Personality Cult

[dulcinea]

I'm very intrigued and very puzzled and very perturbed by this phenomenon, so characteristic of world politics since the time of Hitler and Dzhugachvili. What differentiates, for ex, the fawning attitude of the US press towards the House of Windsor from the smarmy and disgusting idolatry bestowed upon Kim Jong-Il? It seems to be, at least, a matter of proportion: the praise lavished upon John Paul II--who remained a humble man in spite of it--is modest when compared to the grotesque, ridiculous and even macabre extremes of the cults dedicated to Mao, Kwame Nkrumah, Eva Peron, Trujillo, Castro, Ceausescu, Sukarno and Saddam.

[Ralph]

Americans in general have always been fascinated by royalty, especially English. In our hearts we know the Declaration of Independence libelled our last and goodly sovereign, George III. But we got carried away.

When King George VI and his wife visited FDR at Hyde Park before World War II it was as big a media sensation as could be imagined. Visits by H.M. the Queen or any of her family bring the same reaction. Magazines like "Majesty" sell proportionately very well here.

And the Duchess of York is doing a fabulous job for Weight Watchers. She works very hard but her title opens doors.

In New York a person with an aristocratic title and reasonable table manners can be assured of getting reservations for anything and making at least the A- if not the A List socially.

The amusing flip side is that we literally don't go a year without a scandal and occasional prosecution of a fake nobleman(woman) who is an effective fraudster until unmasked.

Remember also that marriage between very beautiful and usually rich American women to perhaps handsome and often impoverished titled Englishmen has been common for over a century.

You can't seriously combine anyone from the House of Windsor in the same sentence with Stalin, the greatest murderer of the last century (yes, greater than Hitler).

[Corlyss_D]

I'm very intrigued and very puzzled and very perturbed by this phenomenon

We love media stars.

[jbuck919]

Americans in general have always been fascinated by royalty, especially English. In our hearts we know the Declaration of Independence libelled our last and goodly sovereign, George III. But we got carried away.

When King George VI and his wife visited FDR at Hyde Park before World War II it was as big a media sensation as could be imagined. Visits by H.M. the Queen or any of her family bring the same reaction. Magazines like "Majesty" sell proportionately very well here.

And the Duchess of York is doing a fabulous job for Weight Watchers. She works very hard but her title opens doors.

In New York a person with an aristocratic title and reasonable table manners can be assured of getting reservations for anything and making at least the A- if not the A List socially.

The amusing flip side is that we literally don't go a year without a scandal and occasional prosecution of a fake nobleman(woman) who is an effective fraudster until unmasked.

Remember also that marriage between very beautiful and usually rich American women to perhaps handsome and often impoverished titled Englishmen has been common for over a century.

You can't seriously combine anyone from the House of Windsor in the same sentence with Stalin, the greatest murderer of the last century (yes, greater than Hitler).

A few of our posters may not be aware that Djugashvili was Stalin. Cripes almightlhy, Ralph if this were not proof that you will respond to anything and make it sound like Christmas morning....

[Corlyss_D]

Ralph is dip and totful.

[Ralph]

Americans in general have always been fascinated by royalty, especially English. In our hearts we know the Declaration of Independence libelled our last and goodly sovereign, George III. But we got carried away.

When King George VI and his wife visited FDR at Hyde Park before World War II it was as big a media sensation as could be imagined. Visits by H.M. the Queen or any of her family bring the same reaction. Magazines like "Majesty" sell proportionately very well here.

And the Duchess of York is doing a fabulous job for Weight Watchers. She works very hard but her title opens doors.

In New York a person with an aristocratic title and reasonable table manners can be assured of getting reservations for anything and making at least the A- if not the A List socially.

The amusing flip side is that we literally don't go a year without a scandal and occasional prosecution of a fake nobleman(woman) who is an effective fraudster until unmasked.

Remember also that marriage between very beautiful and usually rich American women to perhaps handsome and often impoverished titled Englishmen has been common for over a century.

You can't seriously combine anyone from the House of Windsor in the same sentence with Stalin, the greatest murderer of the last century (yes, greater than Hitler).

A few of our posters may not be aware that Djugashvili was Stalin. Cripes almightlhy, Ralph if this were not proof that you will respond to anything and make it sound like Christmas morning....

*****

Speaking of Christmas with relevance to this topic, when much, much younger and in possession of a large, bulky Hallicrafter shortwave receiver (anybody remember those?), I would dutifully listen past midnight to Her Majesty's Christmas Message followed by a stirring playing of "God Save the Queen." Now the message is online, somehow cheapening the experience.

[Corlyss_D]

in possession of a large, bulky Hallicrafter shortwave receiver (anybody remember those?),

Omagod! Yes! That was our main link with the English speaking world when we lived over seas. We had one as late as the early 1960s. I toyed with the idea of becoming a ham radio operator but I kept shorting out all the electricity in the house and finally had to give it up. The Hallicrafter went with the smoking ruins of my ham radio experiment.

[Ralph]

in possession of a large, bulky Hallicrafter shortwave receiver (anybody remember those?),

Omagod! Yes! That was our main link with the English speaking world when we lived over seas. We had one as late as the early 1960s. I toyed with the idea of becoming a ham radio operator but I kept shorting out all the electricity in the house and finally had to give it up. The Hallicrafter went with the smoking ruins of my ham radio experiment.

*****

And now I have a powerful Grundig short wave receiver I rarely use that fits in the palm of my hand.

[Corlyss_D]

And now I have a powerful Grundig short wave receiver I rarely use that fits in the palm of my hand.

With radios declining in price, what is it about the innards of a shortwave that they are still pretty pricey comparatively?

[herman]

You can't seriously combine anyone from the House of Windsor in the same sentence with Stalin, the greatest murderer of the last century (yes, greater than Hitler).

Not with Stalin, but the name Windsor combines very well with the Hitler name. Some of them were really pleased with and attracted to this guy, as were many British aristocats.