Susan Boyle
Wow! This 47 year old woman, never married, not even kissed in her life, living alone with her cat, unemployed, had the guts to sign up for the British equivalent of “American Idol” called “Britain’s Got Talent” and wooed the judges and the audience with her spectacular performance of “The Dream” from “Les Miserables”. Wow….
I felt touched to tears (just like many of my friends) by her performance and the reaction of the audience, kind of an ugly duckling to fairy princess story. It seems to have touched so many, as within 4 days the Youtube video of her audition has been viewed over 7 million times, and more than 45,000 positive and encouraging comments have been left accompanying her video. (A week later the views have soared to 25 million and the comments to 115,000).
All of this makes me wonder whether there is an archetypal element in her story, one common to me and so many others around the world. It feels to me as if Susan Boyle has become a symbol of hope in these challenging times: if an “Average Susan” can, with some encouragement from her Mom, can become a singing world sensation, then there is hope for each one of us, no matter how stuck, unimportant or invisible we feel.
To me President Obama’s story has been a precursor to this phenomenon and has a similar effect: if he can stay positive and optimistic in the midst of all these worldwide and easily overwhelming challenges, then I can too.
Here is the video:
Vodpod videos no longer available.Click here for a more detailed article on the Susan Boyle phenomena in the Washington Post and here for an article on BBC News exploring some reasons why Susan Boyle has won over the world, and here for an article titled:”Susan Boyle’s appeal not so surprising”.
April 24, 2009:
I just found a Time Online Magazine article offering some good journalistic background material and context for the Susan Boyle phenomenon. Click here for the online article.
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