The Ray D'Arcy Show What is success? What is failure?
Sep 2, 2025
Joe Humphreys, Deputy News Editor at The Irish Times, shares his insights on the complexities of success and failure. He explores ancient Greek concepts of virtuous living and contrasts them with modern definitions that often lead to dissatisfaction. The discussion covers how failure deprivation, societal pressures, and the negativity bias shape our perceptions. Joe advocates for redefining success to fit personal values and emphasizes celebrating small wins, while also addressing the resilience of Gen Z in navigating these challenges.
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Virtue As Success
- Ancient Greeks equated success with living virtuously and achieving a 'good death'.
- Character and a virtuous end measured a successful life more than material gain.
Philosophers' Competing Success Ideals
- Different philosophers offer varied success ideals: authenticity for Sartre and extreme self-overcoming for Nietzsche.
- These show success isn't a single cultural measure but a philosophical spectrum.
Modern Success Fuels Unhappiness
- Modern success definitions often focus on material gain and comparison, which fuels unhappiness.
- Questioning what success means philosophically helps reduce harmful standards.