Originally posted by fable:
<STRONG>
I would question that the US rewards success. It rewards material success: if you make a fortune, you are important, you are more worthwhile than other people--and let's face it: this is by no means either a modern or American attitude. The US simply does in the open what many other cultures, particularly European ones, have done quietly for years. French government scandals, anyone...?
But there are other standards by which success may be measured, and the US pays little attention to these, as a rule. I wrote here several weeks ago that the inventor of the robotic arm has been working for several years in Japan, because he couldn't get a job that would pay as much as an average corporate office manager in the US. His "success" has led to breakthroughs in medical treatment and scientific research that are both remarkable and help many people each year, but it doesn't catch the imagination the same way extravagant wealth does. Americans are obsessed with wealth, and with the toys it can buy. This is tangible, this is the Horatio Alger story come true. It's harder to envision the austere success of a man who creates a robotic arm--or another who triumphs privately, quietly, over cancer, or a third who takes up the cello at the age of 55 to play Beethoven quartets.
These are all successes, but they're successes of the intellect, of organization, of the spirit, of enthusiasm. They lack glitter, so they never get reported; and besides, whoever recited or listened to a fairy tale about a cancer recovery patient? Our endings all feature the hero and heroine moving into a castle to live happily ever after; and making fairy tales come true is part of the American myth, IMO.</STRONG>
How many blue collar Joes and Janes in the US care about anyone playing Beethoven?
Or if the robot arm guy can make six figures?
If he would've cashed in on his invention would he not be placed in the un-noteworthy "material success" category??
Do we then deny the rags to riches stories any credible measure of success?
The average Joe's meanwhile, feel lucky to have what they have and work hard to get it. Besides.....
...WWF Smackdown is on Pay-Per View right after Jerry Springer!!
A pretty sad testimony of culture I admit.
I think people who feel reward in discovering the types of unheralded successes that you mentioned know where to seek them out.
Do we expect those types of stories to be positioned above the winners of the Superbowl in mainstream US commercial media?
Ideally maybe, unfortunantly idealism doesnt bring ratings or sell periodicles.
The masses, and things that appeal to the masses, dictate the nature of media.
Not vice versa as many would suggest.
Why not vice versa? People won't watch it or buy it.
Violence, sex, humor, and innovation sell.
Not social/political idealisms. Not here anyway.
I agree that percieved success and its relevance usually does boil down to $$$.
Sucess is a perception. Making a lot of money is desirable and percieved successful by most people I know. Unless you are living in a small mountain cabin preparing an anti-technology/society manifesto, I would think you desire wealth too to a certain extent. Do you not?
