I have not let go of that one amazing performance given by the totally obscure, unlikely, rather frumpy, non-fashionable, outdated, woman named Susan Boyle. How is it that a world could be moved by one song.
Youtube.com has various edited copies. It’s actually painful to watch the one that shows the audience, because we too are the audience. While finding humor in her appearance, the faces in the audience, or our faces should I say, give way to the belief that she was ‘delusional’ or ‘somehow demented’ to think she had anything to offer us. Ms. Boyle’s moving of her hips and accepting our laughter contributed to further smirks. But there really isn’t one bit of humor in life that isn’t somehow grounded in pain, now is there? The uncomfortable viewer needs to turn this into humor for their entertainment rather than to take a hard look at themselves and why they are misusing this lady for such a purpose. Why is it that we need to find those less attractive, less capable, less fortunate? Is it so that we can contrast ourselves and feel superior? Reality TV thrives of finding these individuals and provides the ultimate feasts for public consumption. Our appetite for laughing at others continues to grow. Reality TV continues to breed a new pastime of laughing at those less fortunate. Susan Boyle has caused us to pause and think about all that . . .
Not only was her presence and voice a huge message for all of us to hear, but she chose a song which would deliver the punch . . . The words are powerful and poignant.
And still I dream he'll come to me
That we will live the years together
But there are dreams that cannot be
And there are storms we cannot weather
I had a dream my life would be
So different from this hell I'm living
So different now from what it seemed
Now life has killed the dream I dreamed.
(From Les Miserable / Fantine left alone and destitute)
Are we not killing people’s dreams by living and emphasizing a world of looks, size, race, and political correctness? This blog is not about Susan Boyle, there are millions of well written and well deserved articles about her on Google.com. I just believe the impact of all of this offers us more than one ballad, one lady, one moment. It offers us an opportunity to question our judgmental nature and examine our intent in how we treat each other.
