Suc-ceed

When you break it down phonetically the word is so much more graphic. The derivation is from the feudal days of monarchies: the heir of the hierarchy inherited power from his paternal parent. The process of succession after the ruler's death persists in both the modern word, and it's connotations, which are masculine and elitist, as well as resigned to death. In other words the concept of success is a very static one, entirely based off of a medieval caste system. The metaphorical "white picket fence" is a screaming reference to fiefdoms, where serfs were tied to their land, even the word landlord persists, unchanged. I don't even want to get into the eugenic implications, but it cannot be avoided when you consider the fact that the power structure was hereditary in Europe, where all the ruling families or "blue bloods" were white. All in all I find the notion of success as taught by our societies institutions to be sadly chauvinistic, not to mention defeatist. While the aspiration may serve some function as temporary motivation for acquiring whatever level of success, whatever level of the caste system you have the sense of entitlement to attain from a young age, once "successful" the drive dies. Education serves as an indoctrination to ensure that the next generation of serfs are only capable of preforming their required duties, and that they are content to toil away their lives in maintaining the social status they used to dream of having. How hard to conceive of fantasies beyond the confines of the "American" dream. If at first you don't succeed, try, try again.