The Winner takes it all
It has been a reflective journey of sorts over the last little while for me. I have been pondering about life. I find it curious and interesting, that people who are gifted with talent in some form or other are rarely appreciated whilst they're alive. When you think about it, Elvis Presley who died some years ago, is more popular today, and has amassed more of a fortune now than whenever he was alive. Van Gough's masterful paintings fetch multiples of millions of dollars today and yet this individual couldn't scratch two coins together to survive or subsist. A photograph recently featured in a documentary on SBS (a multi lingual international TV station in Sydney) sold for $1.2 million. It is a picture of the moon through the trees. An exceptional picture and fetches an amount of money that is phenomenal. Yet, again the person who took the picture is no longer with us. I have heard the saying, a person is never a prophet in his own country. I could be paraphrasing that somewhat, but you get the gist I suspect. Am I the only one who finds this curious? Why are people rarely appreciated while they are alive?
That said, there are a great many artists in music, painting, photography, dance, theatre and many other fields of human endeavour who do receive accolades, adulation and money whilst they are alive. I raise the topic as a way of trying to reconcile and understand the apparent fickle finger of fate or destiny. My friend Robyn Loau with her singing has been able to scale the dizzying heights in some measure with the all girl band of some years ago, of which she was a key figure, and yet still remains largely a mystery to the majority of musical audiences. I nominate her in this discussion because she is loaded with talent and personality. I love her as a person and her voice, musical interpretation and style is unquestionably up to par with what the industry demands, yet why does she remain largely unnoticed? I know there are people who are rising higher in that industry with less talent and natural ability. It could be a combination of who they know, or a combination of what they are prepared to do to get there. I am confident there are many factors, yet my question remains.
I was told one time of a managerial meeting of a major retailer in this country, who in the middle of a meeting with senior management asked them at random, what they would be prepared to do to keep their positions. Some answers were given which, I believe were basic and average. The doors were opened and in walked a group of young would be managers and they were asked, "What would you be prepared to do to get these managers jobs?" their answer? "Anything!" WOW. Make no mistake, I am not sanctioning or condoning the strategy, but isn't it powerful to see what some people are prepared to do. Anything!
I look around me at the style of tv shows we seem to be fed of late. The shows where people are hooked up to a lie detector and then asked intensely personal questions in front of partners, family or friends. The object of this show is to ridicule and demean actions or situations and turn personal errors or relationships into some sort of morbid sport and curiosity. I have not watched, nor will I. Well you might be to ask, is that because I would be afraid I would be found out? nah, I will answer any question asked me privately. I just think that the insatiable desire for tv execs and people generally to pit people against each other for ratings and adulation is obscene. In shows like "So you think you can dance", "It Takes Two", "America or Australia's Got Talent" "American or Australian Idol" they at least offer a chance for people to strut their stuff and are allowed to showcase their talent for their peers or home audience to judge. Whilst other shows like "The Mole", "Survivor", "The Weakest Link", "The Biggest loser" and a couple of others seem to simply use the guise of a scenario and a large reward to be the grain of sand to create a pearl in a shell for the contestant. Does that reward and opportunity for one, justify the many who lose? What is the cost?
We have all seen the intense and emotional heartache and burn out for some losing contestants who feel that their dreams are dashed. Some of these people may never ever rise again because the pain of loss and the feeling of rejection is real and some will wrap themselves in cotton wool so that they never have to endure that again. I once worked with a man who shared an experience with me when he was on the swimming pool blocks of a race in England as a young man. The race was to determine the entrant in the national swimming competition, and ultimately to find the national British champion. He described it to me. "There I was on the blocks, tense, ready to go. The starter called out on your marks and fired the starter pistol. The race began in earnest but I stayed on the blocks. I froze." Those feelings live with him today. By his own admission whenever he has the chance to shine he always thinks about the blocks and how that felt. He rehearses those feelings and his life continues to be polarised in a large measure. I said to this man. "Get off the blocks! start swimming" It's never too late in my mind. We are truly only ever racing ourselves in the end.
An Australian bank had a TV campaign once that showed the olympic Gold medal winners and then asked the question does anybody remember who the silver medal winner was? My post today is designed I guess to express my feeling for those who may not win in the TV show forums or in the way we might hope to in life. Never give up. Having faith in yourself, and in what you can do and in striving to make what you hope and imagine come to pass is where the magic of life, of discovery and of achievement truly occurs.
Abba sang a song once called the Winner Takes it All, the loser's standing small, beside the victory, that's our destiny. Is it?
I would like to hope not. I admire people, myriads of them, who strive each day to achieve something. It may not be in the annuls of history, or be found in the pages of lore, but the will to do something that lifts others and make life a little better is admirable and of great inestimable worth. I think of the Mothers who raise children in an environment of love, Fathers who strive to make ends meet, and the many elements of society and of life who each play their part seemingly independent of one another and how wonderfully those threads weave together the tapestry we call life.
It is my hope today that for each of us who desires to reach for the goal, whatever that goal may be, that we continue to do so. Remember the immortal words from William Jennings Bryan;
"Destiny is not a matter of chance, it is a matter of choice; it is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved."
It may not take a TV show, it may take a lifetime of trying and for some it won't, but whatever it takes make the choice. Or as Shakespeare added;
"What ere thou art, act well thy part".
The picture today is of one of my many nieces, Chloe Fontaine. Whom I will be seeing in a couple of days time. She too has a goal, and it is my fervent desire that she may also touch the world with her talents. May we all.
That said, there are a great many artists in music, painting, photography, dance, theatre and many other fields of human endeavour who do receive accolades, adulation and money whilst they are alive. I raise the topic as a way of trying to reconcile and understand the apparent fickle finger of fate or destiny. My friend Robyn Loau with her singing has been able to scale the dizzying heights in some measure with the all girl band of some years ago, of which she was a key figure, and yet still remains largely a mystery to the majority of musical audiences. I nominate her in this discussion because she is loaded with talent and personality. I love her as a person and her voice, musical interpretation and style is unquestionably up to par with what the industry demands, yet why does she remain largely unnoticed? I know there are people who are rising higher in that industry with less talent and natural ability. It could be a combination of who they know, or a combination of what they are prepared to do to get there. I am confident there are many factors, yet my question remains.
I was told one time of a managerial meeting of a major retailer in this country, who in the middle of a meeting with senior management asked them at random, what they would be prepared to do to keep their positions. Some answers were given which, I believe were basic and average. The doors were opened and in walked a group of young would be managers and they were asked, "What would you be prepared to do to get these managers jobs?" their answer? "Anything!" WOW. Make no mistake, I am not sanctioning or condoning the strategy, but isn't it powerful to see what some people are prepared to do. Anything!
I look around me at the style of tv shows we seem to be fed of late. The shows where people are hooked up to a lie detector and then asked intensely personal questions in front of partners, family or friends. The object of this show is to ridicule and demean actions or situations and turn personal errors or relationships into some sort of morbid sport and curiosity. I have not watched, nor will I. Well you might be to ask, is that because I would be afraid I would be found out? nah, I will answer any question asked me privately. I just think that the insatiable desire for tv execs and people generally to pit people against each other for ratings and adulation is obscene. In shows like "So you think you can dance", "It Takes Two", "America or Australia's Got Talent" "American or Australian Idol" they at least offer a chance for people to strut their stuff and are allowed to showcase their talent for their peers or home audience to judge. Whilst other shows like "The Mole", "Survivor", "The Weakest Link", "The Biggest loser" and a couple of others seem to simply use the guise of a scenario and a large reward to be the grain of sand to create a pearl in a shell for the contestant. Does that reward and opportunity for one, justify the many who lose? What is the cost?
We have all seen the intense and emotional heartache and burn out for some losing contestants who feel that their dreams are dashed. Some of these people may never ever rise again because the pain of loss and the feeling of rejection is real and some will wrap themselves in cotton wool so that they never have to endure that again. I once worked with a man who shared an experience with me when he was on the swimming pool blocks of a race in England as a young man. The race was to determine the entrant in the national swimming competition, and ultimately to find the national British champion. He described it to me. "There I was on the blocks, tense, ready to go. The starter called out on your marks and fired the starter pistol. The race began in earnest but I stayed on the blocks. I froze." Those feelings live with him today. By his own admission whenever he has the chance to shine he always thinks about the blocks and how that felt. He rehearses those feelings and his life continues to be polarised in a large measure. I said to this man. "Get off the blocks! start swimming" It's never too late in my mind. We are truly only ever racing ourselves in the end.
An Australian bank had a TV campaign once that showed the olympic Gold medal winners and then asked the question does anybody remember who the silver medal winner was? My post today is designed I guess to express my feeling for those who may not win in the TV show forums or in the way we might hope to in life. Never give up. Having faith in yourself, and in what you can do and in striving to make what you hope and imagine come to pass is where the magic of life, of discovery and of achievement truly occurs.
Abba sang a song once called the Winner Takes it All, the loser's standing small, beside the victory, that's our destiny. Is it?
I would like to hope not. I admire people, myriads of them, who strive each day to achieve something. It may not be in the annuls of history, or be found in the pages of lore, but the will to do something that lifts others and make life a little better is admirable and of great inestimable worth. I think of the Mothers who raise children in an environment of love, Fathers who strive to make ends meet, and the many elements of society and of life who each play their part seemingly independent of one another and how wonderfully those threads weave together the tapestry we call life.
It is my hope today that for each of us who desires to reach for the goal, whatever that goal may be, that we continue to do so. Remember the immortal words from William Jennings Bryan;
"Destiny is not a matter of chance, it is a matter of choice; it is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved."
It may not take a TV show, it may take a lifetime of trying and for some it won't, but whatever it takes make the choice. Or as Shakespeare added;
"What ere thou art, act well thy part".
The picture today is of one of my many nieces, Chloe Fontaine. Whom I will be seeing in a couple of days time. She too has a goal, and it is my fervent desire that she may also touch the world with her talents. May we all.
Comments
Just having a think about some of your thoughts:
Quoting Craig:
"When you think about it, Elvis Presley who died some years ago, is more popular today, and has amassed more of a fortune now than whenever he was alive."
This certainly has been said more often than not concerning Elvis.
I wonder myself if Elvis would have achieved a greater popularity whilst alive had he been able to realise his own dreams of international touring.
History purports that his manager, Colonel Parker, would not allow this to be so and blocked it, in spite of Elvis's desires. Consequently, Elvis was restricted to touring ‘stateside’ leaving his international fans to adore him from afar.
With regard to his posthumous accumulation of wealth, the majority of credit lies with his ex-wife. Pricilla has demonstrated remarkable business acumen in the handling of his estate and memorabilia, including the conversion of Grace Land to museum status. This has resulted in an enormous inheritance for her daughter Lisa-Marie.
V2T
Thanks..as always.
"I just think that the insatiable desire for TV execs and people generally to pit people against each other for ratings and adulation is obscene."
Unfortunately Craig, as you well know, ratings reflect public demand. As such, these shows and their popularity reflect the majority vote for the consumer.
What is concerning is that few consumers telephone or write to the networks to lodge their objections to these shows. Consequently, the so-called popular consensus continues to dominate.
You obviously find these shows to be obscene and offensive Craig and you have been courageous enough to say so on this particular platform. You also choose to not watch them as your own form of protest, albeit passive.
Perhaps you could take the next step and lodge your objections, in writing, with the various networks, therefore taking a more active role in order to make a difference.
‘The only thing necessary for the triumph [of evil] is for good men to do nothing.’
- Edmund Burke (English philosopher)
V2T
Craig
“An Australian bank had a TV campaign once that showed the Olympic Gold medal winners and then asked the question does anybody remember who the silver medal winner was?”
This caused me to think of Patrick Rafter (retired Australian tennis champion). In spite of two attempts to win the prestigious Wimbledon title, victory eluded Rafter and he received the runner-up silver plate both times.
I remember watching the second match and listening to his speech. He said words to the effect of “I’m the loser again.”
Do I remember who won the silver [medal] on that occasion?
Yes indeed!
Do I consider him a loser for not achieving the first place prize?
Absolutely not!
Why?
I watched Rafter in a game some time before the Wimbledon final when his personal integrity made an unforgettable impression upon me. In that particular game, the score was very tight and the competition was fierce. Rafter made a shot and there was some question as to whether it was on the line or out. He unequivocally put his hand up and said that his own shot was out. His opponent received the point, which put him ahead of Rafter.
After witnessing his honesty and integrity, in my mind, these personal attributes make Patrick Rafter a first place winner in life.
V2T
Craig