My office has a monitor screen directly opposite the elevators, and it switches from the firm's logo to any important events of the day (seminar for clients, welcoming client group, court appearances, etc.) to the "Quote of the Day". Today the quote was

"Why be a man when you can be a success?
Bertold Brecht

How do you interpret this quote?

By Kaye on Wednesday, September 24, 2008 - 08:18 pm:

I interpret it by meaning, an individual can only achieve so much, but setting a reaching towards success (an item) is more important.

By Cybermommyx4 on Wednesday, September 24, 2008 - 08:20 pm:

I would liken it to "A woman needs a man like a fish needs a bicycle"....meaning, I would take it as pro-women. But it could also mean that it is more important to be a success at what one does, whether or not you are deemed "manly" for it. I wonder why they chose that particular quote....?

By Marcia on Wednesday, September 24, 2008 - 09:38 pm:

I would have laughed out loud if I saw that on the board. It sure sounds like something I might very sarcastically say to my girlfriends in a male bashing moment.

By Imamommyx4 on Thursday, September 25, 2008 - 12:53 am:

I would think "why be just a man when you can be a success".

By Angellew on Thursday, September 25, 2008 - 09:24 am:

This comes from the same man who said "Because things are the way they are, things will not stay the way they are".

I list it under "things that make you go hmmmm"!

By Karen~admin on Friday, September 26, 2008 - 11:56 am:

Well.........ditto Marcia.......

However, I would think the same thing Debbie said: "why be just a man when you can be a success".....or what Wendy said: "But it could also mean that it is more important to be a success at what one does, whether or not you are deemed "manly" for it."

By Ginny~moderator on Friday, September 26, 2008 - 11:19 pm:

I puzzled over it for a while, wondering what on earth Brecht meant. In the end, I am with Marcia and Wendy (Cybermommy) - Why be a man when you can be a success (i.e., not a man, and the opposite of man is indeed woman!). Scott, on the other hand, puzzled about the whole "manly" thing, and I have absolutely no idea what he was talking about in the end.

By Amecmom on Saturday, September 27, 2008 - 08:21 am:

I think he meant: Why be ordinary when you can be extraordinary. Why be human when you can be a star?
Ame