An ode to failure

Lexington of the Economist has An ode to failure in which he starts off with some reactions to Million Dollar Baby:

Dirty Harry's former friends on the right have reacted with horror to the film's unAmerican enthusiasm for euthanasia. In fact, the film is most remarkable as an extremely American parable on success and failure. When Ms Swank gets injured, her trainer is eaten up with guilt. But she tells him not to be so hard on himself: she is far happier to have tasted a little success and ended up a cripple than to have remained a nobody.

I have been unable to see the movie myself. All I know of the movie is from other people's reactions.

It would seem to me that success is defined by several things:

• Health
• Wealth
• Glory

Whereas Jesus had:

• An early death
• Poverty
• Infamy of the crucifixation

Thus Jesus was a failure by American standards. Ms Swank would rather die than live as a failure.

It is all these failures that keep the world going. We are the ones that toil and sweat to keep the farms, mines, factories, transport, and services running. You may spit on us but we are the blood that you suck so greedily.

For me, success is measured by:

• Honour
• Integrity
• Fortitude
• Courage
• Love

My previous rants on this subject are at:

• How Dirty Harry Turned Commie
• Piss On Pity