When even secular critics are fed up with
the tastelessness and coarseness of the movie product,
the public should take notice. In many ways, especially
in terms of their wealth, the entertainment industry
leaders have become the new nobility; but there is a
marked difference in the way they respond to their fame
and fortune than the lords and ladies of yesteryear.
Although there were many exceptions, traditional
nobility was based on gentlemanly Judeo-Christian
virtues —noble virtues, and, their rule of life was
noblesse oblige which meant that the nobility was
obligated to care for others based on the biblical
principle "To whom much is given, much is required."
When I spoke at Parliament in London,
Lord Orr-Ewing gave a 45-minute introduction stressing
the importance of the House of Lord’s preserving the
good, the true and the beautiful in British society.
Someone may say, "But, look at this bad Earl and this
conniving Knight." Just as the exception doesn’t
disprove the rule of law, the bad apples do not destroy
the general principle.
Regrettably, though, our leaders have
thrown out all sense of responsibility and commitment to
virtue. Today our society is built on meritocracy and an
unbridled ambition to climb the ladder of fame and
fortune. So much so that the big guys think nothing of
pandering to the lowest common denominator and stepping
on those below them. The court cases in this area are
legion, where a big studio steals an idea and refuses to
pay an independent producer, running roughshod over
others.
Perhaps, it is time that we demand a
higher standard. After all, "To whom much is given, much
is required."
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