[Letters] The makings of a success story

“We are living .?.?. in the age,

in which the pursuit of all values

other than

money, success, fame, glamour

have either been discredited or destroyed.”

A song titled “Money, Success, Fame, Glamour” by Felix da Housecat says it all. In the fast moving, fast changing 21st century we live in, the things mentioned in this song are what many people live for solely, what they wear themselves out working for and what they just cannot stop chasing after.

But when one or more of these things are given to someone for whatever reason, it isn’t always a happy ending that awaits him or her. There are a countless number of people who have had to meet a remarkably unfortunate end after seizing big money, huge success, fame and glamour. Suicides and drug use by world-famous celebrities, billionaires and political leaders are everyday examples. So why do so many of these “successful” people fail to make their ends successful as well?

Tiger Woods shows us why. The golfer, after a number of allegations, has recently admitted that he cheated on his wife. He said that he is sorry for his “irresponsible and selfish behavior” In his official apology, he explained that he had thought he could get away with whatever he did, had thought he had worked hard his entire life and deserved to enjoy all the temptations around him, had felt he was entitled. “Thanks to money and fame, I didn’t have to go far to find them. I was wrong, I was foolish,” he said.

People who reach the peak of their success often become selfish and foolish because they begin to think that different rules apply to them as they are, well, different. They start to think that they deserve things that no one could ever deserve to have. In the process they hurt other people and, in the long run, themselves.

There is one rule that applies to everyone in this universe: those who don’t have the character - the integrity, humility and gratitude - to handle their success will always meet a bitter end. To them, money, success and fame will always come in the form of a challenge, not a reward.

Of course, some people seem to get away with everything while some people who have what it takes seem to go through enough trouble themselves. But, we must remember that what’s on the news and how people act on the outside isn’t everything.

The most unfortunate people on earth are those who had never been ready for the success they’ve achieved and have fallen down, with no strength left to come back up again. We can’t say that this is the end of Tiger Woods. Whether he has at least the character to bounce back or not, we’ll have to see.

So, yes, it can take time, but we never know, success might just roll right into your hands one day. When that happens, will you be ready? Do you have what it takes?

Woo Hyo-eun, Seoul Global High School