There's a Cadillac commercial that quotes some of this speech. I remember seeing it, and hearing this, back in the hotel after failing to reach a summit while hiking. I was definitely feeling down about it. I don't remember which hike that was, and it makes me laugh for two reasons. First, it wasn't the only time I failed. There were so many I can't remember which was which. Second, because I've later competed every hike I turned back on. Failure isn't the end. Stopping to try is the end. It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming;
Nice connection. It’s easy to armchair quarterback the world when you’ve got no skin in the game. There’s a seductive power in being a critic. Especially one free of consequences. It can be empowering to be flexing their mental muscle by tearing others down. Is it an indicator of a person that is seeking power? I’m tending to think so. The bigger the critic the less self-confidence the critic owns. I think of Donald Trump. Word has it he’s got some very big “I can make you happy this time, Daddy” issues that haunt him daily. I’ve gotta think that if we could have gotten him some very good counseling starting in 2016 the world would be a much healthier place today. This also reminds me of Nassim Nicholas Taleb’s “Skin in the Game - Hidden Asymmetries in Daily Life”. I read it several years ago, but I’m thinking of reading it again. Seems very timely.