Exploiting Success: The Perils of Riding on Others' Achievements

In the modern world, where personal efforts and achievements play an important role, there are often people who, having lost their own merits, seek an easy path to recognition by using the victories and reputations of others. These individuals, like predators, skillfully flatter and manipulate those around them, resorting to the art of flattering words for their own advancement. At the heart of their behavior lies the desire to hide their own shortcomings and reap benefits by associating with successful individuals. This strategy, much like wolves gathering around their prey, leaves true leaders vulnerable by overshadowing their self-respect and undermining the fundamental values of fair competition for success. However, despite the seemingly attractive nature of such methods, their long-term effect often leads to a decline not only in reputation but also on a personal level. Ultimately, genuine mastery and growth can only be achieved through sincere self-improvement rather than by exploiting the efforts of others, reminding us that true strength is rooted in personal development and the courage to follow one’s own path.

What kind of people might you encounter who strive to take advantage of the successes of others and “crawl under someone else’s blanket”?

From the excerpts provided, it can be concluded that these are individuals, deprived of their own means or merits, who deliberately latch on to others’ achievements to “warm themselves” at the expense of someone else’s success—much like one hides under another’s blanket. Such people are akin to predators; they flatter, manipulate, and use the reputation or wealth of others for their own benefit. For example, one passage vividly describes this behavior by comparing them to wolves, who, by surrounding a wealthy person, only heighten his vulnerability, feeding on his accomplishments and ultimately triggering his downfall:

"It is not mistaken to call such people wolves, who, parading the rich man in front of everyone like a sheep, exalt him with praises, inflate grandiose claims, and do not allow him to see his own wound, but instead blind his mind and increase his decay." (source: link )

Thus, one may encounter individuals who, by attaching themselves to successful personalities, extract benefits from others’ efforts and achievements through flattering speech and manipulation. They, like predators, do not seek their own development but prefer to sit “under someone else’s blanket,” exploiting others’ success for their own gain.

Supporting citation(s):
"It is not mistaken to call such people wolves, who, parading the rich man in front of everyone like a sheep, exalt him with praises, inflate grandiose claims, and do not allow him to see his own wound, but instead blind his mind and increase his decay." (source: link )