As another season of American Idol begins to reacquaint itself with the top spot on primetime television, we get the privilege of watching many mediocre performers inspire even more amateurs to do the impossible (or at least extremely improbable): make it big in the entertainment industry.

Now, before I get a bunch of hate mail from music majors, let me clarify by saying that I have no beef with singers. My disdain is for the unrealistic “reality shows” like American Idol that propagate the idea that sudden fame and fortune can be obtained by anyone.

After the first season of the show, I came to the conclusion that maybe it is time to stop dreaming. Considering the fact that the odds of winning a show like this are almost nonexistent, wouldn’t it be easier to invest your time in a more practical craft?

The show’s basic premise is “the search for the next pop star.” Yet, for the first three weeks, we watch and mock the embarrassing auditions of subpar performers. Instead of watching someone achieve their dreams, we laugh at the people pursuing them.

Then, amidst the lucky chosen few and the humorous gagmen and women who purposely embarrass themselves, we have to watch the majority of idol-hopefuls get their dreams crushed on a weekly basis.

After the cringe-worthy audition period is over, contestants have to sing a variety of songs depending on the week’s theme. A vocal coach is present, but only serves to instruct contestants on how to bring out their on-stage personalities. Really? I would laugh at something as ridiculous as this, but it would probably offend the millions of contestants that take it so seriously.

The problem with shows like American Idol is that they are a distraction to potential contestants. Many participants in past seasons have disregarded other resourceful and promising talents to pursue a bleak dream.

For example, countless contestants claimed to have worked only short-term “meaningless jobs” in order to remain available for auditions, while another chunk of the competition would nonchalantly miss important events such as graduations, funerals and the birth of their children just to audition.

These are pretty sad prices to pay just to live out an unattainable dream.

But this isn’t just any dream, according to co-creator and former judge Simon Cowell. This is the “American Dream.”

In an interview with Larry King, Cowell stated, “I sold it initially, or tried to sell it initially, as the great ‘American Dream,’ which is somebody who could be a cocktail waitress one minute [and] within 16 weeks, could become the most famous person in America.”

American Idol has done little more than give me a newfound respect for music majors. They devote their hard work to being learned in the arts, whereas many of these contestants have little to no formal training and, up to that point, have made no effort in developing their “talent.”

Life is usually about working hard in order to enjoy the fruits of your labor later, so what makes these contestants think that they can be the exception?

If going from nothing to being the most famous person in the country is the “American Dream,” maybe it is time we all woke up.