What\'s the deal with Oprah??

[DrEvilmonki]

So who should people trust? People they have never heard of before?

That people with fame and money use that to get their view point across is of no concern to me. The idea that because you have achieved such success that you should suddenly not have an opinion seems strange to me. The idea that the very people who helped make them famous and successful wouldn\'t be influenced by them is weird.

WHo exactly influences your opinions Shawn. If you tell me that noone does then I will call that bullshit as none of us live in a vacuum.

 

[supervike]

Originally posted by DrEvilmonki
If you tell me that noone does then I will call that bullshit as none of us live in a vacuum.

I used to live in a vacuum.

It really sucked...


thank you, thank you! I\'ll be here all night, please try the buffet!

 

[Shadzar]

Originally posted by supervike
I used to live in a vacuum.

It really sucked...


thank you, thank you! I\'ll be here all night, please try the buffet!

Do they have Jimmy?

If so, then I\'ll take a cheeseburger in paradise from margaritaville.

lol

 

[laurence]

Enlightened

Some interesting points been made here.
I see your question as the kinda question you ask you mates over a beer. What\'s the big deal with Oprah? Why is she so big? (puns intended.)

I really envy many of my Asian friends who have never heard of her. She\'s popular in the west, but no big deal here in the East. Aside from all the points made as to why she\'s made it so successful, I\'m also sure that the fact that she\'s overweight appeals to many of her also big bird viewers. She has her little book club, which works to promote reading/literature. She has also funded schools in Africa and other poorer regions of the globe thus promoting world literacy and education. It seems that she\'s quite the philanthropist.

If you watch her show (which I never do or will, well I caught an episode or two as a teen - don\'t hold it against me!) you\'ll see things like Tom Cruise going bananas over his lady. And you might even feel compelled to buy a Deepak Chopra self-help book.

Really though. I personally feel that she\'s part of the media machine that only promotes ideas and products that work to spearhead the worlds major western corporations. It\'s a form of propaganda if you ask me. Who knows? I\'m probably wrong? I don\'t watch Oprah! Did I say that already? I find it incredibly boring! It\'s the kind of show that if I watch it I lose the will to live! Horses for courses.

There really seems to be some turd-munchers who twist and bend the truth in western media. I mean look at that whole lead-paint Mattel toy thang. Geeze! People getting angry with China over that! Mattel and the consumers are the ones responsible! But, that\'s another story!

I need more coffee!!! Have a great weekend groovers. And if you disagree with my viewpint of Guiness, I mean viewpoint, by all means argue your point. I like to gain as many perspectives on issues as possible. But please, don\'t be harsh. I\'d never be harsh to you

\'C\' Man

Oh, and Supervike... I\'ve got one of those vacuum cleaners that also blows air. IT really blows! Drum roll. And now back over to Supervike.

 

[Infidel Castro]

In the UK, we still call vacuums \'Hoovers\'.

 

[supervike]

Originally posted by reverend
In the UK, we still call vacuums \'Hoovers\'.

Do you still call cars, \'horseless carriages\'?

 

[Shawn R. L.]

Originally posted by DrEvilmonki
So who should people trust? People they have never heard of before?

That people with fame and money use that to get their view point across is of no concern to me. The idea that because you have achieved such success that you should suddenly not have an opinion seems strange to me. The idea that the very people who helped make them famous and successful wouldn\'t be influenced by them is weird.

WHo exactly influences your opinions Shawn. If you tell me that noone does then I will call that bullshit as none of us live in a vacuum.

Ummmmmm...............hey, I was just asking a question.... It seems that you have taken something as derogatory in what I\'ve asked.

 

[Dragonsreach]

Originally posted by supervike

Originally posted by reverend
In the UK, we still call vacuums \'Hoovers\'.

Do you still call cars, \'horseless carriages\'?

Nay Sirrah, we call those the Devils Contraptions.

 

[QuietiManes]

\"Stating a fact is racist? \"

Of course not. But when you give credit to someone or take credit away from someone, give them some special treatment or sentiment based on their race, that is racist. So, admiring Oprah because she\'s so successful even though she\'s a black woman, is sexist and racist. It is complimentary, it is a nice and good sentiment, but it is also very troublesome. It implies that black women have a harder time succeeding, it implies that they have some fault they are born with due to their race that they have to get over in order to succeed, it suggests that \"they\" are different from \"us\" due to the colour of their skin and/or the location of their birth.

\"I didn\'t really get any racist or sexist vibes at all. Those things mentioned would be the first chapter in any biography of Oprah. They aren\'t meant to exclude her, but rather celebrate her.\"

Kind of like saying Chinese people are \"good at math\" or \"bad at driving\", both are equally racist (these are common \"jokes\" by stand up comedians and the general public here in North America, not sure if it would be said in most other places, so I just mentioned this in case anyone wondered where I got that from).

As for Obama, all I heard about for weeks before and after the election was how great America was, what a great time it was to live in, what a great sign it was \"that they could elect a black president\". I heard little about his stance on issues, his race was all that was talked about and the only thing anyone seemed to care about. At least, from what I could see from way up north here.

 

[ScottRadom]

Originally posted by ScottRadom
That\'s ridiculous. Oprah is black, she\'s a woman, and she\'s done well. It is a statistical fact that her demographic is a very, very small minority amongst the wealthy. She\'s in an even smaller portion of that demographic because she is a wealthy black woman who has power. When she talks, people listen.

It\'s not racism or stereotyping to admire that someone has made there way to the top and done so without being a member of the American majority at those heights.

Suggesting someone has \"made it\" despite their race does not imply there is anything wrong with them, rather it implies that there is somethign wrong with those that feel their IS something wrong with them.

And yes I think it is okay for Americans and the rest of the world to look at Obama\'s election in a land that used to buy and sell members of his race as a sign of progression.

The racial walls that would have once held Obama and Oprah firmly in place at the bottom of the social ladder are being dismantled, and I think it\'s in no small way because (love \'em or hate \'em) these two examples have done a fine job of setting examples of how work and determination can pay off regardless of your race.

But this thread is spiraling fast. Shawn R.L. asked a question that I often wonder about myself. Why the hell do people care about what Oprah thinks so much? I don\'t get it either. I think she mostly uses her powers for good, but I do wonder why it is she has any power at all. If she were to have a show or a book on how to get rich and famous and powerful.... well NOW I\'d listen to her!

 

[porkchop806]

ALLL HAIILL OOPRAA!!!...NOW SHUT UP AND DRINK YOUR F@$#ING KOOL-AID NOWW:twisted:

 

[porkchop806]

for those not gitting the joke it is that women\'s followers are almost at a cult standard pretty soon she tell them that a space ship is coming to take them all away and her littel igor Dr. phill is gonna sit herding them like cattel while screaming yes mine furer at the top of his lung and becaus people get so focused to just heard on side of a story instead of both that this is how people liek ophra get to have such power she mentiond thats she was voteing for obamma and the female ages 35-50 that watch her show thats had on the voteing cards repulican voted for obamma now i voted for obamma i and im getting dangerioulsy deep into poltics so ill stop there on that note but when you can pick the outcome of the peridency that is effing sad and theres only one thing i gotta say about that :moon: now this is just my opinion and im cool with whoever disagrees and if they want to i am more than willing to here the5re side of the story

 

[QuietiManes]

\"It\'s not racism or stereotyping to admire that someone has made there way to the top and done so without being a member of the American majority at those heights. \"

The \"racism\" is the focus on their race as being a determining factor in their success OR your appreciation of their success. If you think a certain group should be treated, dealt with, thought of, appreciated or accepted differently than another racial group, then that is racism. Racism has many faces and forms, it\'s not always clearly negative and horrific. I don\'t know if it will ever be any clearer though. Next time I get that \"don\'t post this\" spidey-sense, I\'ll try to pay more attention though because this is way off the road.

 

[ScottRadom]

Originally posted by QuietiManes
\"It\'s not racism or stereotyping to admire that someone has made there way to the top and done so without being a member of the American majority at those heights. \"

The \"racism\" is the focus on their race as being a determining factor in their success OR your appreciation of their success. If you think a certain group should be treated, dealt with, thought of, appreciated or accepted differently than another racial group, then that is racism. Racism has many faces and forms, it\'s not always clearly negative and horrific. I don\'t know if it will ever be any clearer though. Next time I get that \"don\'t post this\" spidey-sense, I\'ll try to pay more attention though because this is way off the road.

Well I see what you\'re saying, but disagree completely. Paying attention to the fact that someone has overcome what is sadly a social barrier too often is not negative and I don\'t think should be avoided. Regardless of whether we agree to label it as racism or not, accepting that people are different is good. The fact that those percieved differences are often obstacles to success is of course bad, but I don\'t think it\'s negative to celebrate the success of anyone who has overcome them to the levels of the examples of Oprah or Obama.

I know we\'re way off course here, but I remember the pitcher Jim Abbot (I think that was him) who had only one hand but made it into the majors. Pointing out that he achieved the highest level of success despite the handicap of only having the one hand I don\'t think was deragotory of the physically disabled anymore that pointing out Oprah\'s success in spite of bucking the trend of race and sex at her level is any different.

But as you say we\'re way off course here. But I would ask that you go ahead and ignore your \"spidey sense\" and post whatever is on your mind around here. What I like most about this joint is that no matter the viewpoints of those involved the discussions are very respectful (okay... usually.) and it\'s fun to throw around these things.

Besides, as Canadians we\'re both the good guys, so it\'s pretty tough for us to get in trouble around here!

 

[Torn blue sky]

Originally posted by reverend
In the UK, we still call vacuums \'Hoovers\'.

In the Us of A Hoover is a dam, so all is lost =(
Wait I think he was a president at some point too... THIS is the ultimate answer, albeit more for s*its and giggles. Don\'t watch this if you\'re sensitive, it has bad words in it! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFsXv9Lc-F8

 

[Legacy Account]

Originally posted by QuietiManes

Of course not. But when you give credit to someone or take credit away from someone, give them some special treatment or sentiment based on their race, that is racist. So, admiring Oprah because she\'s so successful even though she\'s a black woman, is sexist and racist. It is complimentary, it is a nice and good sentiment, but it is also very troublesome. It implies that black women have a harder time succeeding, it implies that they have some fault they are born with due to their race that they have to get over in order to succeed, it suggests that \"they\" are different from \"us\" due to the colour of their skin and/or the location of their birth.

Complete and utter bollocks!

In case you hadn\'t noticed minorities and women had (and still have) more difficulty in acquiring top jobs and positions of power. It\'s difficult for a fact to be racist....

\"Oprah Gail Winfrey (born January 29, 1954) is an American media personality, Academy Award nominated actress, producer, literary critic and magazine publisher, best known for her self-titled, multi-award winning talk show, which has become the highest-rated program of its kind in history. She has been ranked the richest African American of the 20th century, the most philanthropic African American of all time, and was once the world\'s only black billionaire. She is also, according to some assessments, the most influential woman in the world.\" from Wikipedia...

Seems that Wikipedia have no problems with pointing out that she\'s a successful black woman. Hooded, cross-burning racists that they are....

 

[Einion]

Originally posted by QuietiManes
The \"racism\" is the focus on their race as being a determining factor in their success OR your appreciation of their success.

Naw. Think about it: that would mean that to openly acknowledge a person\'s success in, say, an Alabama election was because he was white would be racist.

Making note of or taking account of race or sex or some other social ranking/element is not in any way inherently racist, sexist, ageist or whatever... it\'s everything to do with the way it\'s said, how it\'s used - the subtext. The same words can even convey two entirely different slants, depending on context.

Einion