Showing posts with label celebrity culture. Show all posts
Showing posts with label celebrity culture. Show all posts
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Saturday, December 1, 2007
Oprah and Obama
I have been thinking some more about the duel between Oprah Winfrey and Barbra Streisand. It seems somewhat comical in a way -- Winfrey is, after all, one of the top entertainment celebrities right now while Streisand hit her peak maybe 30 years ago. So in a way, it fits in with the themes of the Clinton and Obama campaigns. Clinton's campaign looks back to her husband's time in the White House while Obama looks forward. And to be truthful, do celebrity endorsements really mean all that much?
But there is something else here which is interesting, namely how race is not playing a part in this. Winfrey is black, yet she is enormously popular (she owns Chicago). Obama is black, yet he is really running as the liberal yuppie candidate.
While race is never too far removed in the US, maybe we are finally overcoming our obscene obsession with it.
But there is something else here which is interesting, namely how race is not playing a part in this. Winfrey is black, yet she is enormously popular (she owns Chicago). Obama is black, yet he is really running as the liberal yuppie candidate.
While race is never too far removed in the US, maybe we are finally overcoming our obscene obsession with it.
Friday, October 19, 2007
Libertarians and Public Morals
Despite the old fusionism between conservatives and libertarians, one major point on contention between the two groups is partly how to deal with public morals. Jonah Goldberg raises the issue today on NRO -- namely, how should one deal with Madonna or Pamela Anderson? Goldberg, who is not usually considered a traditional or social conservative, is worried, rightly, about how society looks to people whose actions are not exactly up to norms.
I am a self described Catholic Libertarian. While that seems contradictory, I agree with 90% of what social conservatives worry about.
The difference is how to answer. I am all for ME complaining about Madonna's behavior. I am against the GOVERNMENT doing something about it. My belief is that the decline of civil society and standards is not because of government inaction but rather a result of government action (economic and moral) that takes away individual responsibility. If you ignore celebrities, they eventually will act decent or otherwise go away.
So let's address the decline of public morals and civil society by addressing ourselves first.
I am a self described Catholic Libertarian. While that seems contradictory, I agree with 90% of what social conservatives worry about.
The difference is how to answer. I am all for ME complaining about Madonna's behavior. I am against the GOVERNMENT doing something about it. My belief is that the decline of civil society and standards is not because of government inaction but rather a result of government action (economic and moral) that takes away individual responsibility. If you ignore celebrities, they eventually will act decent or otherwise go away.
So let's address the decline of public morals and civil society by addressing ourselves first.
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