If you had the choice of true love or extreme success?

<p>I dont think I would be happy with myself if I just had true love and no success. I know what I am capable of and I have goals. Not reaching for the sake of true love is ludicrous.</p>

<p>I believe the biggest fear of everyone who chose success is mediocrity. To be mediocre is the worst possible fate… You made no difference in the world. Billions and billions of people have been mediocre. To be mediocre is to prove that you’re just like everyone else and your life didn’t matter a bit. I’m not saying that people who chose success think that they’re superior, it’s just that everyone likes to think they’re unique, someone special</p>

<p>^ I don’t mind mediocrity in that sense, although the actual median salary / lifestyle in the US is not desirable. I also don’t care about uniqueness.</p>

<p>^^Excellent points.</p>

<p>However, I have no ambitions of changing the lives of millions, only to affect the life of one. I am about as unique as everyone else here. :)</p>

<p>My reason for not choosing true love is because I don’t believe in it and don’t want it.</p>

<p>So many people who choose extreme success say they will use their immense wealth and status to give to charity and help the world? That’s kind of ridiculous, considering that your main goal is to have tons of money. I kind of doubt that most will be so willing to part with the money that they place as numero uno in their life.</p>

<p>Some people with loads of money at some point realize they don’t need all of it.</p>

<p>Charity is overrated. I think it’s ridiculous how people feel like donating to charity is such a great way to use money… A lot of charity involves waste and improper allocation of funds (volunteering has shown me that, sadly!). If I were to donate any substantial amount of money to charity I would to see exactly where it went, how and why!!</p>

<p>

That’s also true for people who pick true love with the intent of starting a family. When one starts a family, that person is everything to his/her spouse and especially to his/her children. They may die having lived a mediocre life, but their children pass on their lineage and their loved ones pass on their memory.</p>

<p>(I’m not saying everyone has a fear of mediocrity, just certain people in either choice)</p>

<p>I also realize on this thread that everyone has a different definition of “true love” and “extreme success”, both of which are very vague terms and are not mutually exclusive.</p>

<p>Sure sounds like loneliness in here. Call me quixotic, but I’d pick love. I’m a firm believer in the idea that human purpose is to love and be loved. I don’t need success to be happy.</p>

<p>I would choose extreme success and then buy a bunch of prostitutes</p>

<p>It seems a little hedonistic and selfish to believe that your love life is more important than the wellbeing of many, many other people. Think of all the people that could benefit from great success (via charities, medical breakthroughs, etc.)</p>

<p>If the universe was a being, what would it define as human success?</p>