Self-Confidence
A Philosophy
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- $3.99
Publisher Description
Inspired by great figures from Emerson and Nietzsche to Madonna and Serena Williams, this engaging philosophical essay explores the workings of self-confidence and how to develop it.
Where does self-confidence come from? How does it work? What makes it stronger or weaker? Why are some people more confident than others? Is it only a question of temperament or the result of conscious self-improvement? How do you get closer to those who stand out thanks entirely to their confidence in themselves?
Drawing on philosophical texts, ancient wisdom, positive psychology, and a wide range of case studies that feature famous thinkers, artists, and athletes, but also unsung heroes such as a fighter pilot and an urgent-care doctor, Charles Pépin brings to light the strange alchemy that is self-confidence. In doing so, he gives us the keys to having more confidence in ourselves.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Novelist and philosopher P pin (Philosophers on the Couch) offers not the philosophy promised by the subtitle, but generic tips based on lessons garnered from a random smattering of pop culture figures, athletes, and philosophers, as well as many others, both famous and not. The author unifies these disparate examples (including Sigmund Freud, and S ren Kierkegaard, Madonna, and Serena Williams) with his own memories of developing self-confidence as a student and teacher. The result ends up being a list of anodyne directives, such as "establish relations with different and inspiring people," "develop your abilities to the greatest extent possible," "pay less attention to the voices around ," and " become what you are' and do it before you die." Such suggestions can be intriguing, but they do not grapple with the murkiness of self-confidence as a concept. For example, commandments such as "stay true to your desire" are likely too vague to be of use to readers looking for practical solutions to quandaries of self-confidence. Instead of grappling with modern research into self-worth, the book posits self-confidence as a simple, direct destination. P pin's punchy, aphoristic advice will only appeal to readers who also believe that self-confidence is an "alchemy" to be conjured.
