ABSTRACT
Fame doubtless does have its bothersome aspects, although the famous people who complain of its being a terrible burden to them generally lack credibility, because at the same time they do their best to get themselves on television and their names into the newspapers. Most people who seek fame, however, do so not for the benefits it brings but for its own sake – mindful, perhaps, of the immortal example of Herostrates, who is said to have burnt down the temple of Diana for the sole reason that he wanted to achieve fame. In general, however, fame is considered desirable in itself, and not merely as a means of obtaining other desirable goods. There are many degrees of fame, so many that it is impossible to determine precisely who is really famous and who is not. In America everyone knows the names and faces of news-readers and popular television show hosts.
