Tall People

Last night, during a fleeting moment of self-analysis, I noticed that many of the individuals I admire today are, to put it plainly, rather tall. Let me frame the correlation for you. I greatly respect the following comedians: Stephen Fry, John Cleese, and Hugh Laurie. I have a great love for Jeremy Clarkson and for the novelist, Bret Easton Ellis. I've developed quite the obsession with Ed O'Brien from Radiohead, and Alex James from Blur. Not to mention, of course, my swimming heroes - Ryk Neethling, etc.. The only person missing is Christopher Hitchens. I don't know how tall he is, but he's not exactly short. All of this may have something to do with the fact that my father is 6'5'', I'm about 6'2'', and my step-dad is nudging 6'3''; perhaps I was subconsciously nurtured to cast an approving look upon those taller than myself. Height, during one's school life, becomes an index of age, and age, you well remember, is synonymous with respect. But I don't feel as if it's just that. There must be something linking charisma, intelligence, charm, and wit that develops from being tall. It's quite possible of course, that being tall from a fairly young age gives one the edge in playground disputes, leading to an inflated ego in later life. This accounts for Clarkson, Cleese, and Fry, but there must be something else, or is it just me?