Characters
It was then that I realized that success, success not greatness, was the only god the entire world served.
— Drew Baylor · Elizabethtown
Behind the line May contain spoilers.
Our reading
An editorial interpretation.
A disillusioned realization that the world worships success rather than real greatness. The speaker separates the two: greatness is about quality, while success is just winning or being seen to win. Calling it a god suggests everyone bows to it, whether or not it deserves devotion.
Context reviewed