Tuesday, March 9, 2010

You may say I'm a dreamer

I was watching an episode of "This American Life" on Netflix this evening. Although it was first broadcast on NPR, it has realized itself as a wonderful tv program as well. The first thing that struck me was that one of the acts was about Improv Everywhere. If you haven't czeched these videos out, you're in for a treat. They cause scenes of chaos and joy in people's every day, sometimes monotonous, lives. I love it. I hope to experience one of these so-called pranks one day.

The other part that struck me was when they were discussing giving an unknown band their best gig ever. They memorized lyrics to their songs, grooved to the tunes, and just overall showed general enthusiasm towards the music. The band loved it, as they were expecting no one to show up. But when they found out it was a prank, actually became irate about the entire situation. I think they felt deceived. I understand that. But after they let the dust settle, they realized that the experience itself was worth it - no matter if it was staged. It was a dream. It was their dream to have a fan base show up to listen to them and care what they were doing. And in that night, their dreams were a reality.

So the question is: When given the choice between dreams and real life, which one would you choose?