david strasser

Improvidus · Apto · quod Victum

click here for some instant wisdom

click here for some instant wisdom

Sunday, January 18, 2026

Post #3317

The more I read, the more I acquire, the more certain I am that I know nothing.
―Voltaire

Email This BlogThis!Share to X Share to Facebook Share to Pinterest

Labels: knowledge

Newer Post Older Post Home

Links · Laughs · Life Lessons

Instant Wisdom
All Labels
Search This Blog
Contact
A Face in the Cloud
For those who bear the scars of battle
The Snipe's Lament
The Penalty of Leadership
Friends of Dave
Strengths and talents of people with ADHD
Life Lesson: when you can't change your circumstances..
William Barrett Travis letter from The Alamo on Fe...
The Moral Sayings of Publius Syrus, a Roman Slave: From the Latin

Translate it

A deadly viper once bit a hole snipe's hide; But 'twas the viper, not the snipe, that died.

Dave: El Paso, Texas, United States; Native Texan · Navy Veteran · Various Scars and Tattoos · Never Schooled Yet Learned

View my complete profile

Let your curiosity run wild. Search authors and keywords here.

A face in the cloud

A face in the cloud

Have a Great Day!

The Penalty of Leadership

In every field of human endeavor, he that is first must perpetually live in the white light of publicity. ¶Whether the leadership be vested in a man or in a manufactured product, emulation and envy are ever at work. ¶In art, in literature, in music, in industry, the reward and the punishment are always the same. ¶The reward is widespread recognition; the punishment, fierce denial and detraction. ¶When a man’s work becomes a standard for the whole world, it also becomes a target for the shafts of the envious few. ¶If his work be mediocre, he will be left severely alone – if he achieve a masterpiece, it will set a million tongues a-wagging. ¶Jealousy does not protrude its forked tongue at the artist who produces a commonplace painting. ¶Whatsoever you write, or paint, or play, or sing, or build, no one will strive to surpass or to slander you unless your work be stamped with the seal of genius. ¶Long, long after a great work or a good work has been done, those who are disappointed or envious continue to cry out that it cannot be done. Spiteful little voices in the domain of art were raised against our own Whistler as a mountebank, long after the big world had acclaimed him its greatest artistic genius. ¶Multitudes flocked to Bayreuth to worship at the musical shrine of Wagner, while the little group of those whom he had dethroned and displaced argued angrily that he was no musician at all. ¶The little world continued to protest that Fulton could never build a steamboat, while the big world flocked to the river banks to see his boat steam by. ¶The leader is assailed because he is a leader, and the effort to equal him is merely added proof of that leadership. Failing to equal or to excel, the follower seeks to depreciate and to destroy – but only confirms once more the superiority of that which he strives to supplant. ¶There is nothing new in this. It is as old as the world and as old as human passions – envy, fear, greed, ambition, and the desire to surpass. ¶And it all avails nothing. ¶If the leader truly leads, he remains – the leader. ¶Master-poet, master-painter, master-workman, each in his turn is assailed, and each holds his laurels through the ages. ¶That which is good or great makes itself known, no matter how loud the clamor of denial. ¶That which deserves to live — lives.
written by Theodore F. MacManus
Copyright Cadillac Motor Division

Donate to Friends of Dave

Donate to Friends of Dave

It is ever true that he who does nothing for others, does nothing for himself. —JW von Goethe

Total Pageviews

CONTACT DAVE

Name

Email *

Message *

Let your curiosity run wild. Search authors and keywords here.

Y'all come back now. Powered by Blogger.

Questions

ability abstinence abundance abuse accountability achievement acquaintances action adapting adhd admiration adventure adversity advice affectation affection affliction age agenda aging alcohol ambition amusement ancestry anger anger management animals animosity anonymity anticipation antiquity anxiety apathy aphorism appearance appreciation argument arrogance art artificial intelligence aspirations ass-kisser associates attention attention to detail attitude audacity authority awesome qualities of adhd balance bargain baseness be careful what you wish for be cool beauty becoming a man beggar beginnings behavior belief benevolence blessings blindness bluntness blustering boasting boldness books boredom bores borrowing boyhood braggart bravery brevity bribery brotherhood business calamity capabilities capital carelessness cause caution celerity censure certainty challenges chance change chaos character charity cheerfulness childhood children choices circumstances clarity cleanliness clemency cleverness comedy comfort command commitment common sense communication companions comparisons competition complacency complaining complexity compliments concealment conceit concentration conduct confidence confrontation conquest conscience consequences conservatism consideration consistency contemplation content contentment control conversation convictions coping corruption courage courtesy covetousness cowardice creativeness credit credulity crime crisis Crossing the Bar curiosity cynicism danger darkness days of our lives death debt deceit deception decision decline deeds defeat delight delusion denial dependence depression desires despair despatch desperation destiny details determination difficulties diligence diplomacy direction disappointment disaster disbelief discipline discoveries discretion disease dishonesty disorder disorders distraction distrust do the right thing dogmatism doing doubt doubts drama dreams drunkeness duty eagle early rising earnestness ease eccentricities economics economy education ego eloquence emotion employment emulation encouragement endings endurance enemies energy enjoyment enthusiasm envy epigram epiphany equality error ethics evil exaggeration examples excellence exceptions excess excuses exercise exhaustion existentialism expectations experience expertise experts extravagance exxageration face failings of good men failure fairness faith falsehood fame familiarity family fanaticism farmer fashion fasting fate fatherhood faults favor fear feasting feeling fidelity flattery flexibility focus foibles folly fools foresight forethought forgiveness fortitude fortune frankness fraud free spirit freedom friends friendship frugality fun futility future gain gambling generosity genius gifts giving glory gluttony go for it go with the flow goals God gold gone but not forgotten good and evil good old days good tidings good will goodness government gratitude gravity greatness greed greetings grief growth guilt gumption habit haiku/senryū hand handling success happiness hardship haste hate hatred haughtiness healing health heart hell helping others heroes hesitation history hoarding hobby holden klass holiday home honesty honour hope hubris humbleness humility humor hunger hurry hypocrisy ideas idleness ignorance illusion imagination imitation immortality impatience imperfection impossibility improvement impulse inaction inclination incredulity indecision independence indifference indiscretion individuality indolence indulgence industry inexperience inferiority influence ingratitude initiative injury innocense innovation Inquisitiveness insanity insincerity insolence inspiration instincts instruction insults integrity intellect intelligence intemperance intentions intrigue invention Invictus jeering jest jimmy buffett journey judgement judging others just do it just say "no" to crap made in communist red china justice karma kindness kings knowledge labor language laughter laws laziness leadership learning legacy leisure lending levity liars liberalism liberty lies life light limitation listening little by little loan shark logic London's Credo loneliness longevity looking back loss lost time love loyalty luck lust luxury lying madness magnanimity make it happen making do making the most of it malice man manipulation manners marriage master mastery materialism maturity maxims meanness mediocrity meditation memories memory men mercy merit metaphor method mind mirth miser misery misfits misfortune mistakes moderation money monotony morality morals mortality mothers motivation mountains movement moving on music mutability mystery nature navigation neatness necessity needs negative negligence negotiation networking new starts nobility nobody nonsense notoriety now oath obduracy obligation oblivion obscurity observations obstacles obstinacy obtuseness occupation offence old age open-minded opinion opportunity opposition oppression optimism order organization originality ostentation ourselves pain painting panic paradise paranoia pareidolia parenthood pass it on passion pastime patience patriotism pedantry peevishness people perception perfection perseverance persistence personality persuasion pessimism philosophy philosopy piety pity planning pleasure plenty poets politeness politicians positive positive thinking positiveness possessions possibilities potential poverty power practice praise prayer precept prejudice preparation present preservation pressure pretender prevention pride principle prison privation probation problem solving problems procrastination product reviews productivity progress promise promptness prosperity proverbs providence prudence psychology punctuality punishment purpose pursuits qualities quality quarrels questions quitting rage random photos rank raw and unfiltered reaction readiness reading reality reason reasoning reciprocity recognition recreation redemption reflection reformation regrets rejection religion remembrance remorse repartee repose reproach reproof reputation resignation resilience resolution resourcefulness respect response responsibility rest in peace results retirement retrospect revenge revival reward riches ridicule righteousness risk rogues role models Roy Orbison royalty rumor sacrifice sadness sailor salutation satiety satire scandal scared straight scars scepticism science sea secrets security self acceptance self conceit self conquest self control self knowledge self pity self reliance self respect self worth self-awareness self-confidence self-denial Self-deprecation self-deprivation self-destruction self-diminishment self-doubt self-education self-examination self-help self-improvement self-knowledge self-will selfishness selflessness sensibility sentiments servitude shame sharing shipmates sickness silence simplicity skill slander sleep sloth smiles snob sociability society solitude solutions song sorrow soul speculation stability stagnation station stoic stop and smell the roses straigtforwardness strangers strategy strength strife stubborness stupidity subjectivity success suffering superiority survival suspicion sympathy tact talent talking taste teaching teamwork tears technology tediousness temper temperament temperance temptation tenacity thankful the edge The Ethical Will the fates The Gods The Guy in the Glass The Law of Attraction The Law of Success the little things the past The Penalty of Leadership The Snipe's Lament theft thought thrift time toasts today toil toleration tomorrow tongue tradition tranquillity travel treasure trials trifles trouble troubles trust truth truthfulness trying tyrants ugliness unbelief uncertainty understanding uneasiness unselfishness uselessness valor value vanity vehemence vengeance vexation vice vices victory vigilance virtue vision vitality vituperation vocation voice walking wannabe want warfare waste wasting time weakness wealth weariness wellness will will power winning wisdom wit witness woman wordpress review words work workmanship world worldliness worries worry worth years yesterday yourself youth zeal