The Importance of Having A Dream |
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| Written by Terrah Smith, |
| Monday, 31 March 2008 19:00 |
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On August 28th, 1963, Baptist minister Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech to thousands of civil rights supporters who gathered at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington. In his famous address, Martin Luther King, Jr. shared his vision of a world united by love, rather than torn apart by religious and ethnic differences. He literally dedicated his life to turning this dream into a reality. The eloquent “I Have a Dream” speech remains one of the most influential political addresses in American history and has had a great impact on popular rhetoric. From the 1960s to today, I ask: what does it mean to have a dream? It’s a phrase we hear often, but do we understand its implication?
While I doubt few people list studying semantics as a favourite pastime, my purpose in addressing this subject is not to induce hair pulling, but rather to expose the symbolic value of language. The verb “to dream” can be interpreted in numerous ways. We are best acquainted with dreaming as defined as the succession of images or thoughts that occur during sleep. Dreaming is an altered state of perception in which our subconscious runs wild; the dreams we experience are not an accurate portrayal of life as we know it. Sure, the images seem real while they are occurring, but they belong to the category of fantasy. Most people (or at least the ones I know) do not actually have gangs of supermodels fawning over them, or special powers. When “dreaming” is applied to our waking lives, though, its meaning changes. Having a dream comes to refer to an aspiration, a goal, or an aim. Motivational speakers delight in exporting their packaged inspirational messages through catchy sayings like “Dream Big to Succeed”. The problem with using this term is that it also bears connotations to the unattainable--it can be used to describe a wild or vain fantasy. I associate “dreaming” with the imagination. It is not an aspiration I can work to achieve, but rather an ideal with a minute chance of coming true. I dream of winning the lottery one day and leave it up to fate to determine whether or not it will happen. Goals, on the other hand, seem to be more concrete. They can be reached through hard work and calculated planning. By carrying out specific actions, it is possible to come to a desired goal. If you follow a recipe, you will most likely get the anticipated final product (like rock hard abs from an eight minute workout). While goals can be accomplished, dreams are often relegated to bedtime and the imagination.
Why, then, are children encouraged to dream rather than to pursue a list of goals? What is the value of a dream? The terms can sometimes be used interchangeably; however, dreams possess a magical appeal that the term goal fails to convey. Dreams interest us because they are not reflective of reality. They are so lofty and huge that few people ever succeed in fulfilling them. This makes them inherently more valuable. In comparison, people accomplish goals every day, as trivial as they may be, without the blink of an eye.
This ideology accurately reflects what society values. In our technological age, there are multiple platforms available for people who want to be famous. We can thank television for making American Idol contestant William Hung a celebrity. The Internet has also done its fair share of turning “Average Joes” into icons. Is it sad that I couldn’t name the Prime Minister of Russia, but I could provide a detailed description of the lives of many Beverly Hills’ residents? I admit that I have the responsibility to filter what I allow in my head, but the truth remains that it’s a social phenomenon that people in our society are undeservingly famous, or rather, “famous for being famous”. Culture isn’t the only thing to blame as our biology plays a large role too. The author of Fame Junkies, Jake Halpern, argues that human beings and other animal species may be hardwired to follow a leader. In one study, scientists observed that rhesus monkeys would willingly surrender their food to look at the dominant monkey. Their food! This brings us to why children and young adults wish to emulate this pattern. It is natural to desire attention, but the way people receive attention has been redefined by our society. As one observer noted, children of the millennial age have grown up surrounded by camcorders, learning from their parents what to do to get noticed. Moreover, they entered the world at a point when certain enormously successful businesses had just started to capitalize on their investments. Microsoft, Starbucks, and all sorts of other corporations did not get their big break until recently. Yet these children did not see the corporations develop, rather they watched them gain (apparently instant) success. Based on the childhood experiences of Generation Y, it is understandable that they have come to associate praise and success with fame. The cynic in me fears that people’s goals today often seem to come down to what is easiest. Why devote your entire life to working hard at your profession and making sacrifices, when you could goof off and do stunts for a living?* How many idiots own a multi-million dollar house in LA and string along a posse of fake-breasted women? (That sounds like a riddle). The new American dream is to make it big, you know, see your name in lights, without lifting a finger to do anything other than sign autographs. And in a sense, it is smarter to take the short cut if you think the journey will be a disappointment. * Note: The Jackass crew are actual jackasses. My Worst Nightmare I do not want people to be admired based on the number of Google hits they receive but rather for their contributions to the world. It is a good idea to encourage children to want to become doctors, lawyers, electricians, and teachers because society needs them (trust me; the extent of my own medical expertise is playing Operation). People should not be rewarded for slacking off; instead, they should be noticed for their accomplishments. It’s entertaining to watch people embarrass themselves and break social conventions on TV because it is different from our daily lives. We follow norms and rules all the time, so it is a nice change to see people challenge them. Deviant behaviour is an interesting subject, but while I love to watch people let loose and dance up a storm Flashdance style, I do not want to see a world full of bozos who contribute nothing. For this reason, it is of the utmost importance that people have dreams to chase. Dreams, no matter how lofty they may be, encourage people to improve their lives and surroundings. It is time to wake up (and dream).
© 2008 Terrah Smith; licensee (Cult)ure Magazine.
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It is crucial to the ongoing development of society that people have dreams, not just goals. Dreams provide people with comfort and hope in times of struggle and despair. Not only do they motivate us, they define us. Dreams reflect people’s values. To dream is to envision life in the state that would be most perfect, complete, or meaningful to us.
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