I am not really a fan of singing competitions on television,
but I do think that The Voice is a
great idea. The Voice hosts blind
auditions, which consist of singers performing in front of an audience and a
panel of judges. What makes The Voice
special is the panel of judges that face the audience, not the performer. This guarantees
that the judges judge only based on voice quality, not appearance.
What does this have to do with race? Everything! If only we
could live our lives like the judges on The
Voice (in regards to not judging, not in everything else they do, of course).
Unfortunately, when meeting someone for the first time, skin color immediately
causes us to stereotype that person, usually unconsciously. It’s kind of like
how when someone says, “don’t think about cake,” one automatically thinks of
cake. When looking at a black person, one subconsciously notices that they’re
black. This doesn’t make one a bad person. However, this becomes an issue when
one judges a person solely because their skin is black or white.
Often television engraves lies or bad ideas into our minds,
but I think everyone can learn a lesson from The Voice. If we went about our lives fully accepting everyone, no
matter where they’re from, we would benefit immensely. It’s sad to think about
how many friendships have been missed out on, how many qualified employees didn’t
get the job, or how many fights broke out, all because of the same barrier. A
barrier that should not change anything.
Keep an open mind the next time you meet an individual who
looks different than you. He/she may not be an amazing singer who belongs on The Voice, but it is worth it to get to
know people of different races.
Great analogies!! I really enjoyed your perspective and will think about this next time I watch The Voice. It truly is important to have an open mind and to be colorblind.
ReplyDeleteI'm a big fan of the voice too. I hadn't thought about how subconsciously we label people, but its definitely something that happens daily in our society. You pose a great question without asking it, and your call to action is very strong. Great post!
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ReplyDeleteI like the comparisons that you used, it gives a really clear image to the reader. You really challenge readers as to why they allow race to be a factor instead of how The Voice eliminates biased opinions about the singer.
ReplyDeleteHey this is a great analogy and I loved the voice represented in your writing! Concise and fun to read.
ReplyDeleteWhat an interesting way to explain your point! Easy to understand while being fun to read.
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