Ferran Torres' chav look and the hypocrisy of success
The debate over whether some footballers' chaotic lifestyles prove that discipline isn't the only key to success. The ironies of consumption.
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
Ferran Torres' chav look: the lesson we ignore
What if Ferran Torres' chav was right? In a country where responsible consumption is preached as a virtue, examples of success that defy that norm are uncomfortable. Maradona, Romário, Stephen King: all with chaotic lives, all at the top. The footballer who smokes and drinks earns millions; the one who studies and works barely makes ends meet.
The sarracena drawn by part of the analysis is stark: society rewards talent or luck, not discipline. "You kill yourself studying and working and it barely gets you by," sums up one current of opinion. Meanwhile, the uneducated chav —the one who lives for the day, without regrets— ends up with a mansion and a boat. Or at least that's the argument.
But the statistics play against it: few footballers make it. Most fall by the wayside. The message of responsibility isn't false, it's statistically sound. It's just that the success of those who break the rules makes us uncomfortable because it dismantles the narrative of hard work as the only path.
In the end, Ferran Torres' chav pointed to an uncomfortable truth: life isn't a responsible consumption brochure. And sometimes, those who don't trinc the rules don't end up worse off. Next time a chav gives you advice, maybe you should write it down.
What if Ferran Torres' chav was right? In a country where responsible consumption is preached as a virtue, examples of success that defy that norm are uncomfortable. Maradona, Romário, Stephen King: all with chaotic lives, all at the top. The footballer who smokes and drinks earns millions; the one who studies and works barely makes ends meet.
The sarracena drawn by part of the analysis is stark: society rewards talent or luck, not discipline. "You kill yourself studying and working and it barely gets you by," sums up one current of opinion. Meanwhile, the uneducated chav —the one who lives for the day, without regrets— ends up with a mansion and a boat. Or at least that's the argument.
But the statistics play against it: few footballers make it. Most fall by the wayside. The message of responsibility isn't false, it's statistically sound. It's just that the success of those who break the rules makes us uncomfortable because it dismantles the narrative of hard work as the only path.
In the end, Ferran Torres' chav pointed to an uncomfortable truth: life isn't a responsible consumption brochure. And sometimes, those who don't trinc the rules don't end up worse off. Next time a chav gives you advice, maybe you should write it down.
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Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (56 replies).
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