THE ANTITHESIS OF SALIERI’S WORDS!
As a neophyte academician in 1980, I was struck by that brilliant collection of words. Further, I was struck a second time by the message or rather the antithesis of the message. It was the opposite meaning of Salieri’s words that hit me between the eyeballs. Inter-ocular-wise, the antithesis undergirds our professional accountability and success:
“All that we say and do professionally must be regarded as distinguished by peers who are capable of distinguishing.” Berk’s Law (2010)
The “peer review process” establishes the credibility of our work and our worth. It determines the value of our contributions and our advancement in academia. That process also represents the standard of excellence in the profession. Although it is judgment-based and fallible, that standard is sacrosanct; mediocrity is simply unacceptable. (NOTE: These reflections also apply to many other professions.)
BOTTOM LINE: FAME and being regarded as DISTINGUISHED are based on what other people think about you. The culture perpetuates this notion of affirmation of our self-worth by others. Salieri knew the truth. Despite the legitimate role of peer review in our professional world, ultimately the quality of what we say and do is in our hands. That’s who we are now and who we will become.
This message was told slightly differently to hundreds of college basketball players at UCLA in the 1960s and ‘70s by their legendary coach John Wooden who recently passed away: “Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are.”
What are your thoughts on any of the preceding reflections? Something must have stirred within or outside of you. Tell me. Come on, spew it out. You know you want to comment. What struck you? Do it!
COPYRIGHT © 2010 Ronald A. Berk, LLC
PROFESSIONAL REFLECTIONS
After reading the quote in my previous blog, how are your tracks? Shaking? Quaking? Mine are blown away. Don’t you wish you could write like that? What are your thoughts? WAIT! Don’t tell me yet. Hold them until the end.
There are at least 2 parts to the quote I want to address: (1) fame based on work you know to be absolutely worthless, and (2) being regarded as distinguished by people incapable of distinguishing.
IS THERE ANY INTEGRITY TO ATTAINING FAME?
Do you know anyone who has attained fame and recognition without earning it the ole’ fashioned way? Of course you do. Just consider the celebrities who grab the headlines or write books they didn’t write that immediately become best-sellers. If you create the right YouTube video and, if it goes viral, you can have fame thrust upon you.
Are these famous people a flash in the pan or for real? Many don’t care, because how ever they achieved fame didn’t matter; they’re already laughing on each trip to the bank! Reputation, character, and integrity are of lesser importance than "fame" and money.
How does this happen? It’s an artifact of our culture. Celebrity worship is deeply ingrained. And, unfortunately, this artifact has infected the workplace, regardless of your profession. But there have always been cases where colleagues are recognized or promoted or have otherwise attained fame without truly deserving it.
So what? Were Salieri’s words on target? Kinda. But his work wasn't totally worthless. It is still being played on YouTube videos, as Julia Petrakis brought to my attention:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_Q3dlQZt_E&feature=player_embedded# !
So where’s the integrity in fame? As a professional, it seems clear that there are those who earn it and those who don’t? Which course have you followed in the past? More important, which one do you choose to follow in the future?
After all, whose work survived and, in fact, flourished? Whose contributions to music stood the test of time? Salieri’s or Mozart’s? Well, both are on YouTube! What do you want your legacy or epitaph to be?
Now what thoughts are racing through your brain? Have you observed evidence of Salieri’s words in your profession or elsewhere? What course should you follow?
COPYRIGHT © 2010 Ronald A. Berk, LLC
THE FINAL WORDS OF ANTONIO SALIERI:
“I remained in Vienna—City of Musicians—reverenced by all. And slowly I understood the nature of God’s punishment! What I had begged for in the church as a boy?
Was it not fame? Fame for excellence? Well now I had fame! I was to become quite simply the most famous musician in Europe!
I was to be bricked up in fame! Embalmed in fame! Buried in fame, but for work I knew to be absolutely worthless!
This was my sentence: I must endure thirty years of being called ‘Distinguished’ by people incapable of distinguishing!
I must survive to see myself become extinct!
Mozart’s music sounded louder and louder through the world! And mine faded completely, till no one played it at all!
I will be remembered! I will be remembered! If not in fame, then infamy.
I will whisper my name to you: “Salieri: Patron Saint of Mediocrities!”
[Salieri rises and looks out far into the darkness of the theatre.]
Mediocrities everywhere, now and to come, I absolve you all. Amen!"
[The light fades completely. The last four chords of the Masonic Funeral Music of Mozart sound throughout the theatre. END OF PLAY.] (pp. 93–97)
Shaffer, P. (1980). Amadeus. NY: Harper & Row.
Ruminate over those words for a while. My next 2 blogs will present my reflections on this quote. Let me know yours.
COPYRIGHT © 2010 Ronald A. Berk, LLC
SIDENOTE: Over the past 2 weeks, Abddaimi Marouane offered a discussion question on the LinkEds & Writers Group on the LinkedIn network: “What is your favorite quote?” He received tons of quote responses, including one of mine. What was unexpected was the response to my quote by several contributors, including Abddaimi’s. The quote was from Peter Shaffer’s Broadway play AMADEUS. Unfortunately, the quote was not repeated in its entirety in the movie version. This blog is devoted to Shaffer’s memorable words.
QUOTE FROM AMADEUS
Writers love the words of other writers that stop them in their tracks, as brought to my attention by Susan Greene. In 1980, I was stopped before I knew I was a writer or had any tracks. I attended a performance of AMADEUS by playwright Peter Shaffer (Equus, Five Finger Exercise) at the National Theatre in Washington, DC, prior to its Broadway run. The play just completed a stint at the National Theatre of Great Britain.
On the surface, this play was about the tragic life of composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. But it was much more than that. Shaffer tackled the theme of conflict between the unruly genius, represented by Mozart (played by a very young Tim Curry), and disciplined mediocrity, represented by his nemesis Antonio Salieri (played by the brilliant Ian McKellen).
SALIERI'S SOLILOQUY: At the end of the play after Mozart’s death, Salieri, who was by now the successful career musician and court composer to the Austrian Emperor Joseph II, reflects on the quality of his life as a composer and his contributions compared to Mozart’s. While Shaffer’s message is not new, its eloquence is worth pondering. Feast your eyes and mind on this gourmet word buffet in Salieri’s soliloquy.
Unfortunately, due to the word-limit of this blog and the length of the quote, it must be deferred until tomorrow. Hold your pondering and feasting. You don’t want to miss those incredible words.
COPYRIGHT © 2010 Ronald A. Berk, LLC
