The work's done for low pay (for those employed to do good works) or through the sacrifice of personal time and resources for volunteers.
Several years ago I received a call from a Catholic nun in rural southwestern West Virginia who needed my help with a family she was supporting. I spent a day with the Sister and the family; I was impressed by her selflessness, and the way she made the family's needs the most important aspect of our get-together that day. She didn't seem to need recognition, praise or gratitude. She simply wanted the quality of life for the family we were visiting to improve.
Of course, the Sister's name wasn't Oprah.Oprah's Big Give premiers tonight on ABC. By one account (a review in USA Today), the show "is a throwback to a time when the poor were expected to be grateful for whatever they were given.
It so often ignores the needs of those getting the give that the reviewer adds: "Seldom has the drive to do good works been as alarmingly, offensively presumptuous."
Gee, that review sounds familiar.
4 comments:
Pork Chop Express, Pig-n-Whistle, Bionic Bigfoot, Route75,... Man, the comments on that link are priceless!
Oh yeah, Oprah is to poor people what jelly-filled tubes of toothpaste are to people without dental insurance.
Yep, it's one of my favorites, still. What a crew that is! :)
I caught a little of this show last night. It really was almost painful to watch which is surprising given the theme of it!
The choice of "givers" was a little odd too.
I don't know if I can top the Pork Chop Express, but Oprah ego has to be the size of Oklahoma.
The review by the USA Today was pretty good. He's right, "good intentions" pave that road....but after awhile (when the cameras are off and life returns to normal), the potholes in the road are worse than the ones on I-64 coming home at night.
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