Privilege of Fame

I attended Joe Nye's talk last night entitled The Paradox of American Power. (Basically, the paradox is that America has more power than any other country on earth, so much that no other country can reach it, yet this power is still insufficient for it to effectively protect its interests and to achieve its goals). The talk was excellent and I enjoyed it very much. Joe Nye is very readable, and he speaks in a similar way- clearly and concisely.

After the talk I quietly and obediently lined up to get his autograph, having purchased a copy of his book. Just as I reached the head of the line, and he was about to turn to me and reach for my book, a young woman barged by me to the front of the line and said,

"Hi! I'm Chelsea Clinton!"

and got away with it.

I'm not quite sure what upset me more- the fact that someone used her name and fame to cut the queue and hold it up for five minutes while she chatted with someone famous and respected, or the fact that I couldn't do that myself.

I suppose fame acquired merely by inheriting a name and not achieved on one's own merits could be quite empty, with constant suspicion from others that one's own achievements were acquired wholly or in part because of that name, but still, it does make life easier. If you're smart in your own right, then you will turn it to your advantage and not allow it to burden you.

Also, when one gets used to having such an advantage, it becomes a crutch and when it is unable to help you then I suppose you are left helpless and on foreign ground.

I suppose I will have to take solace in the knowledge that my achievements are my own. The best thing to do would be to become famous and powerful in my own right.

Not quite there yet.