Truly Honoured
April 21, 2011
I confess to being quite overcome at the Rev. Anyabwile's offer to edit a Festschrift for me. I would, of course, be honoured to decline such; and, if he can tell me where and when it is to be presented, I will make sure that, at the last minute, I am unavoidably absent due to being called away to wash my remaining hair (both of them), lean against a lamppost, or stare blankly into space. And the Marcos reference was touching -- I believe she owned quite few pairs of Cheaneys. A true Truemanista avant la lettre.
Still, the discussion has become sidetracked onto issues of national superiority. For the sake of argument, let me concede that there is no difference between the US and the UK on the culture of celebrity; and let me also concede that I am, through my job here and my personal inconsistencies, as much part of the problem as anyone (though I do wish that celeb status was reflected in my publishing royalties). We still have a problem. Just making it international, not a US monopoly, doesn't lessen it. What are we to do about it?
Still, the discussion has become sidetracked onto issues of national superiority. For the sake of argument, let me concede that there is no difference between the US and the UK on the culture of celebrity; and let me also concede that I am, through my job here and my personal inconsistencies, as much part of the problem as anyone (though I do wish that celeb status was reflected in my publishing royalties). We still have a problem. Just making it international, not a US monopoly, doesn't lessen it. What are we to do about it?
