Celebrity Culture

Seems like I once heard a social scientist explain American celebrity culture as follows: American society was founded partly on the principle of equal social status, a rebellion against European aristocracy and hereditary nobility. American culture lacks superior people, and human beings, needing superior people, create them.

Humans, like most other animals, sort themselves into pecking orders. This we know. My entire life, from first grade on, when with groups of people, I have taken note of my place in the pecking order.

I have taken note of it, and accepted it. Why do otherwise? Acceptance of one's place in the world leads to harmony. I've always thought there were advantages and disadvantages to being either high or low status.  It may not even be possible for humans to avoid forming pecking orders, for this behavior may be hard wired into our behavioral programming.

I've always thought it was rather stupid. Still do. That any group of two or more people should feel a need to arrange themselves according to level of importance, seems - base, crass, primitive, barbaric.

Which very well might be the point, and purpose. Efficient organization of groups of people was important from the beginning, and still is. Maybe family dynasties like the Kennedys give us the aristocracy we crave, any maybe celebrities like paris Hilton give us the comfort we need, of knowing that we are secure in our low status.


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