"Self-Help" by Lorrie Moore (published 1985)
The title of Lorrie Moore’s book of short stories, Self-Help, is especially striking today when being happy and carefree is pretty much “advertised” to us, not only by self-help books but by a constant flow of signage posted on social media (particularly motivational quotes), also as images of normalcy are shown to us as those being full of smiles and radiating positivity (shown especially by magazines and on television). There is also the influx of artwork with inspirational sayings on them plastered all over our walls. Restaurants and dance clubs have wanted us to “drink and be merry” for ages. Though I’m pointing this out, I’m not saying I’m exempt from this at all; I post “motivational” quotes on my Facebook page all the time and have a piece of fake ancient stone nailed to my bathroom wall that reads: “Faith is the essence of all things, Hope reflects our inner courage, Love conquers all”. (But does this ever turn you off? Don’t you sometimes want to be OK with being sad or a...