The importance of ritual was very apparent in all the different parts of the castle. In the displays of the crown jewels, videos and descriptions of the crowning ceremony illustrated the various steps and necessary implements for each part of the procedure. The implements were made from precious materials--they're used once every several years, and yet they are so finely crafted and valuable. It's ostentatious to the point that I'm caught between incredulity and admiration. The British Monarchy brings a huge sense of pride for their people, at least that is the impression I get: the experience at Westminster Abbey, the palaces, the crown jewels, the hype over the upcoming wedding.
An interesting thing I read was that these elaborate rituals conveyed the monarch's level of authority and discipline--the more elaborate the ritual, the more power the leader was thought to have. By having the monarchs go through the long ceremony, it proved their discipline, and in turn, this would influence the public to be disciplined. Several times I wondered if the United States lacks discipline among its influential people, and consequently lacks discipline among the American youth.
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