I really hope that Americans have enough sense to skip the royal wedding tomorrow. Repeat after me, “When in the Course of human events…” I’m not sure what is worse, the British monarchy or the people (both here and abroad) infected with royal fever. Unbecoming of the spirit of liberty and democracy, many modern Americans of both major parties are infected with a related disease: President-worship.
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I reckon you underestimate the usefulness of the British Monarchy. Here you have a family who are indentured to the state of the nation. Sure, they got a lot of money, but it’s cheap at the price. It’s kind of like they keep all the bad parts about being King, without any of the good parts – except the riches, but that’s probably something they’d keep anyway.
As for the obsession with their social lives – you have that in USA; it’s called the A-list celebrities. Since it appears that society will create people like this whatever, might as well get something useful out of them.
I find the cult of celebrity pretty pathetic too.
There remains royalty in the world? Huh, go figure. I need to get out more.
I think this is great. Look what a circus it’s turned out to be! The more ridiculous leader-worship becomes, the closer we are to eliminating it.
Meanwhile, Ross Douthat posits an innately human love of monarchy:
http://douthat.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/04/28/in-praise-of-monarchy/
Go figure.
Perhaps I am simply a man of my time and place, but for the life of me I cannot imagine a justification, or even a rational argument, for royalty and monarchy. I mean, the fundamental premise is that they occupy their position, and are entitled to the people’s admiration, because of… blood relationships? It is an anachronism that I find ludicrous. And I would like to agree with Just An Australian, I find the fascination with celebrities – actors and musicians – equally silly.