By now, everyone who is not on life support knows the name Susan Boyle. Until she "gobsmacked" the world on Britains Got Talent just 10 days ago, this 47 year old Scottish woman was an undiscovered fabulous singer and unemployed church volunteer. By her own admission in interviews, she has struggled with learning disabilities and was bullied as a child. If you were not one who placed one of the over 31 million hits on this YouTube video, here is the link. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lp0IWv8QZY

That she is an overnight sensation is fact. The Susan Boyle Effect is sure to be a case study in viral marketing for business students well into the future, particularly because it's a test of new internet social networking. Journalists, opinion leaders and millions of others have weighed-in on the phenomenon. Talent judge Simon Cowell asked her why, at age 47, she had not yet been able to achieve her dream of becoming a professional singer. She replied, "I've never been given the chance before.""The time elapsed from the moment she opened her mouth-and the instant that she was nearly drowned out by jaw-dropping cheers-was 6 seconds. The smart money says that her days of unemployment are over.

Comments are coming in by the hundreds of thousands on YouTube and on her growing Facebook Fan Page which, as of last night, had over 1 million fans. Last evening I watched the comments come in on her Facebook page, and they were being posted at the rate of one every 5-10 seconds! She also has thousands following her tweets on Twitter.

I would like to know what members and friends of NCFR think. We comprise a niche of the society-at-large that is particularly interested in human development and sociology. What was your reaction when you saw the video? What do you make of her overnight success? Why does this experience touch so many so deeply? Please click on "comment" below and leave your thoughts. (Comments, unless you sign them, are anonymous... our website does not track them in any way.)

What does the Susan Boyle experience mean to you?