whilst contemplating the inhumane horrors of the Phoebe Prince case i thought of some observations
We as a society value success over personal excellence. Think they are related, wrong. Here is one of the best explanation of the difference
"Success and excellence are often competing ideals.
Being successful does necessarily mean you will be excellent!
Being excellent does not mean you will always be successful
success always needs verification from others. someone has to say your successful, success always needs external verification.
Success is about attaining or achieving cultural goals, which elevate ones status or position, in the society they inhabit.
Excellence is the pursuit of quality in ones work and effort, whether it is recognized by others or not.
excellence is internal driven, needing nothing more then ones own ideal of what personal excellence is. It never needs external verification , it exists on its own, between the individual and his ideal.
Success seeks status, power, prestige, wealth and privilege. Achieve any or all of these and society will deem you successful , irregardless of the means used to achieve results.
Excellence on the other hand is internal, seeking satisfaction in having done your best. Success is external , how you compare to others
Excellence is measured by how well you have done in relation to your potential.
success grants its rewards to the few but is the dream of the multitudes
Excellence is available to all but is accepted by few
Success engenders a fantasy and a compulsive groping for the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.
Excellence brings us down to reality with a deep gratitude for the promise of joy when we do our best.
Excellence cultivates principles, character and integrity.
Success may be cheap and you can take shortcuts to get there
You will pay the full price for excellence, there are no discounts
excellence will cost you everything but is the most lasting and rewarding ideal. it can never never never be taken from you."
success honors man
excellence honors god ( whatever that means to you)
That roughly translated quote with a few additions from me is taken from Christopher Parkening's guitar book.
what does this have to do with the Phoebe Prince case
everything
look at the groveling insensitive superintendent monkey( By all accounts a successful person) See how he sacrifices the integrity of Phoebe, to save himself , his image and his position. All to preserve his image of success. If the faculty, the students, everyone involved were motivated by excellence rather then success it would not have happened . Those tormentors were considered popular and therefore successful.
People will sell their souls to preserve and attain success. to get that little pat on the back,the big house, the money , the power, the envy. To those in pursuit of excellence,those things are meaningless.
Had this weasel been motivated by excellence,
the satisfaction of doing his job to the best of his ability and actually caring about it, he would have paid attention and stopped the bullying.
He did not care for the kids, only for his image.
notice how he still grovels and clings. it the wake of his selfishness we have a dead student. Politicians are notorious for their gleeful pursuit of success over excellence. if they followed the excellence creed we would not have an 8 trillion dollar debt a failing social security system and an uncertain future for our kids. The Jeffersonian ideal of fairness for all, opportunity for all, would be alive and thriving. we would not have billionaire hedge fund managers getting rich who produce and create nothing. yet those bastards getting rich off a rigged system and your tax dollars are considered a success. success at what?
this worship of success over excellence is what cheapens society esp the US
here we heap praise after praise on the powerful, wealthy and those with status. while they prove time and again their profound lack of character and integrity. Lets stop the praise and ignore them
Prime example of success over excellence is Sarah Palin, by societies accounts she is a success. makes a ton of money just by speaking nonsense, had someone ghostwrite a book for her( i doubt she can write) but is never ever excellent. Think about that.
a vapid , cliche spewing mindless mouthpiece is considered a success.
while the common worker who strives to do his or her personal best day after day without recognition isn't
You tell me who is more valuable to society
It's time we moved away from a cheap success driven country to one motivated by excellence. IT just might be the only thing that can save us.
What motivates you , success or excellence.
for those wondering yes you can achieve both.
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