Dave Coulier is America* or Who is Dave Coulier pt. 2

*I use America as a sort of general term for Canadians and Americans. I don't want to single out people from the United States because it doesn't really seem fair to generalize a nation and leave out another, remarkably similar nation(at least in terms of culture). If you're going to generalize, at least be somewhat fair about it.

If you haven't read my last post, but were sucked in by the utter intriguingness of my current post's name, I spent much of the post talking about Dave Coulier in the context of Jagged Little Pill (the popular Alanis Morisette album of which, I was suprised to find, he is the subject). My conclusion was that he wasn't the devil Alanis made him out to be, nor is he the boring, unfunny schmoe we all made him out to be; he is, simply, average. When pressed, he will take the path of least resistance (hence, why he left Alanis for the "older version of [her]" in the song You Oughta Know). Therefore, Dave Coulier is America.

What Dave Coulier wants is not dissimilar to what everyone wants. What everyone wants is greatness, accomplishment, fame, "The American Dream." But no one wants to work for that dream. That's why reality television is such a trend now--you don't have to do anything, you just have to show up. People are famous for no other reason than because they are famous.

I'm sure I could make an argument for movies, television and music being partly to blame. Almost every movie you have ever seen has undoubtedly ended with some grand romantic climax or final justice; every TV show with a clever line or moral; every song with the ultimate expression of emotion. But that isn't life--at least, not neccessarily. It's the interpretation that is most profitable.

Of course everyone wants that happy-ever-after, that perfect job or mate, that absolute level of accomplishment. The problem with Dave Coulier (America) is that he isn't prepared to work for any of it. Think about one person you know and what he or she says his or her dreams and goals are. Now think of everything they do in a day to accomplish that goal. It's probably very little, isn't it?

There are a few people who actually, genuinely have a lot of goals and plans and they actively work at them. But they are by far the minority. Most people just spend their evenings watching reruns of Full House.