How elevated we have all been over the sudden appearance of one
stunningly unpretentious and talented Susan Boyle. How in the world
will such a fresh personality keep her innocence now?

She’s the real deal, which is why she’s gone global. Was this also some calculation of the cunning Simon Cowell?

But there is something disturbing about the collective
rejection-embrace-elevation of Susan Boyle. There is the element of
self-congratulation in the viral spread of this link around the Web,
the idea that we, the secondary viewers, the judges of those who are
judging, are far more evolved. There is the clip itself, suspiciously
ready-made for online consumption: A 7-minute movie, slick and pithy in
its perfect execution of the underdog narrative. (That something like
“Rocky” took two hours to tell now seems antediluvian.) There is the
classic David vs. Goliath subplot, the primal satisfaction of seeing
the bully (Cowell) slain by such a seemingly inferior force.

Maybe this will do that, finally. It sure seems like a triumph of the human spirit, a victory for the little guy.

She has, without any doubt, a beautiful and powerful
voice, and all the confidence, the authority, the self-discipline and
the presence of a great performer; her talent transforms her. The
judges and audience could not fail to recognise this and very soon they
were standing and cheering rapturously, astonishment all over their
faces.

And not because of all the media waxing rhapsodic but in spite of
them, I hope Susan Boyle remains the inspiration that ‘yes, we can’
really is far more than good marketing.