The article “The Importance of Failure” discusses the importance that failure has on the path to success. It uses an example of Walt Disney. Before Disney was a thing, he tried to start a company called Laugh-O-Gram Corporation. The company went bankrupt within two years. If he had never tried again there would be no Disney we have today (Horwitz 2). As humans it is not possible for us to feel complete satisfaction. We are always trying to get to the next best thing. Unemployment is viewed as a major “failure” economically. But as society and the world moves forward people are forced to adjust. In 1941, 41% of America’s population worked in agriculture. As of 2011, that number went down to 3%. This is an example autopoiesis, which is life’s continuous production of itself (Horwitz 14). If 41% of the population was still in agriculture today our society would not be as advanced as it is today.

As a student I am constantly trying to avoid failure. By most people failure is seen as something to avoid at all costs, but it can be more beneficial than some people might think. If no one tried anything new because they were afraid of failing our world would never move forward. If Thomas Edison decided to give up on electricity the first time he failed our would would be much darker. Failure is what we need to succeed.

In the novel This Side of Paradise, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, the main character Amory wants to have prestige by being on the Princetorian (Princeton’s newspaper) board. When he fails a math test it prevents him from being able to be re-elected. His friends tell him if he works hard enough he would be able to make a comeback, but he gives up. He then needed to be reminded by Monsignor Darcy that failure is a good thing and this might bring him more opportunities than he thinks.