Status Anxiety
11 October 2008
My ten-point guide to being just like me and Peter Mandelson
9. It is better to be hated than mildly disliked. If you merely irritate people, they are unlikely to change their mind about you — but if they loathe you with a passion, it is easier to bring them round. One minute they detest you, the next they want to be your best friend. This is a quirk of the human psyche. As the saying goes, there is a thin line between love and hate.
10. Above all, do not be a quitter. Everything you need to know about how to fail upwards is contained in the following anonymous quotation that used to hang above the desk of Ray Kroc, the founder of McDonald’s: ‘Press on: nothing in the world can take the place of perseverance. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. Press on!’
More articles from: Toby Young | this section
Post this entry to: del.icio.us | Digg | Newsvine | NowPublic | Reddit
Advertisement
The present Queen succeeded to the throne 60 years ago…
The City is used to ignoring MPs, because they don’t matter. Or at least they didn’t
It’s not strange that bankers have so much more money…
Ancient and modern: Call that a spectacle?
The Grand Olympic Opening Ceremony will apparently inform us ‘who…
I write this having just returned from the BBC, where…
The Wiki Man: The best thing since wheeled suitcases
I had a Land Rover Discovery once. It was expensive…
Popular Blogger Posts
1 Terry shouldn’t be captain, but that should be Capello’s decision to make - Rod Liddle
2 Snow? What snow? - Rod Liddle
3 JFK: The Nastiest President of the Twentieth Century? - Alex Massie
4 Do we really need to know more about Gary Speed’s death? - Rod Liddle
5 Scottish Labour Embrace the Logic of Independence - Alex Massie
sponsored links
THE PRESENT FINDER
1,700 Unusual Christmas Presents Request Catalogue 01935 815 195 Quote SPEC10 for 10% discount www.presentfinder.co.uk
OLIVE BRANCH FLORISTS
Pimilco based Florist with online ordering Web: www.olivebranch.net Tel: 020 7630 1868 Fax: 020 7233 8844
RUFFS Bespoke Signet rings
62 Shore Road, Warsash, Southampton, SO31 9FT Telephone: 01489 578867 Web site: www.ruffs.co.uk
Apollo Magazine | Corporate | Advertising | Privacy | Terms
Spectator, 22 Old Queen Street, London, SW1H 9HP
All Articles and Content Copyright ©2012 by The Spectator | All Rights Reserved
robert
October 9th, 2008 7:36pm Report this commentHow depressing
Victoria
October 10th, 2008 3:22pm Report this commentThe quotation you cite is not anonymous. It was said (or written) by Calvin Coolidge.
David Short
October 13th, 2008 6:13pm Report this commentThis can be summed up in just one phrase: suck up to those above you, and spit on those below.
All it takes is a total lack of self-respect.
The great Gatsby
October 15th, 2008 5:37pm Report this commentSome of your articles, pretty
funny, hehe.
Anielka
October 22nd, 2008 6:16pm Report this commentActually, despite being side-splittingly funny I found:
(i) the Macdonald's quote very inspiring (reminded me of Woody Allen - "80% of success is turning up")
(ii) I have a lot more in common with Mr. Mandelson than I thought
(iii) I feel much more comfortable with being hated than I did prior to reading this.
Thank you.
Bill Bogg
December 24th, 2008 6:42am Report this commentBrilliant !Made me laugh like a drain . You are a very funny man.
Back to top