Guru Ratings
Laura Schlessinger
Bad.
Remember my ratings criteria. I’m not judging these gurus on “global” or moral values, but very specific criteria. Many of my favorite books would be rated “bad” by my criteria for self-help (probably, because they are not self-help books). My ratings don’t reflect how well an author met his own goals, but how well they met my criteria for useful, accurate self-help.
This is an easy takedown. Dr. Laura is:
- A critic of premarital and extramarital sex who has induldged in both.
- A preacher of family values who didn’t know her mother had died until months later.
- A fake Orthodox Jew.
- A “Ph.D therapist” whose doctorate is in physiology.
Her radio show and prolific book output has netted her millions via banal advice and caller abuse. She names callers “sluts” or “pigs.” Once, she said, “If [a named, eight-grade girl who wrote an award-winning essay on free speech] was my daughter, I’d probably put her up for adoption.”
We all say dumb things. But Laura doesn’t even think they’re dumb. She never apologizes.
Ten Stupid Things Women Do to Mess Up Their Lives (1996)
Laura rips into “stupid” women who:
- define themselves in the context of a man
- beg for love rather than choose it
- devote themselves throughout suffering
- have sex too soon
- lie to themselves
- etc.
Laura has lots of insults, but not much advice.
Bad Childhood, Good Life (2006)
The book can be summed up like this: If you had a bad childhood, just get over it and move on! Brilliant!
The Proper Care and Feeding of Husbands (2006)
Laura says marriage is simple. Men need respect, food, and sex. And that’s all you need for a happy marriage. Riiiiiiiight. The book is demeaning to men and women.