• 2021-04-14
    Readthepassageandchoosethebestanswertothefollowingquestions:
    Ifambitionistobewellregarded,therewardsofambition---wealth,distinction,controloverone'sdestiny---mustbedeemedworthyofthesacrificesmadeonambition'sbehalf.Ifthetraditionofambitionistohavevitality,itmustbewidelysharedanditespeciallymustbehighlyregardedbypeoplewhoarethemselvesadmiredtheeducatednotleastamongthem.Inanoddway,however,itistheeducatedwhohaveclaimedtohavegivenuponambitionasanideal.Whatisoddisthattheyhaveperhapsmostbenefitedfromambition---ifnotalwaystheirownthenthatoftheirparentsandgrandparents,thereisaheavynotedhypocrisyinthis,acaseofclosingthebarndoorafterthehorseshaveescaped---withtheeducatedthemselvesridingonthem.
    Certainlypeopledonotseemlessinterestedinsuccessanditssignsnowthanformerly.SmarterHomes,EuropeanTravel,BMWs---thelocations,placenamesandnamebrandsmaychange,butsnobitemsdonotseemlessindemandtodaythanadecadeortwoyearsago.Whathashappenedisthatpeoplecannotconfessfullytotheirdreams,aseasilyandopenlyasoncetheycould,lesttheybethoughtpushing,acquisitiveandvulgar.Instead,wearetreatedtofinehypocriticalspectacles,whichnowmorethanever,seeminamplesupply,thecriticofAmericanmaterialismwithaSouthamptonsinnerhome;thepublisherofradicalbookswhotakeshismealsinthree-starrestaurants;thejournalistadvocatingparticipatorydemocracyinallphasesoflife,whoseownchildrenareenrolledinprivateschools.Forsuchpeopleandmanymoreperhapsnotsoexceptional,theproperformulationis,'Succeedatallcostsbutavoidappearingambitious.'
    Theattacksonambitionaremanyandcomefromvariousangles;itspublicdefendersarefewandunimpressive,wheretheyarenotextremelyunattractive.Asaresult,therapportforambitionasahealthyimpulse,aqualitytobeadmiredandfixedinthemindoftheyoung,isprobablylowerthanithaseverbeenintheUnitedStates.Thisdoesnotmeanthatambitionisatanend,thatpeoplenolongerfeelitsstirringsandpromptings,butonlythat,nolongeropenlyhonored,itislessopenlyprofessed.Consequencesfollowfromthis,ofcourse,someofwhicharethatambitionisdrivenunderground,ormadesly.Such,then,isthewaythingssand,ontheleftangrycritics,ontherightstupidsupporters,andinthemiddle,asusual,themajorityofearnestpeopletryingtogetoninlife.


    1.Itisgenerallybelievedthatambitionmaybewellregardedif.