Across all categories, I consistently practice and "preach" that fame should be earned -- it should be a meritocracy, not an accident of fate, or given for no good reason.

I don't give my attention to men who play sportsball for a living. There are lots of men who enjoy sports. Just because some men are doing it for a living doesn't change the fact that many men play those sports for free. Sports "heroes" are not heroes. They are not special. They are average joes who, thanks to the modern world, can quit their day jobs and focus on sportsball exclusively. And yes, when you don't have to work for a living, you can get VERY GOOD at throwing around that sportsball! They can be a boy and play for a living! And not just for an average salary either -- for hundreds of thousands a year! They make CEO salaries.

Likewise, I have no admiration or respect for talking heads of ANY stripe who have nothing objectively valuable to offer the world for that sweet, sweet attention. That goes for 12 year old preteens blathering on about fashion or boys, as well as conservative Catholics who merely want to be Catholic as opposed to protestant, placing themselves a couple notches below PRIESTS and BISHOPS as they invite the world to pay attention to them and their thoughts. I'm not talking about those with an above-average education in lost knowledge of Catholic Tradition -- I'm talking about those who are just somewhat conservative.

There is definitely a place for philosophers, and those who have read hundreds of books on Church History, Thomistic philosophy, pre-Vatican II anything including liturgy, habits, etc. -- not many people still have that information. It's a rare thing now.

You find such a wealth of insight, history, and knowledge in many Traditional priests and bishops. THEY deserve fame and attention firstly because they gave up their life to be a priest. They are ORDAINED and their soul is different than the average layman. They also have graces of state.

I've always said -- if I weren't Catholic, I would be one of those Christians who stays at home and prays or "finds God in nature" while fishing on Sunday. After all, if private interpretation is legit, and anyone can do it, why would I donate good money to some doofus to give his 2-cents-worth on the Bible, when he has a wife and kids just like me? That seems extra stupid.

I guess I'm just discerning about who I decide to give my valuable time and attention to. Not everyone has something to offer or teach the world. Some men and women just set up a very comfy "gig" where they stand on a soapbox, and the System pays them big money to do it. Think of all the woefully unqualified and ignorant pseudo-priests out there, like Oprah.

Outside of Tradition, it speaks to the total vacuum of truth/catholicity.  Guys like Marshall or +Vigano come out of nowhere and play Captain Obvious for 5 minutes and they are applauded as the 2nd coming of St Pius X.

My comment was not a slight towards +Vigano, just an observation on how quickly he rose to stardom in the lack of truth-speakers of indult-land. 

all the lay talking head personalities in the Blogosphere.

I don't know, nor do I care, who these people are.
One less thing to be bothered about.

Well, the saints all eschewed fame and fled from it.

Quote from: josefamenendez on Sun Jun 13 2021 08:11:02 GMT-0500 (Central Daylight Time)
"Just because the world is so messed-up that choosing not to kill your baby seems heroic, doesn't make you a real hero"

I disagree. When a woman changes her mind not to abort, she changes her way of thinking, her "culture" her support system, her lifestyle, respect in the eyes of her community, her income, her living arrangements and many times loses her friends and family in the process, including the baby's father. It's a lot more heroic than what most people consider heroic these days (Dancing CÖVÌD nurses?). Even more important, it there might actually be a miraculous conversion taking place.
The culture is so damaged and imprisoning that when someone breaks free of it is truly heroic; it can only come from God.
(I'm not saying she is a Saint however)

My point is that the 100 women who have no need of conversion are better off -- they aren't damaged goods. Isn't it heroic to keep to the truth, oppose the world, and never make a mistake in the first place? I'd say they're the bigger heroes. And they never had an abortion either... so they must be heroes too.

This isn't about getting more attention from the shepherd -- (Our Lord's parable about the Lost Sheep) -- this is about who is to be held up for admiration as a hero -- or even who is more fit to teach others.

And the sheep that was lost & found certainly isn't especially qualified to be a shepherd, even if there's a shepherd shortage!

There's more to +Vigano than captain obvious.  We had +Fellay claiming that 95% of Vatican II is acceptable, and +Vigano (coming from the Conciliar Church) CREDIBLY argues that the entire thing is contaminated and unacceptable.  Apart from the Resistance and SVs, he's the only voice out there asserting that V2 is radically defective.  And he makes a compelling case.  He's articulated that case better than anyone else I've read in the Traditional movement.  He's also in a unique position of being able to do a lot of good because of his perceived authority and his credibility.  He's being persuasive even to the conservative wing of the Novus Ordo because of his unique position.  Those types will not listen to a Bishop Williamson or the Resistance priests, much less the sedevacantists, but +Vigano has gotten their attention.  Perhaps he can help shake them out of their "hermeneutic of continuity" mindset regarding Vatican II.  That approach is actually the chief obstacle to people becoming Traditional Catholic.

My thoughts exactly.