Martin Seligman's - "Learned Optimism"

[Star]

Was wondering if anyone has read Martin Seligman's book "Learned Optimism" and what you thought about it? Have any of his ideas have changed you and/or stuck with you particularly if you previously had previously considered yourself a pessimist.

 

[Virginia Dandy]

I took Seligman's abnormal psych class at Penn. He's a very good professor - class was interesting and enjoyable.

Have not read this book, but I suspect that it must be the flip-side of his work on learned helplessness.

 

[kwiteaboy]

Haven't read that book, but I have read "Authentic Happiness" (also by Seligman, covers similar ideas) and am a positive psychology researcher. The ideas behind the book are very well-researched and actually do make a lasting, strong change in people's outlooks.

 

[Star]

I am only 100 pages into the book as I am reading a little slower and stopping to reflect a bit more than I would typically.

I do want to be 'over cautious' in terms of what I will get out of this book and do not wish to leap to the conclusion 'that this book' has changed my life. However, I must say that having been written from a clinical researech perspective, I am finding the arguments in this book do have more substance than most of the other 'self help' cr@p that are constructed around nothing more than 'feel good' statements written by authors/charlatans on a diet of 'Sugary Red' red liquids.

I will keep reading and may post again at some point deeper into the book to complete this thread.

Feel free to keep posting in the meantime.