WHY DO WE NEED AN AMERICAN IDOL?

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They say that necessity is the mother of invention, but in the world we live in today it is a noticeable fact that more often than not this isn’t the case. Sometimes certain things are created simply to exploit the naive and frivolous nature of what society has become, and that is usually where most people lose track of the meaning of life; lost in a place where dreams are manufactured by power hungry corporations.

The American Idol. It’s a show that most of us are familiar with – one of the most watched TV shows of all time. A show that claims its purpose is to discover singing talent, giving the winner the opportunity to fulfill their long held dream of becoming “a star”.

I myself have watched the show many a time, eagerly waiting to see who would become the next chosen one. But there came a time when i began to think outside of what the world calls entertainment, rather than wallow in the atmosphere of excitement that the show creates.

It would be ignorant for me to assume that everyone knows what the word “idol” means. If you were to use the word in a conversation about religion one would easily be able to identify with what you are saying. When the concept is merged with something that is entertaining, rather than the boring philosophical notion of what an idol truly is, the definition of the word starts to become a bit vague.

I took time out to look up what the word ‘idol’ means, and it was defined as – any person or thing regarded with blind admiration, adoration or devotion; an image or other material object representing a deity to which religious worship is addressed. The profound definition of the word caused me to view the concept of the show in a much clearer light. They aren’t trying to create a star, they are trying to create an idol.

Its amazing how the intent of the show is blatantly placed in the name yet its meaning never quite registers no matter how many times you hear it. The less spiritually minded among us would probably pay no attention to the sinister connotations behind such a name, but nevertheless it may be worth watching the show with a pair of eyes that aren’t fixated on its euphoric and entertaining content.

Given that the meaning of this word is extremely clear and unambiguous I am faced with two options of which I can choose to believe. Either the creators of the show know exactly what the word means, or they have no idea of what the word connotes.

Permit me to assume that the word idol used in the name was not plucked out of thin air. It was thought about, researched, analysed and approved, as you would expect any reputable entrepreneur to go about his business. With that in mind I now find myself once again thinking deeper about what the show is actually about, and what could be its intended purpose.

I flick on the tv and I am confronted with a title. American idol. An American person that is woshipped by fans. An American image representing a god. Each year the creators scour the country in search of a person who will be bestowed with the glory of being the next god. Deserving honour because of the unique strength in his or her vocal cords, accompanied with confidence and chaisma, enough to hold the attention of a crowd. The American people dream of becoming the next chosen one. The others that dare not contest for such a glory stay at home to vote for who they will worship next.

Its difficult for me not to see the name of the show as deliberately sinister. Most of us have a bland laid back view of life with the words “so what?” Or “its just a talent show!” hanging sarcastically on the edge of our lips. Those that spend years deciding on a name know exactly why they choose it, and are fully aware of the shows effect on the mind set of people.

I look back in time and i realise that even though most of society has left behind worshipping lifeless objects, we have created a new kind of worship; one where we idolise human beings and elevate them above others because they have the ability to hold our attention for a few hours with their voice.

We seem to be constantly in search of a new figure head. Someone who we can copy, emulate and lead us in directions that we are too impatient to consider. We look forward to the day when we too will be invited to Las Vegas, amicably referred to as “sin city”, because there is apparently nothing wrong with going to a place labelled the city of sin as long as it is in the name of entertainment.

I dont blame the world for having the desire to recognise someone of talent; but why idolize a voice, when the words that go with it provide no positive impact on your life?