Book Inspired Post 2

Failure is a key part of progress. We have all probably heard that many, many times in our lives. Yet we associate failure with fear, shame, and a waste of time so we instinctively try to avoid it. In Creativity, Inc., Ed Catmull expounds on the need for us to look at failure differently. His main idea is that Failure is a sign that we are trying new things. It is a sign that we are improving, and not staying where we are comfortable.

While he speaks of the value of failure in the Creative field, I think this principle should be applied to other aspects of our lives. The reason failure is so scary is because we fear the shaming and judgement that will be cast upon us by others. Are we as a society more judgemental of failure, or more forgiving? In fact, Cancel Culture that is growing stronger illustrates the lack of forgiveness we posses. We as a society expect perfection, while giving no room for people to make mistakes to be able to progress to perfection. Instead of asking 8 years of experience for an entry level position, why not hire a new college graduate and teach them, and watch them learn and grow? Why not give government officials a seconds chance when they slip up and say something offensive? If we can be more forgiving of failure, we will create a culture where everyone feels safe to learn and grow by making mistakes. I think that is better than a society where everyone is beating themselves up over small mistakes and trying to live up to unnecessarily high expectations.