Idols

When it comes to shows like American Idol, its popularity is not necessarily based on singing. We'll watch the show, but when it's all over we won't buy the CD. After all how, many winners have gone on to have successful music careers? Not many.

We watch American Idol because the kids are chasing their dreams. Many of them don't stand a chance in hell of ever making it, but they are naive and will still chase those dreams. Others will go on to realize those dreams.

We all have dreams and that's why a lot of us watch the show. Maybe we don't want to be a singer, but we want to become something. On a subconscious level, we identify with those kids on American Idol.

We are all trying to develop some sort of talent. When we expose what our dreams are and pursue them, we become vulnerable. We can be criticized and shot down like the kids on the show.

But it is the kids who take that criticism and say: "Yeah, maybe I could use some work" and then go and do what it takes to improve. Those are the kids who succeed - the ones who never give up, the ones who use criticism and rejection as a chance to get better.

Of course, sometimes if you can't sing, you just can't sing, and you have to give up on singing. But that doesn't mean you can't work with music in some other capacity. Life should be about making the dream work, somehow.