When we get the daily news, it can seem that the world is fucked and there is no hope for the human species.
However, every once in awhile there is sweet, sweet justice.
Oprah W continues to make a fortune (nothing wrong with that) peddling bullshit to millions of people (that's terribly wrong). The bullshit is vast, but in particular there's this New Age Bullshit — quack medicine, pop-psychology based on wishful thinking and garbage values all dressed up in the glitz of big-budget network syndicated television and publishing.
The American free enterprise system is wonderful. Thankfully, it is based on a fundamental concept — the free expression of ideas and speech. And sure, Oprah W has the right to do what she does, the people have the right to buy her bullshit and Newsweek; skeptics like PZ Meyers, Phil Plait and others — like the less-famous me — have the right to call her on her crap and criticise her.
In my opinion, she is painful to watch. The reaction of her audience is scary: these people have the right to produce children and to vote. Fuck me jesus, that is frightening. These people buy the FALSEHOODS on stuff like anti-vaccination (the lack of herd immunity affect us all), wishful thinking like "The Secret" — a passive society of wishful thinkers has bad long-term consequences, "cures" for menopause and a slew of highly dubious "new age" therapies and pop psychology.
The Article: Live Your Best Life Ever!
Oprah's response — In my opinion a big fucking cop-out, all but a hair's breadth short of a denial of responsibility.
The best defense against con jobs is to develop critical thinking skills and be aware of the emotional manipulation con artists resort to to "get you" to buy their dubious products, service or ideas. It could even save you from being indoctrinated into a cult.
Consider these "tools" for starters:
Love Bombing [1] [2]
Baloney Detection
Dealing With Manipulative Agents
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