--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We live in a sad society. Succeed--that…" description: "\"“We live in a sad society. Succeed--that is the advice which falls drop by drop from the overhanging corruption. In passing, we might say that success ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc2/victor-hugo-32_corruption_we-live-in-a-sad-society-succeed-that-is_684252.jpg" --- # We live in a sad society. Succeed--that is the advice… ![“We live in a sad society. Succeed--that is the advice which falls drop by drop from the overhanging corruption. In passing, we might say that success is a hideous thing. Its false similarity to merit deceives men.” quote by Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc2/victor-hugo-32_corruption_we-live-in-a-sad-society-succeed-that-is_684252.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc2/victor-hugo-32_corruption_we-live-in-a-sad-society-succeed-that-is_684252.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc2/victor-hugo-32_corruption_we-live-in-a-sad-society-succeed-that-is_684252.jpg) > ““We live in a sad society. Succeed--that is the advice which falls drop by drop from the overhanging corruption. In passing, we might say that success is a hideous thing. Its false similarity to merit deceives men.”” [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 often masks corruption and false merit, leading to moral decay and disillusionment. **In simple terms:** Success can hide corruption. Key Takeaway Question the true value behind achievements. Themes corruption merit success morality Mood critical reflective Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - career advancement - political leadership - media narratives Key Concepts ethical philosophy social critique illusion Questions to Reflect On - What defines true merit? - How can societies expose hidden corruption? A Different Perspective May generalize beyond specific contexts. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Corruption](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/corruption/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) ## Related quotes > [“Succeed; that is the advice that falls, drop by drop, from the overhanging fruit of corruption.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/succeed-that-is-the-advice-that-falls-drop-by-drop-from-the/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [“Be it said in passing, that success is a very hideous thing. Its false resemblance to merit deceives men.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/be-it-said-in-passing-that-success-is-a-very-hideous-thing-its-false/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [Success is a very hideous thing. Its false resemblance to merit deceives men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/success-is-a-very-hideous-thing-its-false-resemblance-to-merit/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [“We live in the midst of a gloomy society. Success; that is the lesson which falls drop by drop from the slope of corruption.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/we-live-in-the-midst-of-a-gloomy-society-success-that-is-the-lesson/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [And the truth is, those who are terrorists only have to succeed once, and those of us who are trying to build an inclusive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-miliband/and-the-truth-is-those-who-are-terrorists-only-have-to-succeed-once/) [David Miliband](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-miliband/) > [Nobody knows what will work until they try it. Some of comics' biggest success stories in recent years have explored subjects that no one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-mccloud/nobody-knows-what-will-work-until-they-try-it-some-of-comics-biggest/) [Scott McCloud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-mccloud/) > [“Should an authoritarian Socialist society ever succeed in establishing itself, it could not last; general discontent would soon force it to break up, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pyotr-kropotkin/should-an-authoritarian-socialist-society-ever-succeed-in/) [Pyotr Kropotkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pyotr-kropotkin/) > [“I always say that my success has been three parts support and encouragement from my amazing network and one part piss and vinegar.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amber-hurdle/i-always-say-that-my-success-has-been-three-parts-support-and/) [Amber Hurdle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amber-hurdle/) > [“Happiness must happen, and the same holds for success: you have to let it happen by not caring about it. I want you to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-e-frankl/happiness-must-happen-and-the-same-holds-for-success-you-have-to-let/) [Viktor E. Frankl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-e-frankl/) > [What is failure? We can’t possibly know what failure is. Most people think they do, but that’s because they’re judging how their lives should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-zukav/what-is-failure-we-can-t-possibly-know-what-failure-is-most-people/) [Gary Zukav](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-zukav/) > [I would be lying if I'd say success and failure doesn't matter because they do. For now, my biggest joy is that I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-sadh/i-would-be-lying-if-i-d-say-success-and-failure-doesn-t-matter/) [Amit Sadh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-sadh/) > [All these people who say success changes people; well, no, it just magnifies what's there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-smith/all-these-people-who-say-success-changes-people-well-no-it-just/) [Kevin Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-smith/) > [I always say that what's between you and your success is yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eiza-gonzalez/i-always-say-that-what-s-between-you-and-your-success-is-yourself/) [Eiza Gonzalez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eiza-gonzalez/) > [It's very easy for me to say what success is. I think success is connecting with an audience who understands you and having a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/it-s-very-easy-for-me-to-say-what-success-is-i-think-success-is/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [I sometimes say that success just happens. That's not true. You have to make it happen. When I make up my mind to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-grade/i-sometimes-say-that-success-just-happens-that-s-not-true-you-have-to/) Michael Grade ## 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. It has been happy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/there-is-still-a-certain-grace-in-a-dead-festival-it-has-been-happy/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [He caught her, she fell, he caught her in his arms, he held her tightly unconscious of what he was doing. He held her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/he-caught-her-she-fell-he-caught-her-in-his-arms-he-held-her-tightly/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [“First I loved women, then animals, and now I love stones. 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. And when you have finished your daily task, go to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/have-courage-for-the-great-sorrows-of-life-and-patience-for-the-small/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [The peasants of the Asturias believe that in every litter of wolves there is one pup that is killed by the mother for fear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/the-peasants-of-the-asturias-believe-that-in-every-litter-of-wolves/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [Great blunders are often made, like large ropes, of a multitude of fibres.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/great-blunders-are-often-made-like-large-ropes-of-a-multitude-of/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [“For love is like a tree; it grows of itself; it send its roots deep into our being, and often continues to grow green…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/for-love-is-like-a-tree-it-grows-of-itself-it-send-its-roots-deep/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [“Blacheville smiles with the self-satisfied smugness of a man whose vanity is tickled”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/blacheville-smiles-with-the-self-satisfied-smugness-of-a-man-whose/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [“Loving in ignorance, she loved with all the more passion. She did not know whether it was good or evil, beneficent or dangerous, necessary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/loving-in-ignorance-she-loved-with-all-the-more-passion-she-did-not/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [Laughter is the sun that drives winter from the human face.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/laughter-is-the-sun-that-drives-winter-from-the-human-face/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [“Our joys have shadows. The perfect smile belongs to God alone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/our-joys-have-shadows-the-perfect-smile-belongs-to-god-alone/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [“When those we love are in question, our prudence invents every sort of madness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/when-those-we-love-are-in-question-our-prudence-invents-every-sort-of/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [Love is a fault; so be it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/love-is-a-fault-so-be-it/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) [Explore all 2,181 Victor Hugo quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) ## More Corruption quotes > [We could form a government of national unity fighting corruption. The ordinary Afghan is sick and tired of it, because it's she or he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashraf-ghani/we-could-form-a-government-of-national-unity-fighting-corruption-the/) [Ashraf Ghani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashraf-ghani/) > [Right now we're concerned about budget. Right now we're concerned about the prospect of interest rate rise. We're concerned about government corruption, government handing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amity-shlaes/right-now-we-re-concerned-about-budget-right-now-we-re-concerned/) [Amity Shlaes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amity-shlaes/) > [In the lead up to the Iraq war and its later conduct, I saw at a minimum, true dereliction, negligence and irresponsibility, at worse,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-zinni/in-the-lead-up-to-the-iraq-war-and-its-later-conduct-i-saw-at-a/) [Anthony Zinni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-zinni/) > [“Don't let cycles of violent crimes, uncontrollable, rising cases of bloody impunity, evil puppets in a crippled judiciary, marionettes in a corrupted legislative system…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angelica-hopes/don-t-let-cycles-of-violent-crimes-uncontrollable-rising-cases-of/) [Angelica Hopes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angelica-hopes/) > [What greater weakness can there be than not to know what is the source of one's being, of one's life, of one's senses, of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/what-greater-weakness-can-there-be-than-not-to-know-what-is-the/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [My aim was to make money for the bank. You lose track of the amounts involved when you are engaged in this kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-kerviel/my-aim-was-to-make-money-for-the-bank-you-lose-track-of-the-amounts/) [Jerome Kerviel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-kerviel/) > [Democracy must be built through open societies that share information. When there is information, there is enlightenment. When there is debate, there are solutions.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atifete-jahjaga/democracy-must-be-built-through-open-societies-that-share-information/) [Atifete Jahjaga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atifete-jahjaga/) > [As you fight corruption, it fights back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yemi-osinbajo/as-you-fight-corruption-it-fights-back/) [Yemi Osinbajo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yemi-osinbajo/) > [Selfishness is one of the principal fruits of the corruption of human nature; and it is obvious that selfishness disposes us to over-rate our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wilberforce/selfishness-is-one-of-the-principal-fruits-of-the-corruption-of-human/) [William Wilberforce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wilberforce/) > [ Corruption could lead to the collapse of the Party \[Communist Party of China\] and the downfall of the state \[People's Republic of China\]. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/xi-jinping/corruption-could-lead-to-the-collapse-of-the-party-communist-party-of/) [Xi Jinping](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/xi-jinping/) > [“Oh where is the noble face of modesty, or the strength of virtue, now that blasphemy is in power and men have put justice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/euripides/oh-where-is-the-noble-face-of-modesty-or-the-strength-of-virtue-now/) [Euripides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/euripides/) > [I can say across Europe that many principles that have been taken for granted here around free speech, and around civil liberties and an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-can-say-across-europe-that-many-principles-that-have-been-taken-for/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The victory of Hamas is not only based on the corruption of the Palestinian Authority. 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