Mercifully, my graduation ceremony did not feature a commencement speaker, the birthday clown of the academic world. Instead, I stood for an hour in a cold hall and was subjected to an ancient ceremony conducted almost entirely in Latin. This had the welcome effect of making all of the attendees feel extremely small and insignificant, and of reminding us that, while great people had gone through these Oxford halls, we had not yet done anything even close to being of note. It was wonderful.
And then there is Oprah.
She was awarded a doctorate too? nice.
Here’s a commencement speech, from a guy that was awarded an honorary doctorate:
http://therightscoop.com/allen-west-gives-excellent-conservative-commencement-address-to-northwood-graduates/
Giving Oprah a “honorary doctorate” certainly lowers the value of one of those.
I can’t think of any redeeming factors that would warrant her receiving a degree. Other than that she has successfully scammed the women of North America for millions without any consequences at all to herself.
I’ve always detested Oprah for reasons which weren’t made clear until I read about her delusional weltanschauung just now. My patients know well that I have absolutely no interest in hearing what her medical opinions are as mention of her name is one of the things that will set me off despite my efforts to maintain an imperturbable exterior when I’m in my physician mode.
What she’s advocating is magical thinking instead of directly interacting with reality to get things done. Magical thinking is normal in young children but in adults it’s considered a sign of psychopathology. When I’m talking to a patient in ER who’s worried because their thoughts are causing tornado’s in the US, my response is to prescribe an antipsychotic (that is unless they’re able to create a miniature tornado in the exam room which, for some reason, they’re not able to do and offer up an amazing list of excuses why they can’t do so).
Some people don’t get out of childhood thought patterns and thus we have groups of people getting together to simultaneously “imagine” world peace or some other goal and, when their gathering fails to make any impact on the state of the world they usually explain this as a result of there being too few people attempting this exercise.
A side effect of people who engage in magical thinking routinely that I see is the blaming of external factors for any illness they might get; more than once I’ve heard patients tell me “doctor, I’ve been visualizing my body as being healthy for years and that means that the cancer that I’ve got must be as a result of [insert one of: toxins in the environment, genetically modified foods, RF emissions from cell phones or their neighbors WiFi, “black mold”, workplace stress, etc]. Magical thinking seems to often be associated with projection as a primary psychic defense mechanism.
It’s our actions that change reality, not sitting in a lotus position chanting om endlessly and imagining some goal one wants to take place. Giving a moonbat like Oprah an honorary degree indicates that Harvard is beyond saving and perhaps it can be turned into a daycare facility for delusional adults. Changing ones thought patterns is what I routinely talk to people about during psychotherapy visits as learning to identify self-defeating thoughts is essential for people to get better when they’re depressed. At no point do I tell people that imagining something alone will result in that event magically taking place — that’s where the actual hard physical work comes in to achieve ones goals.
“It’s our actions that change reality, not sitting in a lotus position chanting om endlessly and imagining some goal one wants to take place”
Absolutely correct in every word. The problem, Loki, is that it’s increasingly difficult to defend against the magical thinking that constantly bombards society. It used to be that government, mass media and the other principal institutions of society provided some support for rationality. However, New Ageism has been creeping in everywhere, and what used to provide support now seems to contribute to the madness.
Loki: ” … Giving a moonbat like Oprah an honorary degree indicates that Harvard is beyond saving …”
I totally agree. Maybe they need some of her money.
magical child-like thinking brought Obumbles to the white house!!!!
Magical thinking or not, Oprah has had a positive impact on may people’s lives. I think people should distinguish between “New Ageism” and having a positive outlook — feeling empowered because you believe you can address some problem. I am not an Oprah fan, but I respect what she has accomplished and think she deserves credit for helping many people lead better lives.
LindaL…proof of your statement,please.And what she “accomplished” was straight affirmitive action by the MSM. Can’t be mean to a black person. I am upset that no gal stood up and threw a pie in her man hating,hypocritical,whoring,unmarried face.So do you follow her “medical” or “psycho” advice? She and the Chimp in Chief would make a great pair,in the old USSR. Or…the new USSA.
Oprah is just the symptom of Celebrity worship, crossed with Moral relativism.
She has made billions on this.
Is it any wonder they would give her a degree. Look at Academia today.
What are these papers now worth when they like smallpox blankets, are just Marxist propaganda on parchment.
Look at the fools that run Universities, to Kindergartens today.
I think the IRS, Benghazi, Fast & furious. The bugging of Journalists should be the real focus.
Oprah is just show business, as has become education.
We watch her antics as the Republic crumbles. Canada dies every Human rights decision.
What scares me more is Holder, investigating Holder.
Not some Women who during the fad of blaming your parents for raping you through Hypnotic therapy. Did the same with no proof to her own. A trend setter in Mindless Psychology.Part of the circus that takes our eyes of the real threat to us all as free citizens.
And then there’s Ellen. When it comes to daytime entertainment women do love characters who are seriously screwed up in the head. Thank goodness I am spared from it all by man parts and a daytime job.
This is hilarious.
“Mercifully, my graduation ceremony did not feature a commencement speaker, the birthday clown of the academic world. Instead, I stood for an hour in a cold hall and was subjected to an ancient ceremony conducted almost entirely in Latin.”
Yeah. I can see how an hour of ancient ritualistic patter has more value than say listening to somebody from the previous generation sharing what wisdom they may have gained through their experiences. What idiocy.
Thoses kids you’re so worried about… they’re smarter than you. And probably the only reason they’re smarter than you is because of the way they’re being educated. It’s funny how you guys still choose to believe that the opposite is true, but that’s how you roll here at SDA. Believe what you want despite the evidence.
With the possible exceptions of ‘bama and Turdo le Doo, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better poster child for the decline of modern-day North America.
That someone so devoid of substance could be so revered and richly rewarded for broadcasting babyshit, makes The Big Bell Toll.
Thousands of years from now, when arcehologists dig down and find the artifacts of our present age, what term will they use?
Paleo-thick? Neostupid?
Justthinkin: “LindaL…proof of your statement,please” Check out Oprah’s Ambassador’s of Hope project. She motivates people to work towards positive change in their own lives and their communities. It’s not my thing, but if these people say they have experienced positive benefits from this, I am not going to argue with them. I think comments here are unnecessarily cynical. You don’t have to like Oprah yourself to acknowledge that many people find her inspiring.
LindaL, I’m all for having a positive outlook on things but I’m also in favor of having a realistic outlook. One of the things I see in depressed people is a false reality in which the depressed person sees themselves as worthless and suicide seems to be the only solution. This is clearly a defective virtual reality, but then there’s the manic person who, while witty and fast thinking, lives in an equally delusional virtual reality of their own creation.
Productive people are generally enthusiastic and, in many of them that I know, a bit hypomanic. If they have a realistic understanding of their strength’s and weaknesses they can do very well. So yes, having a positive attitude towards things is one aspect of being successful. To really get somewhere with a positive attitude one needs a good knowledge base and that takes work to acquire. The impression I get from people like Oprah and her ilk is that all one needs is a positive attitude and success will arrive. For someone who has no skills, a positive attitude will make it more likely for them to acquire new skills but it won’t make them successful. Success also depends to a great degree on luck and having the right set of skills to take advantage of an opportunity when it occurs.
IMO, there’s far too much emphasis about feeling good and “self esteem” and delusional thinking. Visualization has its place in practicing skilled athletic skills as imagining oneself performing an activity does improve ones real world performance. The “new age” extrapolation of this process is pure BS and I’m glad to no longer live in a place like Vancouver where magical thinking is rampant. There are times when people need to be told, that as far as their performance in a particular area is concerned, they’re a worthless POS. The determined ones work hard to remedy that situation whereas the pampered young people who have never experienced negative reinforcement in their lives fall apart.
Very on Loki!