Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Is anyone else sick of Oprah?

Totally unpopular thing to say, I know, but REALLY!

The woman is apparently single-handedly responsible for the salvation of all the poor and destitute of Africa and North America. Oprah is also the go-to woman for anything regarding spirituality, interior design, and healthy eating. She's also responsible for getting us all interested in reading again, and (HALLELUJAH!) for the election of our next Messiah...um, I mean President!
Even when she "stumbles" and admits to (horror of horrors!) gaining weight, it's only a new opportunity for personal growth (no pun intended!). Grr.....

So, is Oprah the long-awaited Savior? Is she the wise old sage who lives on the mountaintop? Is she the answer to all of our physical and metaphysical problems?
Well, I certainly don't think so.
Of course, I seem to be in the minority (what else is new?).

It stands to reason that, as our world's economy worsens, people will start looking for some answers. But, Oprah was popular before this mess started.

Look around you.... Take a good look... What do you see? I'll tell you what I see:

I see people choosing to spend time with machines, instead of their families and friends.
I see people scoffing at the "ignorance" of organized religion; instead of flocking to church, they are hot-footing it to the gym &/or mall.
I see people placing all their faith in technology and science.
I see people hurrying from their cars into their homes, instead of sitting on their front porches and visiting with neighbors.
I see people looking to be a part of a "community" (apparently the gym doesn't have those), and feeling frustrated when a playgroup doesn't live up to the requirements.
I see seemingly unexplainable terrible illnesses and accidents happening to good people, and others want to know what those people did "wrong" so that they can squash the fear that it will happen to them.
I see people seeking ultimate and permanent happiness, and some even boasting that they have found it.

People want perfection, complete happiness, wealth, love, unconditional support, and validation. AND, they want it now and forever.

Enter Oprah. (Do you hear the choirs of angels singing?)

Oprah is an absolute genius. Oh, she's not an academic genius, or anything like that. What she is extremely savvy at is paying attention to what people want and then producing all the "right" answers.
And, just having a ready answer all the time is the first thing people want, in and of itself. Americans, especially, think that we have to have an answer for anything (does the word "transparency" sound familiar to you?) and everything. Hey, if someone can give you a quick answer and sound knowledgeable and authoritative while they're speaking, then they must be right!
Right?

You want to know how to find the right person to fall in love with?
Aw, heck, Oprah will bring on 7 different authors and psychologists who have an opinion that they are absolutely sure is correct.

You want to know how to get out of debt?
Hey, you are in luck! Oprah just happens to know a lady who has the financial world all figured out (this lady also has the special ability to be able to know exactly what is wrong with everything else in the world, too! BONUS!)

Hold onto your socks for the next one.....

Feeling all "backed up" and unhealthy? Well, yippy-skippy! That human dynamo named Oprah found some doctors who can tell you how your "productions" should and should not look! (That last one really put me over the edge! I can't even go to the bathroom correctly???)


Of course, I am not trying to minimize Oprah's accomplishments. She has done some pretty good things for people (and cameras just happened to be there while she was doing it. Sorry, I'm stopping...).
I think it's taken on a whole different edge, though, when people begin to think that all their problems can and should be solved by one person. No matter who that person happens to be.

The lesson we all can learn, over and over again, is this: Human beings, ALL of us, are inherently flawed, imperfect. There is not one among us who has all the answers. Any time we put our faith in a person, we will, eventually, be disappointed.
We are all searching. And, that's why we are here....to search. And, through the journey of searching, we are supposed to try to better ourselves so that when we die we can enjoy perfect and eternal happiness (maybe just not the kind we think we need!).
And, I have news for you: ALL of us are going to die. That IS one answer I can give you quickly and most-assuredly.

Even Oprah is going to die. She'll just do it more spectacularly than the rest of us. Maybe she'll even feature her FAVORITE CASKET on her next Favorite Things show!!
OOOO! I can't wait!!!

4 comments:

  1. Alright! So, I can count you as another not-so-smitten-with-Oprah person? ;-)

    Thanks!!!

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  2. I am with you on this one! I stopped watching years ago. Seems like a village in Africa is more worthy of her money when she had a show that just "down the road" from her people still lived without running water in their houses!!! Sorry, I'd rather help them. *sigh* Going back to packing.

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