While I of course admit that nothing makes you know yourself better than a good failure, there is also a great amount to be learned from truly observing other people when they fail. How it happened, how they reacted, what they did about it. You can learn how NOT to do something. It's why sometimes assholes, pushovers, and shitty people are great role models - role models for who NOT to be, and for how NOT to act.

Of course, of course. The reason I didn't point that out is because that's all I do already. With school and my parents and everything, I'm super duper happy and grateful that there's all this structure and curriculum for me to follow and go through, to learn and develop in a safe way! but at this point I'm starving for some experience of my own. This comment from ages ago comes to mind. It's freakin' true. What's the point of sneaking out of the house and getting caught-- which let's be honest is half the experience when you're looking back-- when my mom can just track me down with Find My iPhone? Come on man.