The British Queen has died, her successor awaits coronation, the latest season of The Crown floods the Netflix stream, princes and princesses galore add to the Disney deluge, Wakanda kings and queens the most recent examples.
Why does the royal meme persist so in American culture?
Royalty carries with it an impression of prestige and power. The entertainment industry has dressed it's kings and queens is exceptional garb, draped in gems and crowned in gold. For some reason there is an atavistic draw to leadership that comes from high society with the blessing of the god or goddess of the moment, ostensibly blessed to pursue noblesse oblige for the good of the people. To be sure there are many flawed royal characters as well highlighting the humanness of their rule and personal struggles, but still our daydreaming minds too often put these bloodline rulers on a pedestal.
Perhaps it's as simple as yearning for a simpler governance in a time where democratic institutions are being infiltrated by those who wish to maintain their own inherited privilege. As our local leadership is challenged to ally with others toward global stability, a loss of past privilege is inevitable. There are bound to be tradeoffs if we seek to reduce carbon, corruption, aggression, and suffering. These challenges will be expensive and should be paid for by those who reaped the windfalls of the past on the backs of others.
Royalty worship seems to be a wish for to attain elite status embedded like the wish to believe in a god that will take care of everything for us. Unfortunately, we the people, the true stewards of this planet, must step forward to achieve goals working together that kings and queens could only dream of.
