Elizabeth Taylor invented the modern celebrity

Almost every celebrity seems to be involved in a cause today, whether popular or controversial. And it's all because of Elizabeth Taylor's involvement in the AIDS cause over 30 years ago. "Taylor has the classic qualities of a hero," says Temple educational psychologist Frank Farley, who has been involved in studies of heroism for many years. He said Taylor exhibited the two most important hero qualities, which are risk-taking and generosity. "She was clearly able to jump with both feet into issues that moved her with seemingly little if any regard for what others thought."
March 24, 2011 | Christian Science Monitor