On Success . A Side-Story

By Adela Toplean | November 7, 2007 - 8:37 am - Posted in life 'n art

People who believe in success are not necessarily the same ones who believe in themselves.  Success is one thing; man is another thing. At the end of the day, they’re two different affairs.

Lots of men who work hard for their triumph can barely look at themselves in the mirror, thinking they’re incompetent, ugly and thick. As the success grows, the turbulence and anxiety grow, the self-esteem goes down, the superstition goes up. Unable to master their own boom, people fear they can’t repeat it. And whenever they do repeat it, they don’t quite know how they did it. So they fear anyway; while desperately needing it again, and desperately trying to ritualize the gestures that once proved to be auspicious… Thuswise, the success is held sacred. And treated as such. The mysterium tremendum. The archaic people feared and worshiped the thunder; many modern people fear and worship their triumphal moments. In other words, they lose to their own success. Poor dear successful losers…

PS: very new canvas (95cm-95cm!) called “The Nap (And All The Wrong Things)”. Click on it for a bigger view.

PS2: As for the music, today I would go for the new and the old Rufus Wainwright. “Old Whore’s Diet” (from Want Two) sung with Antony is brilliant. Just as it is the good old “Cigarettes and Chocolate Milk”. And the new “Tulsa”, “Between My Legs” and “Going to a Town” that I have already suggested some time ago.

PS3: Free access to Sage Journals (over 485!!) till November 30! Now that’s just great. Hurry up, click here.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, November 7th, 2007 at 8:37 am and is filed under life 'n art. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

11 Comments

1. November 7, 2007 @ 3:42 pm

   
   

   what a gift to be this mean really

   you ain’t got no pity

   Posted by Anonymous
2. November 7, 2007 @ 3:43 pm

   
   

   correction: she’s sweet like a dove and wise like a snake

   Posted by Marcus
3. November 7, 2007 @ 3:44 pm

   
   

   I can’t see the picture. Help!!

   Posted by Anonymous
4. November 7, 2007 @ 3:56 pm

   
   

   Fixed the picture. Can’t fix my words though. I’m too old for that.

   oh, and Marcus: thanx for the holy analogy, bu I’m just somewhere between sparrow and cat. Sometimes both. Just to make sure there’s a fine hunt up there in my head

   Posted by Adela Toplean
5. November 7, 2007 @ 5:21 pm

   
   

   *sniff*

   Posted by Anonymous
6. November 8, 2007 @ 9:47 pm

   
   

   Fascinating painting. I love the colors. Very stylish.

   Posted by tony
7. November 9, 2007 @ 1:11 pm

   
   

   we the beautiful successful losers that find comfort and trouble in you the eminent successful winners

   what a fucked-up world that can’t afford to nurture and protect some honest losers, everybody plays the game of the fake success today.

   the painting shows a weak moment of a beautiful successful loser, but what I like most is the levitation effect and the sofa

   Posted by Anonymous
8. November 9, 2007 @ 1:58 pm

   
   

   I don’t believe in losers. It’s just about people who ignore their intuitions. Dozens of worthy thoughts cross through our minds daily; it’s just that we’re not used with making them grow into facts or coherent ideas. More discipline is required. But you already know that.
   So don’t make an enemy out of your success. It used to be your friend.

   Posted by Adela Toplean
9. November 9, 2007 @ 5:22 pm

   
   

   yeah my friends are all long gone

   Posted by Anonymous
10. November 9, 2007 @ 5:24 pm

    
    

    then make them come back!

    Posted by Marcus
11. February 24, 2010 @ 10:36 am

    
    

    [...] PS2: this post has a side-story. Here it is. [...]

    Posted by COUNTING IN/OUT'S » Rewind

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