Spiritualni kapitalizam Oprah Winfrey

Zubak, Jasna. (2013). Spiritualni kapitalizam Oprah Winfrey. Diploma Thesis. Filozofski fakultet u Zagrebu, Department of Sociology. [mentor Cifrić, Ivan and Nikodem, Krunoslav].

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Abstract

We are the witnesses of the increasing expansion of various spiritual teachers and gurus who offer us their own spiritual principles, teachings and practices, all outside the institution. Term used to encompass such “free” spirituality in which the individual himself is his own authority, and which is independent of any strict regulations, is New Age spirituality. New Age draws people who are intoxicated with values of modern culture - freedom, authenticity, independence and other similar values that are held as sacred. Beliefs and inspiration of New Age ideas are mostly found in Buddhism, Hinduism, Theosophy, Gnosticism, and variety of esoteric teachings. Considering these new forms of spirituality and “worshiping” public, supposedly charismatic people, we have wondered who they really are, and what kind of is promoted according to their criteria. One example is certainly Oprah Winfrey. Television is a platform through which Oprah was originally achieved fame and through which public opinion is formed through variety of themes and commentary show. Television has a huge impact on people's lives. Informations which we “absorb” through television screens will impact our own decisions and way of life, whether we realize it or not. Winfrey explained that their mission was to use television to transform people's lives and to bring happiness and a sense of fulfillment into every home. Winfrey says that her show is an actual service that does not require money. She reminds us of the fact that she changed a lot of lives - or at least inspired to change. Oprah does not want people to look at her as a person who calculates her way to success to sold and earn more, but she relies on close relationships with people and wants to reach out to their feelings. Mass audience is what she wants, and to them is being served a mysterious d/Spirit. She assures us that we need to find the spirit within ourselves that will connect us with a better understanding of our true self. Although Oprah identify herself as Christian, her ideas and attitudes are often contradictory to Christian worldview. Lofton (2011) explains that Winfrey is selling gospel of prosperity as well as everything else that is sold, and she says there's something special, something that combines the visualization with a hungry American materialism. Transformed into Harpo, Oprah is a corporation. Oprah is also a capitalist and a capital, consumer and goods. She is a product, but her product is not a single item. Her taste is her product. Oprah's life can serve as an example of the American dream. Although she had a difficult childhood, she managed to stand up for herself and become one of the most influential and richest women in the world. Although she grew up influenced by traditional Baptist church, Oprah had later moved to New Age spirituality, and this transition is described as a path from tyranny to liberation.

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