for failure

last night c-span's book tv ran diane rehm's 7-month-old radio interview of scott sandage, author of born losers: a history of failure in america.

sandage told how, at henry david thoreau's funeral in 1862, thoreau's teacher, ralph waldo emerson, described him as a failure. emerson was disappointed that his star pupil hadn't lived up to his potential by becoming a leader in government, industry, or any other field. he said thoreau would rather pick berries in the woods.

thoreau got incarcerated when he refused to pay taxes after the US went to war against mexico in 1846. emerson visited. when he saw thoreau behind bars he said "henry, what are you doing in there?" thoreau replied "ralph, what are you doing out there?"

you know, it seems to me every ethnic group in america aspires to send its best and brightest children to the centers of power to take up the reins of leadership. when they get there, many get mired in the mucky morass of materialism and militarism.

scooter libby and condi rice are no exceptions.

if a cost of success is loss of conscience, and the only other option is "failure," then 3 cheers for failure!