That might be an option for you, as you're not looking to make money.

Will get alot flack for this but I do believe in God and believe sincerely whether you are religious or not if you call on God or even a higher spiritual power your call will almost immediately be answered xx
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Well, it's going to be quite a short book, isn't it? Once people have mastered appealing to omnipotent beings for whatever they need, their interest in resilience and personal growth might wane slightly.

Yes true there is definitely community work going on.
Well if everyone is completely happy and need no support guess not needed but people don't even feel fully supported by friends and family...

Not so much new age as old age think Greek philosophy etc

Yes I can see how some people choose misery over joy but why x

Quite literally the same old platitudes then!

This is wonderful!

OP, you write quite poorly in your posts here, with a limited grasp of grammar, and as you share more it has become obvious that your ideas are quite narrow and basic. You aren't saying anything new. If you aspire to be a writer, why not join a creative writing group and get some real life help.

Do they?

I am using the Daily Stoic book atm. It would have had no value for me if I was still working long hours to make ends meet. I think it's having a revival.

But as I say, you will know your market.

People in the past certainly were not less entitled. Hence the colonisation and enslavement of other countries, the chatteldom of women etc.

They took and took and took until they could take no more.

If, as I suspect, you’re going to shoehorn evangelical proselytising in there, you can count me out. For me you’d have to be totally up front about the religious aspect because if I’d spent my hard-earned money on a book that told me my problems could be solved by calling on god, I would not be best pleased.

Didn't ancient Greeks actually embrace violence, slavery and war?

But they did it in a resilient and community-minded way. Keep up!

Lol thank you for your responses, especially some really useful ones,

I don't know i just want to help people feel more positive than negative or be able to find silver linings.. . Probably have two books, positivity for people in general (no faith based element at all), and faith based for people who believe in God or open to idea.....