ambition

Ambition

It is not difficult to imagine a world short of ambition. It would probably be a kinder world: with out demands, without abrasions, without disappointments. People would have time for reflection. Such work as they did would not be for themselves but for the collectivity. Competition would never enter in. conflict would be eliminated, tension become a thing of the past. The stress of creation would be at an end. Art would no longer be troubling, but purely celebratory in its functions. Longevity would be increased, for fewer people would die of heart attack or stroke caused by tumultuous endeavor. Anxiety would be extinct. Time would stretch on and on, with ambition long departed from the human heart.

Ah, how unrelieved boring life would be!

There is a strong view that holds that success is a myth, and ambition therefore a sham. Does this mean that success does not really exist? That achievement is at bottom empty? That the efforts of men and women are of no significance alongside the force of movements and events now not all success, obviously, is worth esteeming, nor all ambition worth cultivating. Which are and which are not is something one soon enough learns on one’s own. But even the most cynical secretly admit that success exists; that achievement counts for a great deal; and that the true myth is that the actions of men and women are useless. To believe otherwise is to take on a point of view that is likely to be deranging. It is, in its implications, to remove all motives for competence, interest in attainment, and regard for posterity.

We do not choose to be born. We do not choose our parents. We do not choose our historical epoch, the country of our birth, or the immediate circumstances of our upbringing. We do not, most of us, choose to die; nor do we choose the time or conditions of our death. But within all this realm of choicelessness, we do choose how we shall live: courageously or in cowardice, honorably or dishonorably, with purpose or in drift. We decide what is important and what is trivial in life. We decide that what makes us significant is either what we do or what we refuse to do. But no matter how indifferent the universe may be to our choices and decisions, these choices and decisions are ours to make. We decide. We choose. And as we decide and choose, so are our lives formed. In the end, forming our own destiny is what ambition is about.

2012—8---11 Liufengling’s Essay 2012—8---11 Liufengling’s Comment

It is a new perspective about the ambition. I have learned that only good optimistic attitude towards life can we form our destiny, fulfill our dreams and spice our life.

Firstly, the writing style is attractive. It is a beautiful prose. Most obviously, his sentences are long and well structured, interwoven with parallel words and phrases. Besides, the author adopts many strategies including metaphor or similar, exaggeration, analogy and so on. The author is good at using rhetorical questions. For instance, “Does this mean that success does not really exist? That achievement is at bottom empty?” I think that it can be very provoking and stimulate readers’ interest. Sometimes, he employs exclamatory sentence which will emphasize a statement. Moreover, my favorite feature is that the author becomes very skillful in changing the adjective or verbs into noun forms. Thus, it proves him proficient. Of course, we can have a good knowledge of the ways of choosing words. In a word, his style appears simple and conversational; his essay is always carefully constructed.

Secondly, the article was very meaty. He imagines a world short of ambition, and then refutes the idea. As a result, he illustrates reasons and delivery the significance of the ambition. We can see that this organization and content are very neoteric. In the end, forming our own destiny is what ambition is about. The sentence is meaningful and thoughtful. I know where there is an ambition, there is a hope, and success is more likely to come.

To sum up, when I read the essay, I find that I have grown up. It is the best of times; it is the worst of times. Whatever times we are in,

maintaining ambitions is a key to a bright future. We cannot change the environment, but we can change ourselves to adapt to the society.