Jonathan; I think part of human nature clusters about the high status person. Diana had high status and some achievements, and Theresa had high achievements and low status(as measured by those who follow). This can be seen in all gatherings of people from the schoolyard to the public arena. What we see is the peak of the public arena with Diana, people cluster(via their proxies...the press). Theresa has done good work in an area where few wish to go, we see the values, but do not cluster. The press coverage reflects the number of people who wish to join the proxy cluster that the press provides as vicarious clustering with the object(Diana). Another part is the waste of potential. MT has lived a long and effective life, not so D, who was cut down too early
As to why people cluster after movie stars, stage stars, Diana etc. I do not know. I do not cluster to those groups. Some would say I am defective as I deviate from the average. But I do not cluster to MT either. I cluster with other scientists, as that is my peer group. So I think the huge body of housewives cluster with what their peer group aspires to, be it Diana, John Travolta or ??.
There is a study in human nature in this.Look at Hitler, he mastered clustering with the German people, who saw good in him at the time, they all wanted to be with him etc. This had a very bad result, as they followed a defective person to national doom(and injured/killed millions of innocents at the same time) That is another example of the herd or cluster aspect of human nature.
If you do not follow the leader, you are in some way estranged from the group, and as such might be a competing leader for the herd, or an unsocialised herd person. The press accentuates this by providing new foci for the herd every day. And as they see the numbers they add/remove that person from their coverage. Diana gathered herds, MT does not. That is the reality of it whatever we feel about their respective contributions to mankind. Diana may yet exceed MT in life works. MT impacted a small group of poor people in India. Diana and this notoriety might get the anti land mine agreement into being, and thus could save far more from death/injury. A side benefit of the herd instinct that we can all use.
Bill |
