About Susan Boyle I've seen, read and heard condescending remarks about her "frumpy" style.
What kinds of human beings are we in our various societies that we focus instantly with such harsh judgement on the appearance of this talented person? Beginning with the audience and the panel, all felt comfortable with mocking and laughing when she appeared on stage.
Consider what was seen: She was not young...she was well groomed, clean, neat, polite, spirited in a quirky way, wearing a dated "best" dress and no makeup except a bit of lipstick. If it is a given that such a condition brings mockery and condescension I suppose we may soon identify another group of people who are not a minority but a kind of majority: women not young, mushy in the middle, not fashionable. There are millions of them (us). If Susan Boyle sang in a church or a community center in that outfit no one would mock her. If she appears at Carnegie Hall -- even if she is not "made over" and poured into a sleek dress -- no one would condescend to her.
What kinds of human beings are we in our various societies that we focus instantly with such harsh judgement on the appearance of this talented person? Beginning with the audience and the panel, all felt comfortable with mocking and laughing when she appeared on stage.
Consider what was seen: She was not young...she was well groomed, clean, neat, polite, spirited in a quirky way, wearing a dated "best" dress and no makeup except a bit of lipstick. If it is a given that such a condition brings mockery and condescension I suppose we may soon identify another group of people who are not a minority but a kind of majority: women not young, mushy in the middle, not fashionable. There are millions of them (us). If Susan Boyle sang in a church or a community center in that outfit no one would mock her. If she appears at Carnegie Hall -- even if she is not "made over" and poured into a sleek dress -- no one would condescend to her.
Imagine a Stanley Boyle in the same situation: outdated suit, barber-shop haircut, mushy in the middle, clean... and so on. I'm pretty sure he would be thought interesting, quirky, individualistic, his own man, a personality, an un-found star.
Everyone did a flip when her remarkable voice -- and her spirit -- resounded in that plastic over-produced television show. Is there a chance -- along with the surprise and pleasure she brought -- that we might all think for awhile of looking differently upon the often-deviating appearances of the people all around us? Not only them, but us -- so often talented, decent, honorable, worthwhile in ways we don't instantly see.
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