It’s funny how a character from 74 years ago can encompass the lives of so many Americans. What’s even funnier is not many people know about him. Walter Mitty was born to live life captive in his wanderlust daydreams. Unlike Hollywood's retelling, the original Mitty never caught a wind of courage to embark on unimaginable adventures all in the name of love. In James Thurber’s work, Mitty never left the confines of his own mind. The nearest he came to adventure was driving his nagging wife around town. So why are we discussing a fictional character from 1942? Because I can practically guarantee the majority of America is suffering from Walter Mitty Syndrome. Meaning, we are plagued by the belief we are incapable of building our hopes and dreams into reality.
So many people desire more than their mundane lives currently offer them. We dream of being award-winning authors, curing incurable diseases, or even being the debonair operatives saving lives in ways that can only be found in James Patterson books and confidential government documents. Despite these desperate hopes of having something more to live for, do we ever act on them? Usually, the answer is an under-the-breath “no,” followed by trailing excuses.
My question is: “Why not?” I mean, as kids we are told we can do whatever we set our minds to, and by people we trust the most: parents, teachers, and athletes on TV. Michael Jordan forgot to tell us as soon as we turn 18 that philosophy expires. Once high school ends, it’s no longer what you desire most, it’s what will pay the bills. The optimism they programmed into us somehow morphs into naivete.
I can’t help but wonder if that’s what happened to our dear Walter. Dreams were built into him until the day “real” adults decided it was time for him to grow up and face the cold-hearted world that has no time for the hopes of adolescent adults. All the while, he’s thinking the same thing we are. What happened to anything is possible? What happened to faith? What happened to believing in something better -- to believing in ourselves?
Past generations lost their American dreams through a series of unfortunate events. However, the devastating blow to their hopes was settling. Settling for what they believed was the best they could get when life got tough. In return, our generation is faced with the lie that our dreams have limits. Limits that depend on when, where and by what circumstance we were born.
So why do they encourage us to hope as kids, when they believe we will only make it so far? In all honesty, I don’t know. I do know it’s our turn to decide whether we will succumb to the idea that we were born to merely daydream. The only thing I can tell you is that I’m no Walter Mitty… Are you?
