Tuesday, April 21, 2009

I dreamed a dream

I wasn't sure that I would post anything about the whole Susan Boyle phenomenon. I mean, I haven't posted in eons and why should that be the thing to inspire me to break my silence?

I first saw about this story on one of the local news programs. The dowdy little woman with Martin Scorcese eyebrows belting out a difficult song with gusto and style. I watched the youtube clip and saw the look of shock and awe on the judges' faces, the standing ovations, the teary-eyed audience members. And I was moved too.

But why was I moved? Why was the audience? Because we can't imagine that unattractive people can do anything well. And really that's what it all boils down to: we have come so brainwashed into thinking that only people with perfect bodies and perfect hair and perfect faces can do anything worthwhile and the unattractive are just there to be laughed at.