Episode · Behind the Bastards · 2025-01-28
Books mentioned on Part Five: Is Oprah Winfrey a Bastard?
Today we talk about Oprah's involvement in a self help guru who killed three people in a sweat lodge, and how it goes into a shift in American culture driven by The Oprah Winfrey show. See omnystudio.
Books mentioned, in the order they came up
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The Power of Positive Thinking
The Power of Positive Thinking by Norman Vincent Peale is a classic 1952 self-help book that promotes optimistic thinking, faith-based confidence, and mind-over-matter techniques.
Discussed“If you remember the Woody Guthrie episodes we talked about how during the Great Depression starving farmers and their kids were listening to prototypes of Norman Vincent Norman Vincent peele's the power of positive thinking right which is basically this shares DNA with Prosperity Gospel stuff with the secret and Maryanne Williamson”
Where to get it
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Age of Oprah
Age of Oprah by Janice Peck is an insightful critical analysis that examines the cultural, economic, and psychological impact of Oprah Winfrey on American media, therapeutic culture, and public consciousness.
Discussed“uh there's a chunk in the age of Oprah that talks about an expensive self-help speaking tour Winfrey launched in the early 2000s the personal growth Summit”
Where to get it
Other mentions in this episode (1) — ad reads, self-promotion and passing references, never counted
Passing Seven Pillars of Wisdom
“like look I'm not an expert educator which is why I trained an llm on Lawrence of Arabia's book Seven Pillars of wisdom and I've just let that loose on the kids”