Muslim rioting caused by shortage of celebrities?

One of the the more common arguments put forward to explain the riots in France is the lack of Muslim celebrities on French TV.

That explains a lot, like why all those Asian American guys are rioting all the time. Or how about the 25 million Mexican Americans? There sure are a lot of Mexican celebrities in this country: Salma Hayek, George Lopez, boxer Oscar de la Hoya, that Desperate Housewife, and ... well, uh ... there's that Mexican baseball player with the really short arms and legs, Erubiel Durazo, but, clearly, we're scratching down toward the bottom of the celebrity barrel already. (In reality, most Hispanic celebrities in America, like Jennifer Lopez, are from the Caribbean.)

But there's no shortage of African-American celebrities (or of African-American rioters and looters, for that matter). A reader writes:

Part of the reason, I think, that black men reject low-end jobs is that their culture has been overwhelmed by stars: the success of black pro athletes and entertainers. Black boys grow up dreaming to be a star, and focus their energy into sports, or rap, or comedy; anything but academics. This is a high-risk strategy. A tiny number become highly successful millionaires (or just decently successful minor leaguers); most fail to become anything in particular. Like being an actor in LA.

Mexicans, for better or worse, don't seem to be particularly high-testosterone men. They have little athleticism and don't seem to have any particular gifts in music or charisma in general. So it is to be hoped that their culture will not follow black culture in adopting a sort of all-or-nothing attitude about success. (On all or nothing, well, just look at the recent "50 Cent" movie "Get Rich or Die Trying.")

One wonders what the prospects for French Arab-descended men are.

I think "all or nothing" culture may be in part a result of fatherlessness. Having a father with a mundane job helps to make boys realize they may not be a star. Also, having old men around who you can trust to tell you that you don't have what it takes can prevent a young man from spending his formative years trying to do something he's not suited for.

Of course, a group is also going to be lacking in celebrities if it doesn't want its women-folk flaunting their charms on TV. Take a look at Spanish-language talk shows sometime. The guests primarily fall into two classes: Hot-cha-cha bimbas with, mostly, blonde hair and breast implants wearing practically nothing, and middle-aged buffoon comedians, who are a cross between Benny Hill and the Bee Guy on The Simpsons.

My published articles are archived at iSteve.com -- Steve Sailer