“Success is an ugly thing. Men are deceived by its false resemblances to merit.... They confound the brilliance of the firmament with the star-shaped footprints of a duck in the mud.”
Analysis of Quote from Victor Hugo
In this quote, Victor Hugo is critiquing the societal perception of success. He suggests that people often mistake success for merit, believing that success reflects true worth or talent. However, Hugo is emphasizing that success can be deceiving, as it may not necessarily be correlated with genuine talent or merit. He uses the analogy of mistaking the brilliance of the firmament (the sky) with the star-shaped footprints of a duck in the mud, highlighting the disparity between appearance and reality. Ultimately, Hugo is cautioning against equating success with intrinsic value, urging individuals to look beyond outward achievements to truly assess someone's worth.
The Illusion of Success
Victor Hugo's quote reminds us that success is often equated with merit, but in reality, it can be deceiving. In modern times, with the rise of social media and the constant comparison to others, it's easy to be misled by the false appearances of success. It is important to remember that true success is not always what it seems and should be measured by more than just external achievements.
Misinterpretation of Success
"Success is an ugly thing. Men are deceived by its false resemblances to merit.... They confound the brilliance of the firmament with the star-shaped footprints of a duck in the mud.” - Victor Hugo
Reflection Questions
Reflect on the notion of success and merit as described by Victor Hugo in the quote. Consider the difference between external appearances of success and true accomplishment.
- How do you define success in your own life?
- Have you ever been deceived by the false resemblances of success?
- In what ways might society confuse success with true merit?
- How can you strive to achieve true merit rather than just external success in your endeavors?
Similar quotes
“Success is a very hideous thing. Its false resemblance to merit deceives men.”
“It may be remarked in passing that success is an ugly thing. Men are deceived by its false resemblances to merit. To the crowd, success wears almost the features of true mastery, and the greatest dupe of this counterfeit talent is History.”
“We live in the midst of a gloomy society. Success; that is the lesson which falls drop by drop from the slope of corruption.Be it said in passing, that success is a very hideous thing. Its false resemblance to merit deceives men. For the masses, success has almost the same profile as supremacy. Success, that Menaechmus of talent, has one dupe,--history.”
“Two men look at the same bars: One sees mud and one sees the stars.”
“To listen is an effort, and just to hear is no merit. A duck hears also.”