Oprah Gail Winfrey drives me nuts!
Oh the heresy!
Well not so much Oprah (although I do find her whole style to be ingratiating and condescending) but more those people that hang on every word of the Great O! The thing that irks me most noticeably is what has become known as the Oprah Effect in publishing. On the word of the Great O a book will rush to the top of the best seller list, all because Oprah enjoyed it???
Come on people think for yourselves!
The list of books in themselves is not bad. Also anything that gets people reading is wonderful. I am concerned that if those people who simply rely on Oprah telling them to go out and read this or that book, have the nous to understand Anna Karenina or Love in the Time of Cholera. Is this purely endemic of our continuing fascination with celebrity and our willingness to devolve our thinking process to others who are "smarter" than us?
It also begets the bigger and slightly more frightening question; Could Oprah turn the election in Obama's favour just on her word?
The power of the O can be seen in the message boards on her Book Club Website. "A New Earth" by Eckhart Tolle is Oprah's latest offering, has 25,669 seperate discussions which have been viewed 4,596,900 times, being run on the web boards!
I have to admit that I am now loath to buy a book that carries Oprah's Book Club sticker, simply as my own private protest against this kind of celebrity endorsement.
In Memory
14 years ago
3 comments:
Is this purely endemic of our continuing fascination with celebrity and our willingness to devolve our thinking process to others who are "smarter" than us?
Yes.
It also begets the bigger and slightly more frightening question; Could Oprah turn the election in Obama's favour just on her word?
No. Influence maybe, but not "turn." The economy will do that on its own, ty very much.
:)
I want to be Oprah. And I truly do have a head shaped like hers. :)
Great post, by the way!
I agreed whole heartedly with you Stephen, myself I have a tendency to back away from books endorsed by Oprah. Fortunately some of the books she's recommended are ones that I have already read,unfortunately people don't like to think for themselves these day.
I sincerely hope that O will not influence the US election too much, but only time will answer that question.
Great stuff, keep up the good work. Take care, Gillian
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