Oprah is trying to change her tune on aging but she’s a day late and an apology short. In a much-touted video on Huffington Post Oprah extols the “blessings” of aging, but if you listen and look carefully her monologue is laced with anti-aging bias.
She ends the video saying “we live in a youth-obsessed culture that is constantly trying to tell us that if we’re not young and we’re not glowing and we’re not hot, we don’t matter. I refuse to let a system or a culture or a distorted view of reality tell me that I don’t matter.”
I couldn’t agree more with the sentiment. The problem is, Oprah’s actions couldn’t agree less.
Let’s leave aside the fact that Oprah is arguably one of the most powerful promoters of anti-aging products in the industry. Let’s forget about the dozens of episodes of her talk show focused on extreme and even dangerous anti-aging quackery, featuring anti-aging wingnuts like Suzanne Somers. And let’s not even mention the anti-aging guru she created, Dr. Oz.
Instead, take a look at the video.
It opens flashing covers of O Magazine as examples of her dedication to providing women with important information about aging. But if you pause the video you can read headlines such as “O’s Guide to Aging Beautifully”, “The Youth Pill” and “Age Brilliantly”.
What’s that again Oprah? It’s okay if you’re not “young” and “hot”? You still matter, right? Oh, I get it — you can still matter, just so long as you read O to learn Oprah’s secrets for old women to stay young, beautiful and brilliant!
Next, Oprah explains how growing old is such a blessing. Such a blessing, that when she thinks about getting old it reminds her that it’s better than… being dead. But not just better than being dead — that’s pretty obvious — it’s better than being “an angel of 9/11”. Yep, growing old is so great it’s better than dying a horrific death in a burning inferno, or jumping to your death to escape said inferno, or… well, you get the picture.
Finally, she points to the many celebrities she admires, despite their age. Such as Maya Angelou, “who is still doing speaking tours” (emphasis mine) and Quincey Jones and Sidney Poitier who are still so busy creating new projects and just “epitomizing” what Oprah wants to be like if she’s fortunate to get that old.
Translation — you need to still be able to do stuff to matter when you’re old.
Perhaps I’m being too hard on Oprah. I never doubted that one day she would notice that she is growing old, and she would notice that all the kings horses and all the crackpot anti-aging treatments in the world were not going to put her youth back together again. I never doubted that one day, she would begin extolling the virtues of aging and growth.
I guess I just thought she might also have the wisdom to apologize for all the damage she’s already done.
Better late than never, Oprah.
Of all the important women in my life, I can think of none who care one bit what Oprah thinks about anything, aging or otherwise. As for Dr. Oz, he sold his medical soul to the great maw of product marketing years ago.
This is my first time on this site and Kavan you are brutal ha ha! Leave Oprah alone she is just going where the money is. Her network has been hurting for awhile and she needed to do something. The jumping out of buildings in an inferno. WOW!! ha ha I love this post thanks.
This is language hard-wired into us by our marketing culture. So glad to have a reality check like this. Thank you.
Here’s a ceremony I’m glad about. Links at the ‘More’ area, and transcript. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTmNj56vF_A
Godparents for Eldsters might help some. Each eldster (beloved elderly one) with Godparents, and none shall be afraid. Godparents, they’re not only for youngsters anymore. https://www.facebook.com/pages/Nursing-Home-Godparents-For-Eldsters-Compassion-Ministry/487242587986964?ref=ts&fref=ts
Interesting comment from a New York Times article: Ms. Winfrey wants that audience for the magazine, but she wants its readers to be younger. The median age for an O reader is 49, according to data tracked by the audience measurement company GfK MRI. (By comparison, Vogue’s median is 35.6 and Real Simple’s is 46.3.) Ms. Winfrey said she would like to attract women “in their 30s or perhaps their 20s, to be able to reach people when they are looking to fulfill their destiny.” She added, “By the time you’re 40, 42, you should have kind of figured it out already.” http://nyti.ms/S8GfSv
Kavan…
Geez, have you hacked my computer? I’ve been making notes to myself for a post pretty much like this one for the past week. I am particularly annoyed about Oprah’s promotion of Dr. Oz some of whose advice is medically dangerous. And Oprah’s 20- to 30-year crusade, as you so well note, touting all things anti-aging is shameful. Plus, clearly she doesn’t get still at all.
Congratulations on an important piece. Oprah never has been a friend to elders and has a long way to go to become one. Apologizing for foisting Somers and Oz on us might be a useful start.
Ah Ronni, I was just channeling my inner-Crabby-Old-Lady;)
Kavan
I couldn’t agree more about Oprah. She has tackled every important social issue in depth, including really difficult ones. Yet, she has studiously stayed away from all aging issues. I’d look to see who are the advertisers in the Oprah Magazine and on her network. There may be a lot more money in being “anti-aging.” Nevertheless, she is an icon who is respected by millions of people, especially women. I wish she would use her stature to make a positive impact on aging.