When the sun set on the British Empire many moons ago the monarchy was left with several drawers full of OBEs, MBEs, CBEs et cetera et cetera ad infinitum ad nauseam. What to do thought the ill advised advisors to the monarchy? 'Ah', they said, 'we'll continue to dish them out to our subjects and see if anyone notices that the politically incorrect colonisation of other countries is no more, it's dead furthermore it's just not cricket , old boy.' The royal flunkies reviewed the situation. 'Why not make it more palatable and popular and give a few knighthoods to popstars, sports stars even?' And so, in many parts of our green and pleasant land some of our brethren still doff their caps and touch ye olde forelocks as they salute ye olde gentry as they prepare to hunt the endangered fox who has to be ever alert to the sound of a horn and the baying of a chasing pack of hounds. Hunting with dogs? That's not a sport. Well, it isn't! That's illegal! It doesn't take place anymore. It's a blood sport isn't it? Yep, it's a blood sport alright. Do they get awarded a knighthoods for services to blood sports? Nah! A Knighthood is a means of rewarding individuals' personal bravery, achievement, or service to the United Kingdom and the British Overseas Territories.
Mind you, hunting a fox with hounds astride the back of a horse with a view to aiding and abetting it's ultimely death could be perversely seen in some circles as personal bravery, achievement, or service to the United Kingdom? Tally Ho!
I like the point about the awards. It is rather ludicrous to give them out to pop stars and actors.
However, Im not so sure about sportsmen and women! Is there something that one can be truly patriotic and nationalistic about when a specimen from ones own land beats the best from other lands? Worthy of some form of national recognition? Im not sure. Sports are modelled in classic philosophy. The best, purest, strongest, brightest, quickest and most noble etc. I think the heritage of such ideas are largely supported still today and natural philosophy may be making a comeback after a rather troubled coup via the enlightenment. But, such high and noble ideals can hardly be said about acting or pop singing. And of course, war heroes have their own medals of distinction based on time-honoured attributes of strength, courage and honour.
I suppose the idea of a monarch might be linked to whether one is for or against such awards, and maybe fox hunting and bird shooting for that matter. I hold the view that the monarchy is a necessary bit of bad taste for Britain to be swallowed with all the other necessary but unpalatable things society may choose to keep itself together and under broad rule. However, I think it very regrettable that society has shifted its moral compass to point to troubled and dubious individuals recognised for social charisma and doubtful talent.
