Nicole Meo: 2009

Monday, May 11, 2009

Desperation and luxury are mortal enemies. Fear and power do not peacefully coexist. It follows, then, that he or she who wishes to reach the most rarefied and potent ranks must learn how to cultivate those in power without being defined by them. One must learn how to be different things to different people: a reformer groomed by an old-fashioned machine boss, a Material Girl, curious, independent and thoughtful, a Harvard lawyer whose bootstrapping life story gained traction with white ethnics or even Marilyn Monroe. One needs to figure out how to appeal to different constituencies without being inconsistent. Another vital element in the effort to gain power in a field is the ability to reinvent oneself and know just how far to push public standards. The gaining of power can be an unstable journey where success can ultimately depend on self revelation.

references

Luscombe, Belinda, “Miuccia Prada”, Time Magazine, (February 16, 2004), http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,993332,00.html

Miller, Mark, “Madonna: From Boy Toy to Breathless” Newsweek Online, (June 25, 1990), http://www.newsweek.com/id/127654

Weisskopf, Michael, “Obama: How he Learnt to Win”, Time Magazine, (May 8, 2008), http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1738494,00.html