‘Their Chief Claim to Fame Is Fame Itself’: Heroes and Celebrities

Historian Daniel Boorstin makes the distinction between heroes and celebrities as defined in this modern age of technology and social media platforms.

American flags adorn the gravesites of fallen military heroes in Arlington National Cemetery on Memorial Day on May 26, 2025, in Arlington, Va. These are heroes in Daniel Boorstein's sense of the word. Samuel Corum/Getty Images

Before reading the article that follows, take a moment and ask yourself: “Who are my heroes, living and dead?” If you want to add to the game, ask the same question of others around you, family or friends: “Who are your heroes?”

All done? Then let’s pay a visit to Daniel Boorstin’s book “The Image: A Guide to Pseudo-Events in America,” specifically to the chapter titled “From Hero to Celebrity: The Human Pseudo-Event.”

An Overview