Watch out, we're being "Shallow-Hal'd"

We've been too many decades of being dragged like sheep by appearance, by first impressions that by majority turn out to be false, lacking of substance, and a repetitive lesson of "all that glistens is not gold". We've structured our whole lives around some Hollywood-created image of what is beauty, of what is "in", of what has value.

We're being brought down by one real person at a time. A slow, steady and patient (as they have been all their lives) stream of real people are bringing us to our Shallow-Hal knees and showing us that the reason that such things as internet discussion boards are where the REAL action is. Those of us who have lived on boards like this for going on 2 decades now have known that we get to know the REAL person...their mind, their spirit, their soul. The distractive trappings of the physical body are taken out of the equation and we are free to indulge the fullness of the real person living within that corporeal being.

The rest of the world is being dragged, clapping, crying and jaw-smacked, into that same reality. It began in 2007 when Paul Potts, an unassuming cell phone salesman, took the stage on Britain's Got Talent. Unlike American Idol, the show is a true talent show unencumbered by "marketability" and more toward finding the hidden talents of the common people. Paul Potts emerged on the international stage not as a potential "idol", but as a chubby, disheveled man who had been ridiculed and bullied in his younger years and had found his real being in his voice. He had the guts to share that real person with others. When asked why he was there, he stated "to sing opera". The dread of both the judges and audience was palpable. But what emerged when Mr. Potts began to sing was the revelation of a real being...a beautiful being...baring himself to the world, and being accepted as the wonderous gift he is to humanity.

www.youtube.com...

And now there is Susan Boyle. A 47 year old woman who has never been married, never been kissed, ridiculed as a child and teenager for a disability, who has revealed her transformation before judges and the world. She has sang her being to us, and moved us.

www.youtube.com...

If you go and read the comments on these people's fan sites, and the youtube pages you will find hundreds of people who have been sincerely touched by the revelation they witness in these performances. It's not about whether these are the most perfect voices, or the most trained voices, but the revelation of the being through these voices. You will see them voicing the epiphany they have experienced through the experience of these beautiful people baring themselves to us, and forcing us to see that all around us is awesome, beautiful and worthy.

And then you'll see the hateful rhetoric of a few...those who believe the Dorian Gray-ish portrait they believe is locked deep within their soul can't be discerned by those of us who see the vessel they dwell in that matches the iconic model that has been sold us. You will see them talk with a haughtiness that comes from not knowing that their eyes, their mouths and their actions are windows to their soul, and we see the scabbing, festering secret unveiled.

We are being Shallow-Hal'd...and thank God for it. Embrace the value of all God's children around us and see they bring worth to the world, they bring joy to our souls, and they are deserving of love as much, if not more, than we are.

Don't wait for or force them to sing for their meal.

[edit on 4-14-2009 by Valhall]

Thank you for sharing those you tube links.

As I don't watcha whole lot of tv this is the first time I've heard of either of those two singers. All I can say is that I am truly amazed. Even more than that I am reminded how God hides such wonder and magic in someone so simple and humble.

It makes you cry happy tears (or at least it did me). To witness a truly beautiful being revealed right before your eyes when they have been suppressed to almost invisibility in the past due to intolerance and nonacceptance.

I plan to watch for more of these jewels from here on out because they make my heart swell.

Originally posted by Valhall

We are being Shallow-Hal'd...and thank God for it. Embrace the value of all God's children around us and see they bring worth to the world, they bring joy to our souls, and they are deserving of love as much, if not more, than we are.

Bravo! Bravo, Valhall! I am so glad when people are reminded of these truths!

I was privileged to have raised a disabled child and some children who saw her were actually scared of her. I was able to take that time to explain to them that she was just a child, like themselves, that had been hurt. I would also tell them that she was well loved by her parents, just as they were loved by their parents.

None of us are our shells. Inside can dwell depths of beauty or acres of ugliness.

I am so happy when opportunities like these two singers being brought forward to the world occur. So many souls will grow in understanding and wisdom. Yea!

Great post!

It's been said before, and I think it needs to be said again, the power of the internet is its ability to connect people; and it's a power that's largely unappreciated.

Never before in history have people been able to connect on a deep and personal level with other individuals tens, hundreds, even thousands of miles away. The news media tends to focus on the absolute worst elements of the modern information infrastructure, all the while ignoring the fact that we are breaking new sociological ground on a scale previously unimaginable.

When you strip away so much of the veneer, you're left with the truth - people have so much opportunity to be themselves and connect with others.

It's an amazing time to be alive.

As terrible as some of our modern evils are, there is so much possibility - the air is thick with it. Even the faintest glimmer of optimism leads one to conclude that while the stakes have gotten higher, the potential for human growth and achievement is waxing full.

The stakes have gotten a LOT higher, but I think we can still be optimistic that these trying times may just be the crysalis, and that a new age of humanity is just around the corner.

Again, great post.

Paul Potts had some training in opera before he appeared on Britian's Got Talent (BGT).... Susan on the other hand.....


If you listened to either for the first time without seeing the video counter part... you would honestly say that they are above average, but not "great".


But Susan has had no formal training ( that I am aware of ) and that endears me to her... I think she truly sings from her heart and with some formal training, she will become known to a wider audience.

This is what talent shows are supposed to be about.

[edit on 15-4-2009 by RickinVa]

[edit on 15-4-2009 by RickinVa]

I love you people in this thread, especially thanks go to the origional poster......you have already said what needs to be said in the responses, but you all touched my heart with your words.

reply to post by Valhall


As much as I hate the shallow societal level of beauty I have to remind that we as a species are genetically hardwired to make a first impression. Its sort of something we just do, we make an initial survey of someone to discern if they're a threat or potential mate, its instinct that society then capitalizes on by shaping our perception of beauty and selling us crap (make-up, beauty products, jewelry, expensive clothing)... They also create this myth that you can slow or stop aging, I see it on commercials all the time, it drives me nuts, taking advantage of people's natural fear of death to sell them stuff...

We as human beings read body language and make our first impressions unconsciously and the people who manipulate our perceptions bank on that instinct, but we have the power to shape our own perceptions as well thanks to our higher brain function or "consciousness" we can cognitively decide to not trust our instinctual first impressions every time and we can decide not to listen to the marketers and manipulators who tell use what to believe...

I hate the completely false idols presented to us on a daily basis. The marketing folks polish these non-entities up and hold them up as shining examples of humanity, something for us all to aspire to - well not me I'm afraid. One thing I was taught from an early age was to be myself, and that is how I have always lived. I cringe when I see so many people, especially the young, talking about having the rich and famous celebrities as role models. Role models? Most of these people are merely egotistical nobodies that the marketing and publicist corporations hold up as some kind of ideal human being, when in fact they are some of the shallowist people around.
It's all about image though, there are products to sell that we are told will make us look or feel just like the stars that they get to advertise them, especially when it comes to the marketing of goods for women. I find it sad when I see young pre-pubescent girls walking around looking like little mini hookers, dressing "sexily" like their popster idols who, lets face it, are themselves mostly manufactured entities, there to sell us as many goods as possible while they are the current flavour.

Thankfully I've never been one to believe the hype or go with the pack, making my own way and carefully picking those I choose to call friend. I don't care what they look like, it's what they say / think and how they act towards others that will draw me to them. Money doesn't influence me and neither does celebrity status, which these days can be nothing more than the fact that they've slept with another equally shallow entity.

If only more people would wake up and see that they are being controlled by the marketing people and begin to reject it. In the meantime I'll carry on being unfashionable and out of touch.

(Removed quote of previously removed post)

Do you realize that nothing about this post has anything to do with the topic of this thread?

And, yes, that's a loaded question because I'm trying to determine if you so totally missed the boat you THOUGHT you were on topic, or whether you intentionally posted about something unrelated.



Mod edit: to remove quote of previously deleted post.



[edit on 4-15-2009 by chissler]

reply to post by Valhall


This is a wonderful thread and it stirred up so many emotions in me last night that I held off replying until this morning. I even teared up a bit in the first video and the second one made me laugh because the woman was such a ham. Her confidence was incredible.

There was a recent news story when China was hosting the Olympics. A little girl was singing one of the songs and was selected for her voice but was deemed too unattractive (although I personally thought she was adorable). So they had another girl lip sync over her. How do you tell a little girl that she's too ugly to be seen and that she will be used for her voice but a more attractive girl will receive her credit?

www.guardian.co.uk...

I don't even watch American Idol or any television for that matter. Nor do I purchase fashion magazines. It's so fake and, like you said, if they're not 'marketable,' then their talent never has a chance to be exposed.

This is even apparent when I have to screen my five year old's shows on Disney and Nickelodeon before he watches them. The children all look like something out of a magazine and must have an entire staff of make up artists, hairdressers, and wardrobe before they walk out the door. Not even the 'pretty girl' or the 'cute boy' of my school looked like that. It sends a terrible message to kids watching that and it's no surprise we have children today that idolize the unobtainable image of the Disney stars.

It irritates me to see lip synced musicians. Talent is not having a pretty face that has to have the talent artificially attached to it in a studio. And if a talent is found from a normal person, they are so done over in the studios and their image completely polished to where it's hardly even them anymore.

Back in high school (the 90's) I noticed a backlash occurring. The popular kids were not the jocks and cheerleaders but instead were the kids with talent: The musicians, the theater club, the brainiacs in the advanced classes, etc. It was so nice to see the students stand out for their accomplishments instead of for being a pom-pom shaking drone. Perhaps society is getting tired of the Barbie and Ken image being spoon fed to us constantly.

Anyways, sorry, I'm rambling. This is a sensitive issue for me. lol Thanks for posting those videos. So very refreshing to see these real people have a chance to shine.

Originally posted by AshleyD


There was a recent news story when China was hosting the Olympics. A little girl was singing one of the songs and was selected for her voice but was deemed too unattractive (although I personally thought she was adorable). So they had another girl lip sync over her. How do you tell a little girl that she's too ugly to be seen and that she will be used for her voice but a more attractive girl will receive her credit?

I remember this...and it broke it my heart. And she was absolutely a beautiful little girl - she just didn't meet the mold they were using as the benchmark of "perfection" they wanted to present. I cannot imagine how much it hurt her parents' hearts as well.

Thank you for the great uplifting post,

What these things do to us is make us realise our own faults, Our own shallowness,

I was ashamed that i laughed when i seen Susan come on stage, but as she started talking she made me smile and i began to look forward to what she was about to do,

I never expected that amazing beautiful voice that came floating out of her,
I had tears running down my cheeks, Some of them tears i think where due to my own disappointment in myself,

she taught me a lesson, that i thought i already knew well, "Never judge a book by its cover"

reply to post by AshleyD

There was a recent news story when China was hosting the Olympics. A little girl was singing one of the songs and was selected for her voice but was deemed too unattractive (although I personally thought she was adorable). So they had another girl lip sync over her. How do you tell a little girl that she's too ugly to be seen and that she will be used for her voice but a more attractive girl will receive her credit

I remember that, too. I have real issues with the way standards of beauty are applied in society today. Half starved heroin addict look, that will seemingly never die is a prime example of it.

I love this thread thank you ValHall.

I learned years ago not to judge people by their appearance. I've met tramps who were so smart you couldn't believe it and business managers who had so little brains i wondered how they brushed their teeth in the morning. Paul Potts really aws a revelation to so many however the recent treatment of Miss.Boyle shows many peopel didn't learn.

I don't watch these shows as i just find them rather boring, however i saw the youtube highlights. I saw them laugh as the woman walked onto stage, i saw the cameras pan to many of the young girls rolling their eyes when she said she wanted to be like Elaine Page. I then saw the same young girls look on with utter envy and i would argue jealous hatred as Miss. Boyle sang with absolutely amazing control and beauty.

People judge on appearance far to much and the younger generations are getting worse with that. Girls especially seem to be the first to judge on appearance. Maybe people will learn, however i somehow doubt it will last.

I wanted to share Paul Potts again...since his "debut" to the world...singing with the Czech National Symphony Orchestra:

La Prima Volta

His first album sold millions and millions of copies and it hit #1 in over 15 countries. He is now living his dream...the dream that kept him going through all those years in which the only solace he could find, when bullies and intolerants plagued his life, was in finding himself in his voice and hoping that the world should be different toward the real him.

The sweetest revenge is a life well-lived.

[edit on 4-15-2009 by Valhall]

How many amateur singers can say they received a standing ovation while still in the 2nd verse?

Bravo!

i agree with you in that we all ought to take a step back andsee how society has been coerced into this way of thinking, and i believe shows like American Idol are an affront to all that should be decent, and specifically, all that should be Art when it comes to utilizing talent and creativity.

However: this chicken didnt come before the egg.

The obvious argument is that our mating sleection rituals, as well as those of most animals -- which the holier-than-thou often point to to illustrate our human flaws -- are based on appearance, making ourselves attractive to the other sex and calling attention to ourselves through those means. I guess the counterpoint to this would be that there is nothing wrong with going all out to appear attractive in order to find a mate but rather maybe the problem is with our standards of choosing said mate, however, to discard those would defeat the purpose of the attraction rituals.

Also, your tangent on how people who socialize heavily on boards get to see the real person, the tru heart of someone else because the physical body is ignored, is a LAUGH (no offense). I am certain that most people choose to socialize more on internet forums because they can HIDE the true person, and become anyone they want.. they have a veil of anonymity. They can reinvent themselves, they can edit what they say, they can take the time to respond in a certain way that would hide what maybe their true response is, something that cant be done in real-time conversations.

NOt only that, but by going off on how by being able to see peoples real souls thru internet forums is your way of appealing and attracting to others, just the same as someone trying to do it thru physical means. or so it APPEARS to me.