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What is success?

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BenWhit
Posts: 4654 - Karma: 3,256

So a couple years ago, my AP US History class was discussing Horatio Alger's novel, "The Jungle". Known for writing success stories, we were discussing how Alger defined success in the given time period of rapid western expansion, immigration, and industrialization. Our discussion progressed into a heated debate over how we as students defined success. Vastly different arguments emerged, some given from money hungry, future business leaders (like myself), and some from religious minimalists. So NS, is ask you, how do you define life success?

For me, it includes financial security, fulfillment of dreams/aspirations, having a healthy, clear headed family, and of course, having a threesome with blonde twins.

May 26 2010 1:10PM
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sniche
Posts: 493 - Karma: 37
stompin a dub cork 1080 and afterbangin the fuck out of it......sucess
May 26 2010 1:12PM
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grown-ninja
Posts: 3031 - Karma: 175

hoping to have cash to pay my credit card bill on time, hoping my car doesnt shit the bed,

May 26 2010 1:18PM
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brogilvie
Posts: 2607 - Karma: 123
Thats easy. When your old and you've made enough money to have a summer home in Pheonix where you can play ass tons on shuffleboard. And in the winter you can get a motorhome and drive round the entire continent with your wife (who's not old like you... hot, with big cans) who you love. But before all that, yup, stomp some sort of dub and get that shit on camera so you can watch it again and again.
May 26 2010 1:43PM
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yellav
Posts: 10056 - Karma: 1,217
satori
May 26 2010 1:45PM
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Big_Spence
Posts: 16177 - Karma: 4,352
when you're happy.
May 26 2010 1:55PM
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jason...
Posts: 9006 - Karma: 780
Only you can define personal success, so I would say it's when you are happy with your life.
May 26 2010 2:49PM
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prontocuts.com
Posts: 5244 - Karma: 42
^^^^^^^
May 26 2010 2:50PM
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UFOsarereal
Posts: 2285 - Karma: 1,132
*Upton Sinclair's novel.
May 26 2010 2:56PM
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NW_Rider
Posts: 2580 - Karma: 314
Why would you want your summer home in Phoenix?
May 26 2010 2:58PM
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kickel
Posts: 242 - Karma: 10
ya Florida is obviously where its at.
May 26 2010 3:07PM
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BenWhit
Posts: 4654 - Karma: 3,256
wow fuck, what was it. that was my first year of AP His. (2 year course) so i dont remember exactly. "The Jungle" is ridiculous haha, there is literally a trajedy on every page you turn to.
May 26 2010 3:07PM
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treebeard
Posts: 3669 - Karma: 2,013
100%

also, your sig is leaving me in wonder of how you pulled that off.
May 26 2010 3:07PM
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BenWhit
Posts: 4654 - Karma: 3,256
what is your username from? i feel like its in one of the Vonnegut novels i've read, or maybe Catch 22
May 26 2010 3:08PM
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treebeard
Posts: 3669 - Karma: 2,013
[URL]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kilgore_Trout[/URL]
May 26 2010 3:11PM
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EastCoast315
Posts: 3136 - Karma: 137
When true success is realized as success, this in itself is failure.
True success is the unsung mastery of one's own mind.

May 26 2010 3:14PM
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RICK_ROSS
Posts: 6983 - Karma: 3,343
range rover on 22''s and a hot brunet


/thread
May 26 2010 3:15PM
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r0dubs
Posts: 1764 - Karma: 19
you let your car sleep in the bed?
fuck that shit never, oil stains EVERYWHERE when i woke up
May 26 2010 3:52PM
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feihlination
Posts: 8356 - Karma: 1,084
in the moment of dying, i want to look back and say: "it was a good time, i made the most of it!"

this would be success for me. being able to walk out of this world with my head held high and not mourning what could/should have been better.
May 26 2010 3:55PM
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Travapple.
Posts: 6787 - Karma: 88
i agree. this kid has the right mindset. i respect that sir.
May 26 2010 4:24PM
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Crack.
Posts: 6020 - Karma: 84
Horatio Alger didn't write the jungle..
May 26 2010 4:25PM
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Travapple.
Posts: 6787 - Karma: 88
success is not a materialistic idea.
May 26 2010 4:27PM
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An10a_Eng
Posts: 2505 - Karma: 26
success = NS karma/2 + 7
May 26 2010 11:49PM
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panojibber
Posts: 3382 - Karma: 216
I would say the best way to define success is by personal happiness. That can be pretty broad, but everyone will truly be happy when they find the same things. Its a state of love.
May 26 2010 11:53PM
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Deletedtoday
Posts: 4060 - Karma: 398
Sick trucks, big bucks, and hot women
May 26 2010 11:55PM
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skier_boy26
Posts: 11295 - Karma: 502
bitches and money
May 26 2010 11:57PM
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matt.s
Posts: 2502 - Karma: 93
peeing in her butt


Click for larger image
May 26 2010 11:59PM
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BEARS.
Posts: 5380 - Karma: 696
this.
May 27 2010 12:02AM
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CrustyMudButt
Posts: 26 - Karma: 16
win
May 27 2010 12:37AM
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JASTEW206
Posts: 568 - Karma: 117
cause hes kilgore trout
May 27 2010 12:44AM
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Alex_G
Posts: 11902 - Karma: 1,019
this. if you disagree, your life is going down the shitter as we speak.
May 27 2010 12:48AM
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SteezyOhio
Posts: 6044 - Karma: 60
a dime on each arm as you roll into a imported car dealership, a black man, wearing a suit, carrying your L  & V bag, filled with stacks, as you buy your self the most expensive car they make, in cash, without doubting yourself.

not being a 2 pump chump!
May 27 2010 12:49AM
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WaterBottle
Posts: 1156 - Karma: 4
for an Ap Student


Tragedy*
May 27 2010 12:51AM
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bryanw
Posts: 533 - Karma: 284
to me its having a life im happy with while doing what I love and in the end not regretting the time you spent doing that
May 27 2010 12:56AM
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squibble
Posts: 4569 - Karma: 104
.
May 27 2010 1:00AM
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WikiWiki
Posts: 5584 - Karma: 426
May 27 2010 1:02AM
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narwhal
Posts: 509 - Karma: 280
That's the book about the meat packing industry right?

That's a good book!
May 27 2010 1:25AM
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brogilvie
Posts: 2607 - Karma: 123
Yup Vonnegut for sure. It his alter ego. There some other Tony on NS whos got the same username as me.... just with an underscore instead... we figured it out one day and it was hilarious..
May 27 2010 1:56AM
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BenWhit
Posts: 4654 - Karma: 3,256
hahaha oh my god i suck at everything.
May 27 2010 12:30PM
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martin.
Posts: 2115 - Karma: 34
being happy.
May 27 2010 12:59PM
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Norred
Posts: 3520 - Karma: 13
it gets as hot as the sun.
May 27 2010 1:05PM
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I_Am_Mod
Posts: 13214 - Karma: 3,753
true!

it makes me sad when i see people with fancy mansions and 3 cars who are always stressed and take no time to sit back and enjoy life...
May 27 2010 1:12PM
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BenWhit
Posts: 4654 - Karma: 3,256
i get fucking infuriated when wealthy people end up in rehab or get busted for drugs. its absolutely retarded. you live the life that us commoners long for and you cant be satisfied? you have to spoil it on foolish shit? give me a break
May 27 2010 1:48PM
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feihlination
Posts: 8356 - Karma: 1,084
seems like it isnt so easy to be cool. just look at nfl players. it is sports, so the wealth of parents is not very important for their chances.

so a lot of them come out of poor/middle-class families and once they sign their rookie contract they are immediately earning top-tier money (considering that the nfl-minimum is around 330k/year).

and how many have run-ins with law, because of DUIs, drug possession, battery/domestic violence??? an astonishing percentage. i would say that its very tough to acclimate to loads of money and none of us will know (unless buttongwinnett and that other fucker ;) ) until we are in this situation.

just to name some recent cases that jump to my mind: vincent jackson, holmes, roethlisberger, ellison (on a sadder note even chris henry), burress/pierce, reed, cromartie, merriman,...

i dont know who said it (i think it was a person in the boxing scene): "its easy to get a guy off the street, but its impossible to get the street out of him."
May 27 2010 2:57PM
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BenWhit
Posts: 4654 - Karma: 3,256

yeah they makes sense. i guess i would have serious problems adjusting to a rapid increase in wealth. I feel like these players' teams really need to interfere in these athletes lives. not only is their difficulty acclimating jeopardizing careers, but it jeopardizes health as well. also, i'd like to note that Ray Lewis killed a man ahaha

on the other hand, it just bugs me when Lindsay Lohan is all over the news because of another DUI or some shit like that. she's been on the scene since she was a child, therefore its difficult to excuse her behavior as complications adjusting.

you have a very valid point, infact, very valid facts.

May 27 2010 3:31PM
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1337
Posts: 31054 - Karma: 29,251
Success is when you achieve a goal, overcome a feat, and achieve personal triumph. Success is when you feel good about a task you accomplished.
May 27 2010 3:34PM
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feihlination
Posts: 8356 - Karma: 1,084
thanks ;)


you have a point with people like lohan. idk too much about her, but all these "children stars" who went on to become famous as adults (britney spears, justin timberlake,...) have also problems because they missed so much because of that showbiz-thing during their childhood/teenage years.

idk, i guess some people are just crap and would have run-ins in whatever situation. others are class-acts and can handle being rich and being poor. although i think that there are people in between who can be affected by external influences so they drop/climb into one of the other tiers.

its an old sociology problem: is your character pre-defined, or are education, childhood and social environment defining your character? i think the truth is somewhere in the middle.
May 27 2010 3:39PM
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BenWhit
Posts: 4654 - Karma: 3,256
thats really interesting to contemplate. i feel like my character has been shaped immensely by past experiences, as well as the life lessons i've taken away from sports/school. at the same time, how would i deal with situations that test my character prior to the aforementioned experiences had my character and mindset not been predetermined or defined. this is an absolute mindfuck haha
May 27 2010 3:59PM
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Guck
Posts: 528 - Karma: 221
Upton's novel "The Jungle" was about how poorly kept the meat in the meat packing industry was and all of the poor sanitary conditions at that time, not about success.
May 27 2010 4:02PM
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Zump.
Posts: 3338 - Karma: 305
.
May 27 2010 4:04PM
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