In 1960, Rod Serling's The Twilight Zone aired an episode titled "The Big Tall Wish," a poignant story about an aging boxer named Bolie Jackson, played by Ivan Dixon. Bolie, once a promising athlete, now finds himself working as a bouncer in a rundown bar, a far cry from the glory days of his youth. Life has worn him down, and with it, his belief in anything extraordinary. Bolie embodies "the most common ailment of all men" – a deep-rooted cynicism and an unwillingness to believe in miracles. His journey in this episode serves as a powerful allegory about the struggle to maintain hope and wonder in the face of life's hardships, a theme that resonates deeply with the timeless message of Peter Pan and my own personal reflections on the promise of AI.
At the heart of the episode is Willie, a young boy who idolizes Bolie and still possesses the pure, unbridled imagination that comes naturally to children. Willie wishes for Bolie to be restored to his former glory, to relive his prime fighting days. Through the sheer power of Willie's childlike faith, a miraculous event occurs – Bolie is transported back in time, finding himself young and strong again, ready to fight and win.
The juxtaposition between Bolie's jaded outlook and Willie's innocent belief in the miraculous is striking. Bolie's skepticism, born from years of disappointment and struggle, stands in stark contrast to Willie's unwavering belief that anything is possible. This contrast is what makes the episode so profound. It reminds us that, as we grow older and face the inevitable challenges of life, we often lose the childlike spark of believing in the impossible. Yet, this spark is essential for seeing the world not as it is, but as it could be.
Today, as we stand on the brink of an AI revolution, the message of "The Big Tall Wish" takes on new meaning. The promise of AI is immense, offering the potential to solve some of the most pressing challenges of our time. However, like Bolie, many of us in the nonprofit world can become cynical, shaped by decades of addressing horrific human tragedies and witnessing the limits of what technology can achieve. It's easy to fall into the trap of skepticism, to doubt that something truly transformative can happen.
But the story of Bolie and Willie urges us to hold on to our sense of wonder and hope. Just as Peter Pan encourages us to embrace the magic of never growing up, to maintain our belief in the extraordinary, so too must we approach AI with an open mind and an optimistic heart. We must be like Willie, willing to believe in the miraculous, even when the world tells us it's impossible.
For me, this is a personal challenge. After decades of witnessing the darkest aspects of humanity, staying optimistic is not always easy. Yet, the story of "The Big Tall Wish" reminds me that miracles are possible, but only if we believe in them. As I explore the promise of AI, I strive to keep that childlike spark alive, to see the potential for good in this new technology, and to continue believing in the possibility of a better future.
In the end, Bolie’s journey is our journey. It’s a reminder that no matter how tough life gets, we must never lose our ability to believe in the extraordinary. The story of "The Big Tall Wish" and the timeless message of Peter Pan serve as powerful inspirations as we navigate the complexities of our modern world, particularly as we embrace the transformative potential of AI. Let us all be like Willie, believing in the big tall wishes that have the power to change the world.