If asked how one’s business is doing, the customary…
““If asked how one’s business is doing, the customary response is: ‘Could be worse,’ or ‘Just about surviving.’ Anything more upbeat is reckoned insufferable boasting. Personal achievements should be dismissed as flukery and mentioned only after an extended period of arm-twisting. It is regarded as a great misfortune for one’s daughter to be too pretty or one’s son to be too bright. In Saint-Louis, as in all provincial backwaters, the inhabitants are most comfortable with failure. Success serves only to remind the citizenry of their own shortcomings and is thus to be enthusiastically resented.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
People often downplay success and embrace failure to avoid envy and the pressure of expectations.
In simple terms: Success is hidden to avoid jealousy and pressure.
Key Takeaway
Accept achievements modestly and recognize societal bias.
Themes
humility
social norms
success
failure
envy
Mood
reflective
critical
Type
observational
philosophical
When to use this quote
- career advancement
- family dynamics
- community leadership
- personal branding
Key Concepts
psychology
social conformity
self‑presentation
Questions to Reflect On
- How does cultural modesty affect personal growth?
- What balance exists between humility and self‑promotion?
A Different Perspective
Overemphasis on modesty can stifle ambition and honest self‑assessment.