GLEE

The things I like about Glee include its theme of everyone matters, to find your own talents and be confident in the face of adversity. The problem with Glee is it has several uncomfortable, cheesy moments in which we are reminded life beyond is no different than high school. We are still trying to conquer those same old high school issues but in a different arena. Like the kids on the show who tackle relationship and identity issues as they move from regionals to sectionals, we adults have an on-going narrative that includes the same struggles:  searching for our own voice, power, and authenticity, and finding our way through the ever-changing characters, routines, and ourselves, trying to find that special someone who will support us.

In short, the show reminds us we haven't or will never leave high school drama even though we badly want to unharness ourselves from the weight of self-development. Will and Ms. P explicitly remind us this as in most episodes they mirror what is happening to the teens. Yet, the crux of what makes Glee so absorbing is it reminds us to be in the glorious moment - to stop and pause, soaking in all the delight that manifests around us as we go about our never-ending search for clarity. Those moments of pure, utter feeling, whether it be the euphoria of seeing our crush (perhaps over and over again if you're married to him) or the gnawing in our stomach that pushes us to produce our best, should be cherished and savored. If we simply focus on the pain and disruption we experience throughout our identity quest, we only see half our world, and it demoralizes us, negating our energy to keep pushing forward. As Glee reminds us when they take pause to sing, there are times where the world needs to fade away and we need to pay attention to all the charm around us and listen to what our heart is saying.

Indeed, it is a skill to remind ourselves to look for good within bad. But that's part of life's singing lesson. When we think about it, most of our adult problems demonstrate the same issues the Glee kids deal with but just expanded, with much larger complications and consequences; however, at the core, it's primarily a choice between your authentic self and the internalized external world. Some might say this is the ongoing battle to find balance between the heart and mind or your true self and your superego. The heart is the general sense of self-fulfillment, working your way to a higher self, which we are reminded of when someone prompts us to listen to our heart for the answer. Conversely, the superego is that internalized version of the outside world, the critical voice that reflects social standards learned from the outer realm, which assumes we should act in a socially acceptable manner in order to fit in with "allowable" notions of behavior.

Glee is a blatant attempt to highlight the disconnect between these two and remind us of the numerous options beyond the over-simplified duality of life. Even though the characters feel utterly contrived (the abstinent but pregnant cheerleader, the dumb but loving quarterback, the empowered but sensitive black girl, the closeted but eccentric gay kid, etc.), they do exceed these normative labels by listening to their heart.

You can either dismiss Glee by thinking you can't appreciate the show since it's painful to watch because you know the characters will always do the right thing, which can be less than thrilling. Yet, one of the enduring qualities of the show includes this extreme exaggeration, calling our attention to an element of the human condition: we sacrifice our authenticity to be part of the group. However, Glee, at times, complicates these limiting labels. Trying on a stereotype can be meaningful - it can be a guide of what identity we want to achieve this week; sometimes when we are wearing it, though, we need to make alterations to appease our own hearts. While the show reminds us we are often culturally marked by the label we wear, it also reminds us we have power to add a new dimension to that label by taking a breath, focusing on what we want to express, and continuously pushing boundaries. This doesn't mean the world or that critical voice in your head won't make it profoundly challenging. But it does mean we can have some peace knowing we value our own uniqueness.

In the end, I was tired of being preoccupied with sexual predators and murders from Dexter (why am I paying money for someone to put horrible ideas in my head), so it's okay I wanted entertainment to have a freshly baked happy ending for awhile. It's okay I recognize most of the time we all want to sing our hearts out and we need to - it's cathartic. Although the show might not get our attention with superfluous plots, limited settings, or routine conflicts, we do get involved by Glee's art of marvelous distraction - the song -  a diversion from the negative and mundane thought patterns that so easily consumes those gleeful and lively moments we also get to experience but sometimes forget to savor.