We really are suckers for appearances. Surface attractiveness, skin-deep beauty. Our national symbol is a bald eagle—majestic and intimidating, but by nature just a glorified scavenger.
We elect people with “charisma,” people with the gift of gab who are physically attractive even as they are deficient in character, and often devoid of traits needed for meeting the challenges of competent leadership.
We fixate on fame and fortune– Hollywood notables who need almost constant ego feeding, who ride the wave of visibility and get paid megabucks for immersing themselves in a role and delivering lines and playing make-believe; musical “artists” who become commercial successes while lacking substance or any real talent, and titans of industry who love their lifestyles and pedal influence merely by virtue of having a ton of money to throw around.
We spend too much time wallowing in the shallows.
3 Cents' 