The Cult of Marianne Williamson Shows Nothing Has Changed
It seems nobody has learned from the mistakes of the 2016 election cycle
In 1992, the Los Angeles Times described Marianne Williamson as the “New Age guru of the hour.” Her spiritual prosthelytizing had propelled her into the heart of Hollywood, to a level of fame that rivaled some of the biggest stars of the era. With her self-help book A Return to Love fresh off the press, Williamson was “captivating standing-room-only audiences” with her mystical lessons. 27 years later, she’s at it again.
During Tuesday’s Democratic presidential debate, Williamson delivered one of the most notable quips of the night: “If you think any of this wonkiness is going to deal with this dark psychic force of the collectivized hate that this president is bringing up in this country,” she told the audience at Detroit’s historic Fox Theatre, “then I’m afraid that the Democrats are going to see some very dark days.” The line quickly spread online, leaving in its trail a series of memes. By Wednesday morning, she had been dubbed by CNN “the newest internet darling,” and was the most Googled candidate in all but one state.
