The Coin of Ambition

  Solar powered airplanes, self driven automobiles like the ones developed by car makers Citroen? Thats cool. But to have the exoskeletal suite of Iron Man coupled with his sophisticated PA, Jarvis (a fictional character). Now thats C O O L!  .Every single piece attests to the dream which sparked something within someone to continue to do more so as to fulfill a feeling.  The likes of Bill Gates, Warren Buffet, Mr. Dangote, Carlos Slim, Kanye West etc all had this inexplicaple driving force which continues to inspire them to do what they do best whiles proliferating their fortunes and simultaneously making life better for the human populace. Like Walt Disney articulated, "If you can dream it, then you can achieve it once you are guided by perseverance". I'd agree with Walt but in retrospect, could it be an  ambition? Most probably.

Indeed, from the Smartphone which I used in discovering this to the very pen used in drafting this précis before posting couldn't agree less with me pertinent to the fact that, ambition was key to their "existence". Lots of people may have their perspective pertaining the concept of ambition but depending on how it motivates one, leaves it to be adjudged as such.

  One of William Shakespeare’s popular books, Macbeth pellucidly portrays one side of ambition as a dangerous quality since it causes the downfall of both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. According to the book, the lead character, Macbeth was given prophecies by some witches that he will become King. He believes them and the various prophecies are thus realized in the play. However, it is unclear whether these prophesies are preordained or self fulfilling. Macbeth’s ambition soon spirals out of control and forces him to murder again and again to cover up his previous wrongdoings. Macbeth’s first victims are the Chamberlains who are blamed and killed by Macbeth for the murder of King Duncan. Banquo’s murder soon follows once Macbeth fears that the truth could be exposed. Ambition has series consequences in the play: Macbeth is slain as a tyrant and Lady Macbeth commits suicide. Shakespeare does not give either character the opportunity to enjoy what they have achieved – perhaps suggesting that it is more satisfying to achieve your goals fairly than to achieve them through corruption, Reading to the end it can be realized that Shakespeare’s masterpiece illustrates both the negative and positive effect of ambition in the different ways his character handles it.

 One could say it is good to be ambitious in life as this could enable us to fulfill what we always wanted but the fret will be how do we get to know when this ambition is considered “too much”. I guess the suitable answer to that inquiry will of course, be the moment we go beyond our human conscience which enables us to being insulated against the life draining grips of ambition. Just like the character Macbeth, who found himself of being its victim.