Secret Millionaire Thoughts

Last night as I sat with my daughter, Candice, after she got home from work. We wound up channel surfing and coming across the TV show Secret Millionaire. The premise of the show is that millionaires go under cover and live a life of poverty for a week. They then select from people they encountered during the week to give $100,000 too. The episode we watched had both of us wiping tears from our eyes. We were eventually joined by my wife, Adele and Candice’s boyfriend, Rob.

As we watched together a discussion ensued about the show. We discussed the notions of exploiting poverty, wealthy people coming to terms with the realities of many other’s lives, FOX making money off a subject like this, people like us actually watching a show that is depicting and entertaining through the trials and tribulations of others.

Our conversation was interesting Rob felt the millionaires on the show may be during it for the wrong reasons – a good point. I asked if he thought it was possible that they may have started off that way and ended their week with the right reasons? He thought they could. We all questioned the use of a reality show in this way. On the other hand, what about the lives that are positively impacted by the money given through the show? We explored a number of other questions which made for deep discussion about where we all are individually and where we think we were, are and going as a country.

I was proud to sit with two teens and have this level of discussion. I know this wasn’t what I was doing this with my or any other parent at 17. The level of maturity, consideration and caring they showed really impressed me and inspires me when thinking about the future. In the end we all agreed that this made us reflect on how fortunate we are in our lives regardless of what troubles we’re facing.

I reiterated what I’d been told at one point…there’s always going to be someone ahead of you and there’s always going to be someone behind you…

An interesting perspective, I guess our goal needs to always be helping those behind move forward.

Tom Pellicane – Publisher, canvas Magazine