BY BORDI JAEN
DURING such a period in my life where I’m at the crossroads of deciding my future, I happened to be reading about the possible career paths my chosen college courses would take me.
In one internet forum where the users were discussing about some prestigious professions in finance, one comment for wannabe financial professionals from a senior financial analyst struck me: “In its original use, ‘prestige’ meant ‘trick’, from a French word meaning ‘deceit’. Its origin is the Latin praestigium: a delusion or illusion. This is what prestige is about.”
The background of this comment being that in the world of finance, companies would lure promising prospective employees with the prestigious name of their company and wound up being overworked and underappreciated (but take note, well-paid).
Connected to that, there was the recent news of Goldman Sachs new hires who made a power point telling their higher ups about the gruel conditions with one even commenting, “I’ve been through foster care and this is arguably worse.” However, I’m not here to comment on musings in the financial world, which is a whole bigger debate in itself. Rather, the quote led me to reflect and meditate on the nature of prestige.
In all honesty, prestige per se is not a bad thing. It’s even good to some extent because your personal prestige reflects the work that you’ve done. Prestigious titles and accolades show that you have worked hard in your field and have come a long way from the bottom. Your prestige is a side effect of your good work. It feels good to be recognized and appreciated for what you’ve done. Who wouldn’t like that, right?
The danger of prestige is when one takes it upon himself to make that prestige as his personality, as his pure standing with other people. In short, when that prestige goes to their heads and makes it swell, side effects include poor eyesight. The disease is called “arrogance”.
We’re all familiar with these types. I recall an incident that bemused a friend of mine. In their school, they had a new computer teacher, and he told me he never knew someone more arrogant, and neither have I!
I can’t recall most of the details because it was already a long time ago, but I could never forget when, at the end of his new teacher’s “sermon”, the fellow said, “and yes, I graduated from so-so with a degree in Special Education. If you don’t believe, here’s my card” (He took his card from his wallet in the most obnoxious fashion, according to my friend).
If only that fellow realized how especially hilarious he was, he would have been embarrassed. The best part was that what he was showing off wasn’t even related to what he was teaching the class. Such is the degree of blindness that affects swell-headed ones.
It gets me thinking as to how something like arrogance ever gets the best of people. Methinks a lack of love and attention from loved ones might be the cause. After all, if you are already content with the love and attention you receive from people close to your heart, there would be no need for theatrics to replace that with “love and attention” from strangers or acquaintances.
Prestige is dangerous when it breeds such a level of arrogance where the individual assumes that by what he accomplishes, he is better than others who have not done the work he has done; when that prestige leads them to believe they could only respect those they look upon as “equals” or those who have done such similar feats.
What a ludicrous idea it is to put yourself on a pedestal and say you are better because you have won this or because you should be called that. The sad reality is that aside from sycophants who seek to take advantage of you, the vast majority really do not care. It can even be detrimental.
There’s this urban legend about an actress of Ilonggo descent. She entered the RCBC building and took the elevator; at the same time an elderly and not superstar woman went in.
The actress told her bodyguards, “Guards, get this woman out of the elevator”, to which the woman responded, “Guards, get this woman out of my building!”
The story might be apocryphal but the lesson isn’t! Don’t get me wrong, it is perfectly alright to have prestige. It is perfectly alright to be recognized for it. However, quoting Richard Nixon on his televised debate with JFK, “Records are meant to be built upon, not stood upon.
In conclusion, dear readers, don’t let the dangers of something like prestige get the best of you. Let’s all remember that in the end, we’ll all die and be forgotten. Remember the Roman who rose to aedile and accumulated a fortune? Me neither.
Be told, as the fair lady Portia was, that all that glitters is not gold./PN
