What’s the point of prizes?

AH, THE magical season of prizes is once again upon us.

Each spring brings, along with warm rains and budding flowers, Rhodes, Fulbrights, Pulitzers and Guggenheims, as well as Oscars, Tonys, Emmys, Grammys and Indies – which are thought of so fondly they come with their own nicknames.

Everybody, it seems, loves honours and prizes. And they certainly make for great entertainment. The award ceremonies for literary prizes are usually demure, decorous little things, but every other award show on TV is a country music hoe-down. And the Oscars reign so high in the culture that actors measure their worth by rehearsing their acceptance speeches.