For Princetonians, the takeaway from the still-unfolding scandal of Eliot Spitzer '81 should be a re-examination of the metrics by which society, and Princeton in particular, measures success.
Before being humbled by the recent allegations, Spitzer sat perched atop the pinnacle of achievement, as he had done all his life. At the Horace Mann School, Spitzer set himself apart from his peers both on the soccer field and in the classroom. Spitzer continued his success at Princeton. He earned a degree from the Wilson School and served as chairman of the USG. He can boast of a perfect LSAT score and a degree from Harvard Law School. In 1998, he was elected attorney general of New York. In this capacity, he prosecuted a number of white-collar crimes and helped to curtail the culture of greed and corruption pervading Wall Street.
His achievements in office were real and commendable. Indeed, the positive impact Spitzer had on society should serve as a goal for current juniors and seniors in the Wilson School. His list of accomplishments is something that almost any Princeton student would salivate over. Spitzer lived the Ivy League dream of meteoric ascendance to the top of his field and embodied the meritocratic ideals that Type-A personalities across this campus strive for.
Spitzer's recent fall from such a state of grace serves as a very tangible reminder that there are more measures to success than an impressive resume. The hypocrisy inherent in prosecuting prostitution rings as Spitzer did in 2004 and then engaging their services offends the collective conscience of the Princeton community.
With a campus teeming with young adults whose goals, interests and capabilities align so closely with Spitzer's, Princeton in particular would do well to think critically about widely accepted measures of success. A stunning resume may open the doors to an elite University, a successful career and even high political office, but it will never make up for the ethical deficiencies for which Spitzer is now paying the price.
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