Is it always important to succeed? ('00)

In today's competitive world, success is often seen as the key to survival. Success has invariably been linked with goals like getting a remunerative job, plush cars, and obtaining high social status and recognition. As a result, everyone is embroiled in a meaningless rat race for success to such an extent that we have completely ignored or trivialized at best, the daily small successes that come our way – the success of every breath, the success of every moment, the success of life. Undeniably, the desire for success is important as it serves as a motivation for us to do our very best, but we must never neglect the process, as well as other aspects of life such as happiness. More importantly, success must never be achieved through underhand means or the expense of compromising our moral and ethical values.

Success is not as important if in the process, we learn and achieve something that we have never achieved before. Granted, the definition of success varies across individuals- one's notion of success may be attaining perfection, while another's idea of success may be just having done his best. In all cases, we must realize that not succeeding does not equate us to being a failure. Hilary Clinton may not have succeeded in being the first female president of America, but she has certainly showed the world that women are equally capable in the field of politics. Her run for presidency has a long-lasting impact on society as it reduced people's prejudice against women, as well as empowered women to take up leadership roles. Similarly, Martin Luthur King may not have succeeded in eradicating racial discrimination in America, but his civil rights movements ultimately resulted in Black Americans having equal rights as other Americans. "Success is a journey, not a destination.", the words of Ben Sweetland aptly captures the idea that success does not matter so long as we achieve something along the way.

Success should not always be viewed as the most important thing in life, as it does not guarantee happiness. In our pursuit for success, we tend to neglect other aspects of our lives, including our families, our friends, and the people dearest to us. A scientist coops himself in a lab all day long while an athlete trains for years in seclusion, just so to achieve success in their respective field. For that moment of recognition, precious time with their loved ones are forgone and sacrificed. One may feel instant gratification at the point of achieving success, but what comes after will just be regret and emptiness. What good is success if at the end of the day, you realize that you have lived your life in vain? Human's desire for success is limitless, as we are always striving to improve and reach greater heights. Hungering for success is not wrong, but one must always seek to strike a balance between success and other aspects of his life.

Success may be important, but we must never be blinded by the prospects of success and achieve it through Machiavellian means. In the pursuit for success, one must always be guided by his/her moral compass and never entertain thoughts of cheating, foul play, or inhumane acts. Oft-times, the benefits of success are enticing and can easily lead one astray onto a path of no return. Use of performance-enhancing drugs in Games is not uncommon. Hans-Gunnar Liljenwall, a Sweedish pentathlete at the 1968 Summer Olympics lost his bronze medal for the consumtion of drugs. In 1990, documents were discovered that showed many East German female athletes, especially swimmers, had been administered anabolic steroids and other drugs by their coaches and trainers. The preoccupation with success has rewired their moral systems and they are trading their integrity for success. More heinous is that some people obtain success without giving any considerations to humanity. Empress Dowager of the Tang Dynasty, Wu Zhe Tian, got her throne through ruthless and brutal means. In 654 after the birth of her second daughter, she was said to have strangled the newborn infant and accused Empress Wang for the murder. The following year, she accused Empress Wang and Consort Xiao of practicing witchcraft. She did this so as to remove the threats of other empresses so that she is the only empress around the emperor, eventually leading her to usurp the throne. What she did was largerly disturbing and inhumane. For success, she actually sacrificed her own flesh and blood. We must always be guided by principles when pursuing success, if not the success we achieve will never be honored or respected.

Some people see their sole purpose for existing in this world as achieving success, and to them, it is always important to succeed. Failure is a dangerous feeling and the impending fear of probabilistic and potential failure can have serious negative impacts on human psychology including social withdrawal and development of suicidal tendencies. In July 2010, a junior college student in Singapore, Wong Peek Yian, leapt to her death from her seventh-floor bedroom window after finding out that she had done badly in her mid-year examination. Such people have lived in a milieu in which success is highly valued, and have developed the mentality that success is everything. However, such a perception is unhealthy and should be removed, probably through counseling. Success should be created, not pursued. We should draft our own definition of success and not blindly follow society's definition of success. If our definition of success is to have a balanced life and do things that we enjoy, then it is important that we always aim for success.

There is more to life than the materialistic benefits and that instant gratification derived from success. Life is about spending time with your loved ones, living each day with happiness, as well as living out one's dreams and aspirations. Irrevocably, success is very important in life and every one must create success in whatever they do, but blindly following artificial definitions of success is simply befooling oneself. Success only hold meaning if it is really the success that you want.

A film has one purpose - to entertain.'Using examples, consider this view. ('01)

Over the past few decades, technological advances have seen an increase in films- also known as movies or motion pictures- being produced. Recently released movies such as "The chronicles of Narnia: The voyage of the Dawn Treader", "I am Number Four" and "The Green Hornet" may easily lead one to conclude that films are produced for their entertainment factor. However, it must be noted that these films only form a segment of the films industry and there do exist films which inspire, educate and bring about greater societal introspection.

Undeniably, one major and reigning function of films is to entertain. Given the high demand of viewers for thrillers, comedies, and romance, it is not surprising that many movie producers produce movies for the sole purpose of entertainment. Oft-times, these firms are obsessed with profit-making objectives, and little thought and consideration is given to whether the film has any educational value at all. In "Balls of fury", scenes of people playing table tennis sweep through the entire length of the movie; in "Dead or alive" and "Ninja assassin", viewers enjoy gripping combat scenes; and in "Valentine's Day" and "Dear John", viewers bask themselves in the sweetest romance. Films are commercialized and are often used as a revenue-generating tool.

However, films are also used to inspire and ignite hope in viewers. Through recounts of fellow human beings who have faced difficulties in life and yet braced through them with sheer willpower, films have the power to mould the outlook one has on life. A truly touching and enriching film can reduce the pessimism one has about life, and instill optimism so that he/she has the strength to carry move on in life. "Schindler's List" tells the heroic effort made by a businessman in Nazi Germany to save thousands of jews from death. Similarly, "Hotel Rwanda" tells the story of real hotel manager Paul Rusesabagina who saved thousands of refugees fleeing the dangerous milita that had taken over Rwanda. These films throw hope on the human population that people can still maintain their humanity in the face of unhinged barbarism. More recently, "127 hours", a true story of mountain climber Aron Ralston's remarkable adventure to save himself after a fallen boulder crashes on his arm and traps him in an isolated canyon in Utah, has received reviews that it was truly inspirational. It shows how we can make it out of adversity so long as we persevere on and never give up. Oscar-winning film, the "king's speech" shows how King George VI overcoming his stutter and becomes a worthy king of Britain. The determination and grit protrayed by lead actor Colin Firth in the movie will definitely inspire viewers to stay positive and never be daunted by shortcomings they possess.

Films, especially documentaries, do have an educational value to it. "Super size me", for instance, shows what happens when one man lives on only Mcdonald's food for thirty days. Watching this film allows the viewer to be more aware of the dangers of fast food, leading to a more conscious eating habit and lifestyle. "The Cove" is a documentary that looks at both the massive slaughter of dolphins that occurs annually in a small Japanese fishing village and the dangerous health impact of mercury poisoning. Documetaries like these increase environmental awareness and may lead to concrete actions aimed at improving our natural habitat. These films are enriching as they provide accurate and insightful information which goes a long way in improving our lives and the society.

Films also bring about greater societal introspection as pertinent social issues are discussed. Familial values and the power of friendship are some of the common issues injected into films. "Sex and the city" had multiple continuing storylines and tackled socially relevant issues such as sexually transmitted diseases, safe sex, and promiscuity. It specifically examined the lives of big-city professional women in the late 1990s/early 2000s and how changing roles and expectations for women affected the characters. Despite receiving a not-so-notable three razzies at this year's Oscars, the film and its sequels must be credited for the public debates it has generated about the issue of sex. Besides increasing awareness on social issues, such films have the potential to generate constructive discussions and feedbacks in society.

No doubt, entertainment film is still the most prominent genre in the movie industry, with "Titanic" as the all-time best movie and "Avatar" ranking top in the box-office in 2009. However, it must not be forgotten that there do exist films that do not just entertain, but provide constructive insights on life. Walt Disney, a famous cartoonist once said, "Movies can and do have tremendous influence in shaping young lives in the realm of entertainment towards the ideals and objectives of normal adulthood." Indeed, while films exist to entertain, perhaps we should view them with more maturity and grasp the deeper meanings they are trying to present to us.