Analysis of An Abundance of Katherines

"' Because of the whole genius thing...is nothing. That's just about wanting to be famous'
'No it's not. I want to matter' he said" (Green 11).

I think this is an interesting concept. Being famous and mattering seem like two different things to me but I can't put my finger on why. This is a problem that I (and many other people I presume) face. But is it just a euphemism for simple lust for fame. I think the arguement can go both ways. Collin goes to Gunshot, Tennesee to see the body of Archduke Franz Ferbinard. He meets a nice mother and daughter who give them jobs and housing. But Collin spends most of his time thinking about the most recent Katherine or battling the idea that he might just want to be famous. You can argue that they are the same thing that fame is a result of work that you have done that matters to people. And thats true. Many people revolutionized the world we live in like Albert Einstien or George Washington. But sometimes you either get one or the other. For example many people don't know who Martin Cooper is. But he invented the first version of an invention practically everyone has now (try to guess what he made and don't use google) and I think that mattering means someone who has found a way to positively impact your life or the human experience. The Kardashians are famous but they don't really do anything to positively impact society. From what I know, all they do is walk around, be rich and get divorced every once in a while. But they are well known...somehow.Sometimes the concept of fame confuses me. Should all people that matter be famous or do all famous people matter. What do you think makes someone famous and or matter? Do you think fame builds or destroys human culture and why? These aren't retorical questions and I would like to wrap up with this: fame and mattering is all about perspective. Someone can matter and/or be famous to a lot of people but not everyone.