One of the unmistakable signs of a declining order is the preoccupation of its people with trivia.

The fixation and endless gawking on the tawdry, on flashing lights, on the frivolous antics of a teen pop star, on the latest mobile phone, on the new Barbie doll or the Christmas Tree at the Rockefeller Center.

We’ve never seen such crowds in the U.S. as we did the other day at the Rockefeller Center in NYC.

The crowd comprised of the young, not-so-young and the old was so thick that it was literally push and shove to make your way in or out.

And all just to ogle at a tree with a million lights!

Crowds at the Rockefeller Center, NYC (December 2010)

Another monstrosity (below) that attracts large crowds.

1251 6th Ave, New York City (December 2010)