Isn't it just a grand feeling to say I'm first?
Whether you wanted to be the first born in your family, or whether you wanted first pick at something, there is an innate human urge to be the first at everything.
The first bridge ever built was the Murray bridge. Back in the day, the Murray bridge would have been the talk of the town villagers. The sheer number of people passing over the bridge would have been something to see... now the bridge is easily outshined by more spectacular jewel-encrusted bridges, but whatever the matter, the Murray Bridge can always boast about being the first bridge built.
Wouldn't it be cool to be able to say that you were the first so-and-so to do something for the first time? There are a good six billion people that inhabit this world, and to be able to say "oh I was the first one to discover the cure for HIV" would garnish you quite a goodly bit of respect! There are still multitudes of things in this world; that you can not only be the first to do these things, but you can also be the pioneer: the best at the craft that you have designed and mastered!
Hillary Clinton was the First Lady of the United States. "First Lady" does not necessarily mean that she was the first lady to ever venture into America's Awesome Area, but it means that she is the most powerful woman in the United States and quite possibly the world, with the president at her every whim.
Hillary Clinton garnished a lot of respect and political power because she was not only the first lady, but also because she was one of the first woman to take an active political career: you could even say she was a pioneer for woman in politics.
Being first is important because you can mark your territory. Humans mark their territory in very intellectual ways.
On the internet you can mark your territory by being the first to do something radical. You automatically gain copyright over everything you write on the internet. You can start a viral trend with ease: an example of a viral trend would be chain letters. You've gotten those annoying things haven't you? "Send this article to five different friends or else today you won't be able to find your true love!?!"
Let the chain letter begin!!!
