Rant about self-help books

Why are there so many people reading self-help books? First of all, this is no self-help if one is blindly following the 10, 12, 15 step program to recovery (from obesity, anorexia, divorce, smoking, infidelity.....) or taking another 10, 12, 15 steps towards better sex, finding a soulmate, better job, taking control of your life, etc.... What is going on? There are people in this country that have read nothing by Jack London and haven't even heard of Theodore Dreyser, and yet can quote Dr. Phil and Dr. Laura. That is an "American Tragedy."