I awoke this morning to e-mails from two family members, each containing a link to a video. They seemed as unrelated as can be...until I realized that each is a powerful statement of how we underestimate the abilities of ordinary human beings—from frumpy housewives to scruffy street children.
I'll admit it: I did not get through Susan Boyle's Britain's Got Talent performance dry-eyed, her triumph over the sneering judges being overlaid on some pretty deep emotional memories associated with that song.
The lecture could have been better organized, especially at the end where the speaker is clearly running out of time, but the autodidactic abilities of these children will astound you. And maybe frighten you, when you consider what a double-edged blade the Internet is.
Just so you know, the Susan Boyle video won't work as it is. If people are interested in seeing it, they will need to go to youtube to watch it.
Mea culpa—I didn't check it. Too bad; I prefer to embed when I can, not only for convenience, but because some of the ads and comments on YouTube are objectionable.
