Spring Break
Column: Failure is crucial in learning
Greg Sainer / Columnist
Issue date: 4/8/09 Section: Opinions
No matter how bad the paying out of bonuses to AIG executives were, the craze that followed the news of the AIG bonus scandal not only demonstrated the mass denial of rational thinking, but also painted an image of our government officials and business heads not wanting to go through with what might get us out of our country's economic mess.
I know it's entirely natural for us to place the immediate blame on AIG since that is where the bonuses were paid out. However, the fact that AIG used the money from the umpteenth bailout received from the government indicates that there is a deeper problem here. One that runs deeper than any payment of bonuses.
Congress never should have given the money to AIG in the first place.
When I look back on the events that have taken place since the economy first started going sour, I get the feeling that there is a general fear in our government and corporate America of what just might need to occur: failure.
Failure has been mentioned before as something to help our economy, and I'm not talking about Rush Limbaugh's comments about President Obama.
If actual rejuvenation of our economy is to take place, a healing process may need to occur in order for things to right themselves again. The fact is we have gone through tough healing processes before as a country, and we have always survived. Granted, circumstances today are not as they were in other times, but the reality remains that we are still standing as a nation, so what would make us falter this time?
If a healing process is allowed to take place, it will probably need to come in the form of the collapse of corporations or businesses when they have obviously failed in their respective industries.
Even with the job losses that would occur, I firmly believe that all of us as Americans would be able to figure out some way to overcome the imminent hardships many of us would face and rebuild our industries perhaps stronger than ever - all without government interference.
I'm sure some may be wondering why I'm putting this radical idea forth. To be honest, I don't hear anybody else offering a viable solution.
I admit, I would hate to fail at anything too, but if failure were so bad, then why does personal failure give us the ability to learn from our mistakes and help build individual character so much?
It may seem like comparing apples to oranges when comparing individual development to a national economic redevelopment, but I believe the principle can still apply.
All too often, we seem to not be willing to step out of our comfort zones. It's a natural human action. However, our government and those in charge of businesses are so afraid of losing all the comforts they have obtained, they are unwilling to let the one thing that could save America's economy happen: failure.
Greg Sainer is a freshman chemistry major. He can be reached at 581-7942 or at DENopinions@gmail.com.
I know it's entirely natural for us to place the immediate blame on AIG since that is where the bonuses were paid out. However, the fact that AIG used the money from the umpteenth bailout received from the government indicates that there is a deeper problem here. One that runs deeper than any payment of bonuses.
Congress never should have given the money to AIG in the first place.
When I look back on the events that have taken place since the economy first started going sour, I get the feeling that there is a general fear in our government and corporate America of what just might need to occur: failure.
Failure has been mentioned before as something to help our economy, and I'm not talking about Rush Limbaugh's comments about President Obama.
If actual rejuvenation of our economy is to take place, a healing process may need to occur in order for things to right themselves again. The fact is we have gone through tough healing processes before as a country, and we have always survived. Granted, circumstances today are not as they were in other times, but the reality remains that we are still standing as a nation, so what would make us falter this time?
If a healing process is allowed to take place, it will probably need to come in the form of the collapse of corporations or businesses when they have obviously failed in their respective industries.
Even with the job losses that would occur, I firmly believe that all of us as Americans would be able to figure out some way to overcome the imminent hardships many of us would face and rebuild our industries perhaps stronger than ever - all without government interference.
I'm sure some may be wondering why I'm putting this radical idea forth. To be honest, I don't hear anybody else offering a viable solution.
I admit, I would hate to fail at anything too, but if failure were so bad, then why does personal failure give us the ability to learn from our mistakes and help build individual character so much?
It may seem like comparing apples to oranges when comparing individual development to a national economic redevelopment, but I believe the principle can still apply.
All too often, we seem to not be willing to step out of our comfort zones. It's a natural human action. However, our government and those in charge of businesses are so afraid of losing all the comforts they have obtained, they are unwilling to let the one thing that could save America's economy happen: failure.
Greg Sainer is a freshman chemistry major. He can be reached at 581-7942 or at DENopinions@gmail.com.
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