The afterlife didn't always run on fame/worship/fear.
...It changed so that was the rule after America became a world power, changing the nature of governments from mercantilism and/or feudalism to democracy. Prior to that, it ran on wealth, like Egyptian or Chinese tombs - people who could be buried with the most stuff became powerful ghosts. Prior to that supernatural power was simply a scorecard based on how many people they'd killed in battle, a la Vikings, Mongols, etc. Theoretically, it could be based on skill/knowledge, making scientists and other academics the most powerful ghosts - but that would require a technocratic civilization dominating the world stage... Which is likely to come about once the Chip becomes as prominent as time travel hints it will... Incoming Armor Piercing Question for the Rogue Ghosts
Sooner or later, someone is going to ask the Rogue Ghosts why they didn't simply take their grievances to Washington and the other Founding Fathers, if all they wanted was better treatment. And it will have never occurred to them to just ask.