I’m looking at the latest Oprah mag and as usual I’m disgusted (why do I keep buying this mag!). In my liberal arts classes in college, we often discussed how women undermined themselves by co-opting to the white man’s definition of the professional world. It was a concept we were all too familiar with. A woman would make it to the top of her organization and immediately begin criticizing her female peers. As undergraduates we all promised each other to not be “like that”.
This became part of a broader perspective which was to have women redefine the working world. We wanted to show the dominant male, that humans needed flexibility and purpose in their work and that productivity could increase as a result of these values. What is so right about working without personal interruption from 8 to 5? It’s not only unrealistic, but harsh as well.
Anyway, the key issue for women was co-opting, which meant to adopt the white man’s belief systems and begin judging others based on this belief structure. This was always deletorious to women. White men rarely saw the sensibility to being a sensitive and caring individual in the work place.
Ack, and that’s why I am angry with Oprah. The economic tyranny of her magazine is offensive. I was born to a very poor and large southern family. I grew up with a fervent desire to gain traction in the economic community of the United States. I went to college and then to graduate school and then, when that was not enough I became certified in addictions therapy so that I could help others.
At no time ever, have I had enough money to spend $268.00 on a skirt or a shirt or a pair of shoes. It’s just not done. Oh sure, you can say that since I had several children and certainly am in love with several grandchildren, that is the reason for not spending such obscene quantities of money on myself.
For a dress that costs $500.00 there should be ‘2 men and a small boy’ sewing exactly to my specifications. But there is not. And in fact, I am finding that more and more money is worthless. If I spend $80.00 on a dress my money is worthless… it was a ‘cheap’ purchase. The fact is that with a graduate degree $80.00 is still three hours of a working day and when you figure in taxes, etc., it is more like 5 hours of a working day.
I also belong to a little known organization that concerns itself with how and what Americans are paid in wages. For the last several years the battle has been on – to raise the minimum wage in America. Do you know how many people make less than $10.00 an hour in America? Just think of this: every fast food restaurant, all convenience stores and every single Walmart in the country. $8.00 X 40 hours X 52 weeks = $16,640.00 per year. You know that it is an impossible wage? So if buying a $268.00 shirt won’t happen for me…then you know that fully half of the rest of the country cannot even imagine a $268.00 shirt.
What I call this is Oprah using her influence to an unfair advantage with economically compromised women. We love Oprah so much that we want to buy her “favorite things” yet when we do, we lower our credit score because we cannot possibly pay for Oprah’s favorite things with cash. Who can? Apparently enough women to keep the mega advertising machine of Oprah rolling along, but only for the very well off.
I guess I wanted Oprah to care about the economically disadvantaged. She does not seem to care, she has her billions and just like every other white male with a billion dollars she uses her influence and name to make some more money for herself. Of course.