Although wealth, power, and fame have been primary motivations for some people, they are not the main motivations for everything
Some people are motivated by other values, such as self-awareness, that would not lead them to have wealth, power, and fame. Gloria Steinem’s self-awareness inspired her take action as a feminist, not her desire for wealth, power, or fame. Although Steinem become famous through her activities, this was not her objective. If she cared for fame, she would have chosen to remain a respected journalist, not a raging feminist who had to fight her whole life for her beliefs. Her care for fellow women made her active and courageous. As a journalist for a mainstream press, Steinem felt that a woman’s voice could not be heard through the existing media, which only materialized and objectified women as sexual objects. She realized that as a woman, she did not have any room in this oppressed atmosphere. Thus, in order to speak out for the subjects she cared for, such as the right to choose, women’s participation in politics, and wage disparity between women and men, she founded the Ms. magazine, the first feminist magazine in the world. Steinem left her comfortable, promising, and high-profile career at a respected global media company to campaign for an unpopular cause, the equality of women.
Virginia Woolf is another famous feminist who did not prioritize wealth, power, or fame. Her self-pride and realization formed the foundation for her actions. Virginia was born to a very wealthy family, and her father was a well-respected professor at Cambridge University. Virginia, under these circumstances, was able to receive extraordinary opportunities for education throughout her childhood. When she entered into her 20s, she married a noble man who had money and a good family name. Virginia, thus, could have lived a relaxed, upper-class life as a respected Victorian woman. However, riches or social status did not influence her. She refused to confine herself to traditional gender roles and wrote about her rage as a suppressed woman through her great books, such as Mrs. Dalloway and A Room of One’s Own. Thus, not money, power or fame, but her happiness and self-liberation became her priorities and led her to produce revolutionary feminist literature.
In summary, although some people are mainly motivated by wealth, power and fame, others are motivated by other criteria, such as self-awareness. Which choice is more valuable? This is a question every individual must decide.
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