Resumo

LOMBANA VILLALBA, IVÀN MAURICIO. Sociological and Communicative Assumptions that explain the Decadence of Values due to the Emergence of the Self-Help Concept. Signo pensam. [online]. 2009, vol.28, n.55, pp. 247-263. ISSN 0120-4823.

This article starts by showing how the notion of "personal development" made use of moral ideas such as responsibility and excellence to encourage investment and business, which caused an increase in the quantity of information on finances. It later presents how the first self-help best-seller authors studied writing techniques to boost sales and face difficulties in life. In this way, literature became a product and art quickly spread in search for innovation. Theory in both sociology and communication contributed to moral change as well. Finally, the article emphasizes the work done by Charles Horton Cooley, who talks about social awareness in relation with individualism

Palavras-chave : Responsibility; Charles Horton Cooley; social awareness; ethics in publicity; Horton Cooley, Charles, 1864-1929 - Criticism and interpretation; Consciousness; Business ethics; Strategic information.