From: maedhros@yabbs
To: Zbadba@yabbs
Subject: re: Insult the Dolts!
Date: Fri Jun 17 04:10:09 1994

In message re: Insult the Dolts!, Zbadba said:
> Well, I'll assume for the moment that you think you have "made the journey 
> from the proverbial bottom to the proverbial top" all by yourself.
> 
> Got news for ya, bud. Noone does. You are where you are today because of 
> the aggregate efforts of those around you, in addition to your own. Ever 
> heard the quote "No man is an island"? Well, it's true. Anyone trying
> to project the image that they have "made it on their own" is at best 
> misguided, and at worst, a fraud and a charlatan.

While I'd grant you are correct in this statement, I would like to attempt
to flesh it out a bit.  True, noone "makes" it without any outside help,
but there are varying degrees of aid.  For myself, I feel I can claim my
acomplishments as largely self-achieved.  Granted, I have the emotional
support of a woman and the occasional "grant" from relatives.  However,
with a mother somewhere in New England (don't ask me where) and a father
across seas (we don't speak), I feel justified in claiming my
accomplishments as my own.  Is it technically correct?  No.  However, the
misuse of the phrase seems an acceptable abuse of language.  It seems
there are varying degrees of aid one can receive, and after a certain
level of neglect a person can claim themselves independant for better or
for worse.

> It's a shame you have such a limited perspective on life.
> That the be-all and end-all goal is some nebulous concept of "success."

I'm having trouble finding anything wrong with this concept.  Perhaps we
just have different definitions of success in mind.  Success (from my
perspective) is doing what you do well.  Taking pride in your work and
striving to be the best at it.  Success itself is not a goal, it is a
description of how well and completely you've acheived your goal.  

For instance, I'd consider Ghandi's be-all end-all goal was success in his
goal to finding a non-violent solution to the British.  If success wasn't
an all consuming need, I don't think he would have had the strength to
acomplish his goals.  In that light, I'd view his obsession for success as
a merit, not a flaw. 

Perhaps the merit or lack thereof of an obsession for success lies less
with the obsession itself and more with the person's underlying goals.

Maedhros /\
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