Comments on: A Face in the Crowd http://blog.iblamethepatriarchy.com/2009/11/21/a-face-in-the-crowd/ Thu, 09 Feb 2012 08:19:07 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: PandanCat http://blog.iblamethepatriarchy.com/2009/11/21/a-face-in-the-crowd/#comment-156538 PandanCat Sun, 29 Nov 2009 11:03:41 +0000 http://blog.iblamethepatriarchy.com/?p=3156#comment-156538 Oprahtheosis is brilliant. That's what they're not giving away: the secret final episode where she is assumed, bodily, into heaven. Angels, beams of light, the clouds dramatically opening and everything. Just wait. Soon enough, you'll have magazine-toting missionaries at your door. Have you heard the good word, sister? Oprahtheosis is brilliant. That’s what they’re not giving away: the secret final episode where she is assumed, bodily, into heaven. Angels, beams of light, the clouds dramatically opening and everything.

Just wait. Soon enough, you’ll have magazine-toting missionaries at your door. Have you heard the good word, sister?

]]> By: Pinko Punko http://blog.iblamethepatriarchy.com/2009/11/21/a-face-in-the-crowd/#comment-156536 Pinko Punko Sun, 29 Nov 2009 07:38:14 +0000 http://blog.iblamethepatriarchy.com/?p=3156#comment-156536 I thought there would be more love for "Oprahtheosis" too, I mean good neologisms don't grow on trees like ellipses do. I thought there would be more love for “Oprahtheosis” too, I mean good neologisms don’t grow on trees like ellipses do.

]]> By: Pinko Punko http://blog.iblamethepatriarchy.com/2009/11/21/a-face-in-the-crowd/#comment-156535 Pinko Punko Sun, 29 Nov 2009 07:35:34 +0000 http://blog.iblamethepatriarchy.com/?p=3156#comment-156535 You need to minus points for The Secret too. A lot of points. You need to minus points for The Secret too. A lot of points.

]]> By: Jane Q Public http://blog.iblamethepatriarchy.com/2009/11/21/a-face-in-the-crowd/#comment-156528 Jane Q Public Sun, 29 Nov 2009 02:50:12 +0000 http://blog.iblamethepatriarchy.com/?p=3156#comment-156528 Laura- Oprah seems to possess a new age spirituality but it's actually just Christianity with a bunch of Enya CD's stacked around it. To me, anyone who regularly talks about praying, a higher power, and souls in a personal context is a godbag regardless of what religion they subscribe to. All that spirituality noise sounds like religious code words for god to me. I don't hate her or think she's evil. I respect Oprah. I admire her generosity. I like her well enough. All I'm saying is: she's a godbag. And that much influence mixed with religious tendencies make me a mite nervous. Laura- Oprah seems to possess a new age spirituality but it’s actually just Christianity with a bunch of Enya CD’s stacked around it. To me, anyone who regularly talks about praying, a higher power, and souls in a personal context is a godbag regardless of what religion they subscribe to. All that spirituality noise sounds like religious code words for god to me.

I don’t hate her or think she’s evil. I respect Oprah. I admire her generosity. I like her well enough. All I’m saying is: she’s a godbag. And that much influence mixed with religious tendencies make me a mite nervous.

]]> By: Jill http://blog.iblamethepatriarchy.com/2009/11/21/a-face-in-the-crowd/#comment-156507 Jill Sat, 28 Nov 2009 18:07:49 +0000 http://blog.iblamethepatriarchy.com/?p=3156#comment-156507 Bad bad person? I think not. If you can get something useful out of Oprah, by all means take it. Lard knows she probably won't be buying you a Buick. Bad bad person? I think not. If you can get something useful out of Oprah, by all means take it. Lard knows she probably won’t be buying you a Buick.

]]> By: Blake http://blog.iblamethepatriarchy.com/2009/11/21/a-face-in-the-crowd/#comment-156502 Blake Sat, 28 Nov 2009 13:55:17 +0000 http://blog.iblamethepatriarchy.com/?p=3156#comment-156502 I tend to agree with more of the posts here than half of what Oprah says, but am I bad bad person for, god dammit, respecting the hell out of her? I don't even know if that's the right word. But when you grow up poor as hell in the projects, Oprah is one of those figureheads held up on a This Is What You Can Achieve If You Try totem. Not nearly always or even nearly often enough correct, but fuck me if it doesn't give you some hope, sometimes. I tend to agree with more of the posts here than half of what Oprah says, but am I bad bad person for, god dammit, respecting the hell out of her? I don’t even know if that’s the right word. But when you grow up poor as hell in the projects, Oprah is one of those figureheads held up on a This Is What You Can Achieve If You Try totem. Not nearly always or even nearly often enough correct, but fuck me if it doesn’t give you some hope, sometimes.

]]> By: Shelby http://blog.iblamethepatriarchy.com/2009/11/21/a-face-in-the-crowd/#comment-156461 Shelby Wed, 25 Nov 2009 23:50:15 +0000 http://blog.iblamethepatriarchy.com/?p=3156#comment-156461 Long live the queen! Jeez her mate Gayle gives me the shits though. Long live the queen! Jeez her mate Gayle gives me the shits though.

]]> By: LisaB http://blog.iblamethepatriarchy.com/2009/11/21/a-face-in-the-crowd/#comment-156459 LisaB Wed, 25 Nov 2009 18:39:04 +0000 http://blog.iblamethepatriarchy.com/?p=3156#comment-156459 The problem with Oprah (as alluded to above) is that she has so much power, such a huge platform, and yet she fails to address systemic problems, choosing instead to focus on the individual. Think what an impact she could have if she talked to women about the societal practices that affect their well-being and potential for success, and how they might go about smashing the status quo. But then, you don't get and keep an Oprah-level platform by challenging patriarchal and capitalist frameworks on a regular basis and in a potentially effective way. Let's face it, Oprah is successful because she makes people feel good in the moment that they are enjoying her. She entertains, distracts, soothes. She challenges viewers only in the most acceptable ways. Is this a good thing? It's nice to feel good, and it might help keep some people's blood pressure down or keep them out of trouble. But it might be better for all of us to be doing more to fix this f'ed up world we live in. The problem with Oprah (as alluded to above) is that she has so much power, such a huge platform, and yet she fails to address systemic problems, choosing instead to focus on the individual. Think what an impact she could have if she talked to women about the societal practices that affect their well-being and potential for success, and how they might go about smashing the status quo.

But then, you don’t get and keep an Oprah-level platform by challenging patriarchal and capitalist frameworks on a regular basis and in a potentially effective way.

Let’s face it, Oprah is successful because she makes people feel good in the moment that they are enjoying her. She entertains, distracts, soothes. She challenges viewers only in the most acceptable ways. Is this a good thing? It’s nice to feel good, and it might help keep some people’s blood pressure down or keep them out of trouble. But it might be better for all of us to be doing more to fix this f’ed up world we live in.

]]> By: Cheryl http://blog.iblamethepatriarchy.com/2009/11/21/a-face-in-the-crowd/#comment-156450 Cheryl Wed, 25 Nov 2009 01:00:37 +0000 http://blog.iblamethepatriarchy.com/?p=3156#comment-156450 I had thoughts along the lines of Jezebella's when I saw Precious (funded by Oprah). In the movie, the poor, black, fat, abused girl has fantasies of being a star walking down the red carpet. How trippy must it be for Oprah to watch that movie and realize she's lived both the uber-harsh reality and the crazy-ass fantasy? I had thoughts along the lines of Jezebella’s when I saw Precious (funded by Oprah). In the movie, the poor, black, fat, abused girl has fantasies of being a star walking down the red carpet. How trippy must it be for Oprah to watch that movie and realize she’s lived both the uber-harsh reality and the crazy-ass fantasy?

]]> By: Bizzie Lizzie http://blog.iblamethepatriarchy.com/2009/11/21/a-face-in-the-crowd/#comment-156448 Bizzie Lizzie Tue, 24 Nov 2009 20:57:13 +0000 http://blog.iblamethepatriarchy.com/?p=3156#comment-156448 > > even though you were curious, now you can never, ever get that horrific image out of your brain. I don't think I'm particularly susceptible to pop brainwashing, but I find watching this sort of stuff serves to aggravate my already simmering weltschmertz. I have to look away. There is a woman called Trisha something who does a show here and I once saw her siding with a man in shaming an African woman, who seemed to have her head screwed on, for her 'sluttish' behaviour in daring to carry condoms on her person. Go figure. I phoned to complain and never heard back. I have to look away, preferably at heartwarming nature crap. We've been getting spectacular rainbows. > > even though you were curious, now you can never, ever get that horrific image out of your brain.

I don’t think I’m particularly susceptible to pop brainwashing, but I find watching this sort of stuff serves to aggravate my already simmering weltschmertz. I have to look away.

There is a woman called Trisha something who does a show here and I once saw her siding with a man in shaming an African woman, who seemed to have her head screwed on, for her ’sluttish’ behaviour in daring to carry condoms on her person. Go figure. I phoned to complain and never heard back. I have to look away, preferably at heartwarming nature crap. We’ve been getting spectacular rainbows.

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