The thermometer of success is merely the jealousy of the malcontents.

In the quote "The thermometer of success is merely the jealousy of the malcontents," Salvador Dalí presents a provocative perspective on success and how it is often measured. Dalí suggests that the true indicator of success is not the admiration or praise of others, but rather the jealousy of those who are dissatisfied or discontent. In his view, success can be seen as the degree to which others, especially the malcontents, feel threatened or envious of your achievements. This idea challenges traditional views of success, which typically focus on external accolades or personal accomplishments.

Dalí’s use of jealousy as a thermometer reflects his belief that the more successful you are, the more likely it is that you will provoke resentment from those who feel left behind or overlooked. The malcontents—those who are dissatisfied with their own lives—become the litmus test for whether one has truly achieved something noteworthy. Dalí implies that jealousy is a natural response to achievement, especially when others feel that they have not reached the same level of success or recognition.

By equating success with the jealousy of others, Dalí touches on the psychological dynamics of competition and comparison. His quote suggests that the act of achieving something significant often places individuals in the crosshairs of envy, and that this negative response is an inevitable part of rising above the crowd. Rather than seeing this jealousy as a negative reflection of one's worth, Dalí views it as a confirmation of the impact one has made. The more envy it stirs, the more successful one must be.

Ultimately, Dalí's quote reflects his surrealist approach to art and life, where reality is often inverted or seen from an unconventional angle. It highlights the subjectivity of success and challenges conventional measures of achievement, instead focusing on how others perceive and react to you. In Dalí’s world, success is not just about personal satisfaction or external recognition, but about how you stir the emotions of those around you, particularly the jealous.