Why Oprah’s Wealth Doesn’t Make Her a Hypocrite

Oprah Winfrey. We’re not sure that there’s a more polarizing figure on the planet who isn’t an international political figure, and some would argue that Oprah is an international political figure! Or at least as powerful as an international political figure. We frequently find ourselves engaged in a debate with others. Is Oprah good for the world because of all of the charitable and philanthropic work that she does? Or is Oprah a bit of a hypocrite because she owns so much “stuff” and isn’t ashamed to let you know how wealthy she is while simultaneously telling you to make the world better for underprivileged people and populations?

We thought that as the talk show diva’s final season begins airing, it is a good time to discuss the topic of Oprah’s legacy. We come down on the side of being pro-Oprah, because we think that everybody needs to create their own definition of what being a Postconsumer is. However, we encourage you to decide for yourself.

You can’t deny the good that Oprah has put into the world. Oprah’s Angel Network has raised more than $51 million dollars, all of which goes directly to charity since Oprah covers all of the administrative costs of the charity herself. Oprah was the first African American to make the Business Week list of the fifty most generous people in America. She has personally helped more than 250 African American men complete their education at Morehouse College. And, of course, there’s also the fact that Oprah spent $40 million dollars as well as her personal time to open the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls in South Africa. Aside from all of these tangible efforts, it’s also undeniable that Winfrey has put good into the world by calling attention to social plights and encouraging reading in America through her immensely popular book club.

Oprah is worth about $2.5 billion in net worth, and she’s not afraid to spend it. In addition to expensive designer clothes (such as the now famous Hermes bag) and opulent vacations, Oprah’s California mansion is worth $85 million (she purchased it for $50 million in 2001). It’s a 23 thousand square-foot Georgian-style home on 43 acres of land. She’s also on record as owning bed sheets that cost thousands of dollars per set. She buys expensive presents for her friends as well, including homes, cars and expensive jewelry. For her fifty-fifth birthday, she treated 1700 friends, family and employees to a luxury Mediterranean cruise valued at over $5000 a guest.

So, while it’s undeniable that Oprah is putting good into the world, it’s also undeniable that she’s not exactly living as a model for living sustainably, or even reasonably by many people’s standards. So which is it? Is the Queen of Daytime an angel for the good she’s done, or a bit of an anti-angel for the opulent lifestyle she promotes? We’ve said where we land on the topic, now tell us what you think! Friend us on Facebook to let us know your opinion on the topic!