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The Dissenter

#1064 Costica Bradatan - In Praise of Failure: Four Lessons in Humility

Feb 27, 2025
Costica Bradatan, a Professor of Humanities and author of "In Praise of Failure: Four Lessons in Humility," dives deep into the transformative power of failure. He discusses four distinct types of failure, illustrating how personal and societal struggles can foster profound lessons. The conversation touches upon the dangers of striving for perfection, the allure of political movements, and the complex legacy of Yukio Mishima. Ultimately, Bradatan encourages embracing mortality and failure as vital elements for personal growth and humility.
01:03:06

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Quick takeaways

  • The podcast delves into the etymology of failure, highlighting how disrupted expectations lead to feelings of frustration and disappointment.
  • Four types of failure—physical, political, social, and biological—are explored to better understand their resonance with the human experience.

Deep dives

Understanding Failure Through Etymology and Phenomenology

Failure can be best understood through a combination of etymological and phenomenological perspectives. Etymologically, the concept of success derives from the Latin 'subcedere,' which emphasizes a sequential order of events where one thing follows another. When these expectations of succession are disrupted, feelings of frustration and disappointment arise, leading us to recognize that we have encountered failure. This exploration of failure seeks to understand how individuals process such disruptions within their lived experiences and the emotional responses that stem from them.

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