by Paul Elam

Created on: December 03, 2008   Last Updated: December 04, 2008

Following are excerpts from Dr. Phil's "Relationship Rescue", in his individual letters to men and women. McGraw's books form the framework for his TV show which is massively popular. I have edited the excerpts for the sake of brevity but nothing is out of context. What you see is what you get.

First the letter to women:

"Speaking personally and to blow the whistle on my brethren, we men don't get it! It doesn't matter why; what matters is that we just don't get it. The really stupid stuff we do, and, more important, don't do, comes from ignorance and froma bizarre set of priorities."

"We measure success very narrowlyfrom a huge financial perspective. We lose sight that you need loveThis caveman mentalitywe seek to control by intimidationto hide our fear and doubt."

"That doesn't mean in our own fumbling, bumbling way that we don't care."

And now from the letter to men:

"If the lady in your life went to the troubleto buy this book, you could be in a lot of trouble, buddy. I want to give you a wake up call here."

"You can continue to blame her for whatever has happened in your relationship. But in the end, that dog won't hunt and you know it. Is it worth it to avoid a chance at happiness because you hate to admit you've got a lot of improvements to make? You can use this book to find out how you went off course in your life, to find out how to get yourself out of that ditch."

Translation: Ladies, it is as you have always known, nothing bad in your relationship is your fault. It's him. And men, the problem is you, stupid.

In Phil's world, all troubled relationships are a paring of highly enlightened women with men who are Neanderthal idiots. Whether he actually believes it or not is irrelevant, It is those highly enlightened women who line his pockets.

This is the is guiding principal for success in the massive junk psychology market. The strategy, whether in books or on television, is to target and exploit women who are unhappy in relationships because they are generally the ones more open to buying professional advice. If these women start out knowing they contribute to some of their own difficulties, Dr. Phil and others will help them get over that for the little more than the price of a good cappuccino.

Now, multiply the cost of that cappuccino by say, ten million.

I don't have a problem with him having a hit TV show, a #1 New York Times bestseller, or ten of them, but I do think that fiction belongs on the fiction shelf. The consequences of peddling this stuff as reality

• 1
• 2
• Next Page >>