Michelle Obama's second speech to the girls of Elizabeth Garrett Anderson school, this time from the halls of Oxford University, reiterated her thoughts on the key to success. "Success," she told the girls, "is not about the background you're from, it's about the confidence you have and the effort you're willing to invest."
Although deemed inspiring by the girls she spoke to, the US first lady's definition of being successful has attracted criticism from certain commentators who say that defining success as a high-flying career is not necessarily the right message to send to inner-city children.
Should we celebrate other models of attainment? Is raising a family and maintaining a healthy home life too often overlooked? Should we applaud those who work hard all their lives in "everyday" jobs more often? Or is this just pussyfooting around the reality that an influential, celebrated career is the true mark of life achievement? What's your definition of success?
Most of the answers are just "live each day to the full, my child" stuff, but it's a pretty interesting question. For me: money, power, sex - the usual suspects. I'm shallow and proud of it.
It's a nice showcase for repressed, middle-class resentment too.
Quote:
My definition of success?
To be free to live your life.
Which is why I consider my richer but more stressed brothers and sisters to be failures.
The feeling is of course mutual.
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With regards to Michelle Obama, she may have had a high flying career before but right now? She is just a nice piece of candy on Barack's arm.
Have you seen those pics of her with Kate and, even more so, with Mrs Cameron, sitting on that sofa and engage in what look like light chatting/gossiping/2 housewives swapping tales?
How's that "high flying"? Their husbands are high fliers. They may have been high fliers themselves. But not anymore.
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With regards to Michelle Obama, she may have had a high flying career before but right now? She is just a nice piece of candy on Barack's arm.
Have you seen those pics of her with Kate and, even more so, with Mrs Cameron, sitting on that sofa and engage in what look like light chatting/gossiping/2 housewives swapping tales?
How's that "high flying"? Their husbands are high fliers. They may have been high fliers themselves. But not anymore.
Didn't Sam Cam design handbags? Sounds like a rich girl's hobby job if ever there was one. (In any case, how much designing does a handbag really need? "We could go with a ACPC and RDX mix, but the problem with that is that what little you gain in propulsive energy you immediately lose with the higher risk of explosion...")
Dunno what Michelle Obama did.
And yeah, I realise that by my stadards I'm a failure too. Well someone has to be.
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What's your definition of success?
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