Letters to the Editor
-
Spirituality and wealth--a mix as old as America itself.
The desire/lust for material wealth has always been tied to religion and spirituality in American culture, since its inception. The puritans believed that the wealthy were blessed by God and the poor cursed by Him; the founding fathers were largely motivated by wealth; "manifest destiny" was the almost religious belief that it was America's destiny to own all the land between the Atlantic and the Pacific oceans, even if we had to kill natives and Mexicans to get it. The Secret is nothing new in American culture (in more ways than one) even if it was produced by an Australian. Therefore, it is unfair to single out Oprah for degrading the meaning of spirituality by mingling it with materialism since this is a cultural phenomenon that goes back hundreds of years.
Moreover, the idea that Oprah should not have lavished so much money on her school because she could have spent that money more wisely and helped other poor Africans is preposterous. Americans spend billions on their pets and millions more at Starbucks every year. If one rich lady wants to spoil a few poor but very bright African kids why criticize her for it? In fact, I can't think of a better way to spend millions of dollars or of more deserving people.
-
Personal Responbility
I loved the comparison you made in your aticle between Bush and Oprah. I had a few thoughts, however, about that comparison as relates to the idea of personal responsibility.
You lambast Oprah for espousing the idea that if you are poor, it's your fault. However, in your explanation, you only seemed to say that the system holds people down, so it's not someones fault if they are poor (I am not talking about people getting in the way of genocide, which, of course, is no one's fault). I understand it was not in the scope of your article to talk about the poor in our society, but I think it's important to say that while Oprah's version may be full of crap, personal responsibilty is vital.
Here is what I would say is the common link between Oprah and Dick Cheney. Both are excuses for rich people to not feel guilty about being rich. Oprah: Hey- I can hope for millions while people in Darfur are dying- all they have to do is wish it better and they will be. Cheney: Hey- I don't have to institute policy to give the poor a helping hand, all they have to do is work hard and they will get rich like me. Each is a bastardisation of pesonal responsibility. Both promote the idea that personal success comes in a vacuum- that you made it yourself, others can, too, and you don't have to help anyone else (other than give them a copy of the secret).
As I mentioned above- people use the idea that they are held down by the man/system as an excuse not to do anything- which is something Republicans are right about. People in such situations have to look to themselves for help, because no one is going to help them- that is grim reality. But what the people up top have to realize is that they didn't make it without help- and to take their welath and say- this is mine, I made it myself, is bullshit. They made it off the backs of others, and they need to offer stepping stones to those who are struggling.
I think this is an important distinction- yes the system holds people down, but they will never rise above that without pushing back hard themselves. Oprah's version is wrongheaded, but the principle still stands.
-
hey you two...
I AGREE WITH YOU!
I WAS EXPLAINING TO THOSE WHO DONT GET WHAT THE SECRET IS AND ARE DEFENDING IT, SAYING IT IS ABOUT HARD WORK, WHAT IT ACTUALLY IS!
LOA 101
-
Hah
You were very convincing...
LOL.
-
Congratulations Salon, you just lost a subscriber
This article was so disturbing on so many levels, I know I am officially done being a premium member. The article was good in one respect only, in that it shows the rage and cynicism of lefties and progressives everywhere that is contributing to the destruction of this world on every level (and clearly shows why we are so politically uneffective). The philosophies in "The Secret" have been practised successfully by people for thousands of years and I am guessing Ms. Byrne was trying to make it widely accessible to the masses. Yes, it is oversimplified. What can be summed up in 90 minutes? But the material is spot on correct and modern science is now proving something that mystics have known for centuries. I have witnessed jaw-dropping transformations in my own life and the lives of others...medically documented cancerous tumors healed, thousands of dollars of debt paid off easily, broken bones healing in 1/5 the time it would normally take. And you're trying to say this is BAD? Is watching CNN 24-7 while popping your 3rd anti-depressant of the day while you zone out in front of your lap top to completely avoid feeling ANYTHING somehow better? The proof is in the pudding people...will everyone who watches "The Secret" have their lives miraculously transformed? No, they won't, because it takes discipline, determination and hell of a lot of courage to decide to no longer be a whiny victim and to start actively co-creating their own realities, which we are doing unconsciously anyway, whether you believe it or not. (Just look at how Oprah and "The Secret" teachers are being viciously attacked now. Now imagine this is your own family/friends/coworkers. Not so fun.) But for the people who decide to open their minds and hearts and embark on a journey of meditation, energetic healing, affirmative prayer, visualization, and contemplation of the many great books that inspired this film, they will not be sorry. It's worth every effort. You can only know how it works by working it. Too bad the author was completely unwilling to give it a try...it's so painfully clear that someone so bitter and abusive could have really benefitted, probably more than most. But then he and others would have to start taking personal responsability for their lives instead of the constant finger-pointing at everyone else. You reap what you sow, what goes around comes around...we all know this.