Oprah: Cultural Cancer

Here's my review of Oprah's new 20th anniversary DVD set. Let me know
what you think!

Oprah: Cultural Cancer

Oprah Winfrey. For many, the very name evokes visions of fragrant
elysian fields awash in a sea of tolerance, compassion, understanding,
generosity, inclusivity, sincerity.... Verily, one strains to believe
that there might be a limit to the panegyrics that posterity will
surely compose in her honor.

In fact, Oprah is a cultural cancer, and her widespread embrace reveals
a culture in an increasingly terminal stage of sickness. Yes, it's
heretical to speak this way of Her Holiness, and indeed it need not
even be said: simply look around. We're drowning in Oprahism. It has
infected the culture at every level. Can you see it? Can you feel it?
Or have you become like the fish who, upon being told that he lives in
water, can only say, "Water? What water??"

Let's focus on just one of the products that Oprah sells: emotional
exhibitionism. In the indissoluble Holy Trinity of Oprahism, relativism
is the Father, syncretism (i.e., buffet spirituality) the Son, and
emotionalism the Holy Spirit, the driving force behind it all. Oprahism
both reflects and generates a culture of emotional exhibitionism, with
its liturgy of unremitting vacuity aired daily at 3 p.m. on ABC (check
your local listings) - and now also on this magnificently revealing DVD
set. What does this make us, then, the congregants at home with our
glazed eyes fixed on our glowing screens? Voyeurs. Oprah Winfrey has
become rich precisely by feeding and creating a nation of voyeurs. You
buying?

To analyze Oprahism's relativism and syncretism would take us far
beyond the space allotted for these reviews, but don't be deceived,
friends, these aspects of Oprahism's Holy Trinity are every bit as
cancerous and ubiquitous as its emotional exhibitionism. After all, how
many people do you know today who are not moral relativists and
spiritual syncretists? Truly, to be countercultural today precisely
means taking a radical stand against every form of Oprahism. Again,
sadly, this analysis would be far too much for this forum. Let's not
even mention how we'd have to go on to analyze Oprahism's promotion of
celebrity worship, its
ceaseless campaign to emasculate men, its selling of inauthenticity in
the name of authenticity, or how it....

As for Oprah and the recent James Frey scandal, let's be charitable and
give both Oprah and James a break. After all, his public confession to
Oprah seemed um, like, totally sincere, and this is really what counts.
For as dedicated catechumens of Oprahism, we've learned that sincerity
trumps truth (the Holy Spirit and the Father have jointly accomplished
this blessed transvaluation). After completing his penance, James will
be back, center altar at 3 p.m. timidly relating every detail of his
painful redemption. Her Holiness will then grant James total absolution
(along with a heartfelt reminder to stay in touch with his spirit and
to love
himself). Hugs, tears, and applause all around, followed by a surprise
giveaway of his latest book to the whole studio audience. Yay! But
don't worry; if you miss it, just buy the next volume of DVDs!

"O wonder, how many goodly creatures are there here, how beautious
mankind is, O Brave New World that has such people in it."

-Shakespeare, The Tempest

"O shame, where is thy blush?"

-Shakespeare, Hamlet