I AM THe Next American Idol?

While watching the latest auditions for the American Idol T.V. show competition, I couldn't help but be struck by the complete lack of talent of many of the contestants. It was shocking to me that these young people would wait in line for hours or even days believing they had the singing ability to be the next American Idol. Who told them they could sing? Were parents, after hearing their kid's screeching, off-key renditions, telling their child they could sing in order to heighten their self esteem? Were all of their family and friends tone death, as well? Had these young people never listened to a recording of themselves? Did these people truly believe they could possibly sing as well as Carrie Underwood or David Cook? Or, is this a case of the "me" generation of individuals who delude themselves into believing that they are somehow more special than everyone else ? I think that everyone of those contestants truly believe they are great singers, not because of any external confirmation of their talent, but because they desperately need to find some way to separate themselves from the rest of the average sheep. Of course, this is complete self delusion and illusion, but their sense of self is wedded to the idea of distinguishing themselves in some way. Each believes he is incredibly "special" and needs to hold on to this idea in order to survive the anonymity of the masses.

This is not to say that human beings should not have great belief in themselves and pursue their goals. However, such pursuits usually derive from the recognition of a modicum of talent, which is then honed through lessons and practice and confirmed by those with similar expertise. Simply put, I don't become a great artist without first knowing how to draw. But in the case of American Idol and many reality shows today, it appears to be the "15 minutes of fame" (or in the case of American Idol, 30 seconds) that is the motivator. Talent or no talent, just auditioning in front of J-Lo is enough of an accomplishment to label themselves as "more special" than others. The saddest moment last week was after the Hollywood auditions, when a guy crying into the camera proclaimed, "I am nothing without this, nothing."

Those of us who are growing older and finally developing some wisdom recognize that there is nothing, absolutely nothing, external from our souls that can define nor distinguish us as more important than anyone else. Humility is recognizing that everyone lives at the center of their own autocosm wherein they believe they are just as important as you believe you are. As my father taught me, there is little difference between the President of the United States and the custodian of the White House, so always treat them with the same respect. Thankfully, I don't need to be "recognized" in order to know that I am worthwhile in the universal scheme of things.