Hollywood Prop Auctions Reveal a Disturbing Obsession with Celebrity Over Substance

Once again, the world watches as Hollywood memorabilia fetches eye-popping sums—$525,000 for Harrison Ford’s iconic Indiana Jones whip that once belonged to Princess Diana, and a staggering $14.75 million for the “Rosebud” sled from Orson Welles’ cinematic masterpiece Citizen Kane. These headline-grabbing numbers come amidst a wave of auctions showcasing celebrity relics: Macaulay Culkin’s Home Alone knit cap, Kurt Russell’s revolver from Wyatt Earp, and even signed first editions of the Harry Potter series. Why Are We Obsessed With Artifacts While National Priorities Languish? The sheer scale of these sales—paralleled only by the record-breaking $32.5 million paid for Judy Garland’s...