guise

The late playwright Kuo Pao Kun is often quoted, and in particular, this phrase - "a worthy failure is better than a mediocre success." A carpe diem kind of phrase, which I guess explained its attraction.

This week, I heard someone use it in trying to convince a large and powerful entity to forge a collaboration with a smaller artist-type organisation. The stern-faced representative from the former was all teflon-coated. Everything he did - including his silence - suggested that he thought the speaker was merely trying to disguise failure. He was certainly not in the mood to reflect or question what was of worth or value, he would rather contemplate success.

That day I sketched a fellow train commuter on my way home. J suggested that he be transformed into various superheroes taking a break. But perhaps when superheores take a break, they are probably less like superheroes on a break and more like nameless train commuters.