--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Succeed: theory. Prosperity argues…" description: "\"“Succeed: theory. Prosperity argues capacity. Win in the lottery, and behold! you are a clever man. He who triumphs is venerated. Be born with a silver..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a49/victor-hugo-32_clever-man_succeed-theory-prosperity-argues-capacit_2162693.jpg" --- # Succeed: theory. Prosperity argues capacity. Win in the… ![“Succeed: theory. Prosperity argues capacity. Win in the lottery, and behold! you are a clever man. He who triumphs is venerated. Be born with a silver spoon in your mouth! everything lies in that. Be lucky, and you will have all the rest; be happy, and people will think you great. Outside of five…” quote by Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a49/victor-hugo-32_clever-man_succeed-theory-prosperity-argues-capacit_2162693.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a49/victor-hugo-32_clever-man_succeed-theory-prosperity-argues-capacit_2162693.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a49/victor-hugo-32_clever-man_succeed-theory-prosperity-argues-capacit_2162693.jpg) > ““Succeed: theory. Prosperity argues capacity. Win in the lottery, and behold! you are a clever man. He who triumphs is venerated. Be born with a silver spoon in your mouth! everything lies in that. Be lucky, and you will have all the rest; be happy, and people will think you great. Outside of five or six immense exceptions, which compose the splendor of a century, contemporary admiration is nothing but short-sightedness.”” [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Success is portrayed as a mix of luck, birthright, and public perception, while true merit is often overlooked in favor of superficial admiration. **In simple terms:** Success is seen as luck and status, not real ability. Key Takeaway Recognize substance over superficial praise. Themes society success luck perception meritocracy Mood critical thought‑provoking Type philosophical commentary When to use this quote - career advancement - political leadership - celebrity culture - academic achievement Key Concepts philosophy social critique psychology Questions to Reflect On - How does society reward appearance over ability? - What can individuals do to value genuine merit? A Different Perspective Relying on luck ignores effort and fairness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Prosperity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prosperity/) [Silver spoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/silver-spoon/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Wealth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wealth/) ## Related quotes > [Mr. Greenspan did a very good job in the early 1990's. But recently he's fallen prey to this crazy theory that prosperity causes inflation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-forbes/mr-greenspan-did-a-very-good-job-in-the-early-1990-s-but-recently-he/) [Steve Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-forbes/) > [“It may be remarked in passing that success is an ugly thing. Men are deceived by its false resemblances to merit. 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Tawney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-h-tawney/) > [A fool is a person who guesses and gets it wrong, a clever man is one who guesses, regardless of time period, and gets…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/a-fool-is-a-person-who-guesses-and-gets-it-wrong-a-clever-man-is-one/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [“As Hughes observed at first hand, the brothers were both serious men of similar temperament, always mischievous, for ever laughing, but where Larry was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-botting/as-hughes-observed-at-first-hand-the-brothers-were-both-serious-men/) Douglas Botting ## More by Victor Hugo > [Houses are like the human beings that inhabit them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/houses-are-like-the-human-beings-that-inhabit-them/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [“There is still a certain grace in a dead festival. 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They're just as amusing as women and animals and they're much less trecherous.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/first-i-loved-women-then-animals-and-now-i-love-stones-they-re-just/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [Nature is pitiless; she never withdraws her flowers, her music, her fragrance, and her sunlight from before human cruelty or suffering.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/nature-is-pitiless-she-never-withdraws-her-flowers-her-music-her/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [“Have courage for the great sorrows of life, and patience for the small ones. 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Do not even have time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-vedder/when-you-re-out-in-the-desert-you-can-t-believe-the-amount-of-stars/) [Eddie Vedder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-vedder/) > [It is impossible for a dove to catch a swallow, for a clever man to catch a genius.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/it-is-impossible-for-a-dove-to-catch-a-swallow-for-a-clever-man-to/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [Meadowlark Lemon is one very clever man, unique and truly one of a kind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickey-rooney/meadowlark-lemon-is-one-very-clever-man-unique-and-truly-one-of-a-kind/) [Mickey Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickey-rooney/) > [“Only an ignorant man can see another ignorant as a clever man!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/only-an-ignorant-man-can-see-another-ignorant-as-a-clever-man/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [“I confess, I do not understand what there is in her to make a clever man like you act such a fool.” “You might,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/i-confess-i-do-not-understand-what-there-is-in-her-to-make-a-clever/) [George R.R. 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