Not on purpose. But it brilliantly showcases one of the things that's so wrong with our country - inability to accept criticism.
How many individuals who absolutely suck at singing do we see on there? Many. What's the vastly common reaction? "The judges just don't know what they're talking about" or "They'll see. I'll be big one day."
The failed contestants reject the criticism rather than learn from it. They think that by virtue of being born, they are uniquely talented and correct in their opinions.
One of them even got a record contract because he stood up to them, despite the fact that he was truly atrocious.
And it follows a traditional narrative in our culture. That, despite rejection after rejection, the character perseveres. They work hard and their talent plus training makes them amazing, but no one acknowledges their abilities. Until someone finally recognizes their skill and gives them everything.
Reality is often different.
True excellence is achieved through accepting criticisms and using them to improve one's abilities or accepting that no, one cannot sing, so one should look at what one IS talented at doing. But we don't see that. We don't root for that. We root for the ignorant position.
Take the America first crowd, which refuses to accept any possibility that America has done horrible things (i.e., our treatment of native americans, our internment of Japanese, our war in Vietnam, our butchering of the middle class, etc.) They may give a passing glance at such things, but they will continue on the "We're number 1" tirade despite much proof to the contrary. If something's wrong, it can't be us, it's our critics who are mistaken. They can't see our talent, our skill, our nobility.
Take Bush, who said he couldn't think of a mistake. Take Iraq, where we still claim we're doing the right thing (or Afghanistan). Take the "love America or leave it" crowd. Take conservatives, who look at facts that contradict their opinions (see stimulus bill, foreign aid, deficit, etc.) and decide the facts are wrong. And yes, we liberals are guilty of that sin at times as well (see how we treat indicted dems versus indicted republicans). I must admit, though, that the conservatives are more guilty of this than the liberals.
Take the birthers. It's a classic Hollywood movie or novel. A small group of people, turned down and mocked at every turn as delusional. Even the SC said they don't have a case. Everyone says they have no evidence, no proof. But they know different, they'll persevere. They'll prove the president is a manchurian candidate and save the country from his evil clutches.
We as a country, as a people, cannot accept that sometimes we are wrong. We cannot accept good criticism of our nation, of our regions, of our positions or of our opinions and use it to make ourselves better. Instead, we either blame someone else (judges on American idol, an ungrateful public; or the media, the politicians, talk show radio, the movies, the south, the religious) as being delusional and lying, or we simply say they're wrong.
To fix this country, we have to realize that we are, ultimately, the problem. We are the ones who don't pay attention, who don't know the constitution, who don't know the budget, who don't know the subtleties of other cultures. We are the ones who furiously contend that we are right, not the other side, whomever that may be.
I am not speaking of DU in particular; however, we are AMERICANS. Our great chain of a nation is only as strong as its weakest link.
To fix this country, we have to realize that we are, ultimately, the problem.
But, we're also the solution. P.S. Here's a funny video, to lighten the mood a bit.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BjvaNaBV3MQ oh and on edit, wanted to incorporate the birthers.
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