When we are dreaming alone it is only a dream. When we are dreaming with others, it is the beginning of reality.
Dom Helder Camara

Last night, as I was putting "Certified Organic by the Colorado Dept. of Agriculture" stickers on NadaMoo! pint containers to do my part to help my friend Amy with her dream, I decided to watch ABC's show The Great American Dream Vote.

I had heard about the show from a member of the Her Domain listserv who posted about Devon's Dream to be able to build and maintain a Senior Basset Hound Center - speicifcally for the older hounds to live in comfort while they await adoption through BaRNI - Basset Rescue Network. It sounded like this show might be focused on a horizon a bit higher than average.

Devon got on stage to make her plea. The audience clapped and seemed to support her dream. Then a bald man took the stage. I wondered what his passionate dream would be...working with Greenpeace? rescuing abandoned kittens? rebuilding post-Katrina lives? Oh, no. Nothing like that. He took a deep breath and emotionally stated his dream: to have a full head of hair! As with Devon, the audience clapped to show their support.

I began to think that maybe Devon was going to have a chance. After all, who would pick hair transplants for a man who had the ability to change his life himself over some animals who had to depend on the kindness of strangers to live a safe & comfortable life? The host, Donny Osmond, had them both state their case one more time and then it was time for the audience to vote. It was then off to commercialville to build the tension.

Back to the show. The contestants are nervously holding their breath awaiting the big news. Donny reads the results and announces that the dream of a full head of hair will be fulfilled! Wild applause from the audience as Devon is ushered off stage. After she is out of camera range, Donny turns back to the guy and informs him that there was a whole bunch of other prizes in addition to a full head of hair: a new wardrobe, a car, a trip to Las Vegas, money, and much much more. The guy is beside himself with excitement. The audience applauds more loudly with every prize announced. Another 'dream' realized.

Frankly, I was appalled. Not because a guy was made happy, but because it seemed to be such a puny dream. And his reward was completely out of line with the smallness of the dream. And it gave me a picture of the audience that wasn't entirely complimentary. They gave the prize to a dream they could could feel comfortable with rather than extend themselves to support a dream that was bigger & possibly challenged them to think beyond their own comfort zone.

I assume that for the most part these were good people who had their expectation of greatness taken out of them at some point. The energy that would drive them to become someone or something "beyond their wildest dreams" [Donny's catch phrase...when it came to the prizes!] had been consumed with the daily demands of keeping everyday life flowing smoothly. I understand that and respect their choices, though I'm still disappointed with the outcome.

Ultimately we have a big world with equally big problems. We need people who will dream up the solutions of equal or greater proportions. I know that it was just a TV show, but like all television, it has the opportunity to reach beyond the box and engage the audience. The participants who shared their dreams are obviously action-oriented and driven to bring others in to their dreams. It would have been nice if the dreams had room for others.

rg