Famous Failures – It Takes One To Know One

This video has been showing up here and there. It’s all about “famous failures” – people who supposedly “failed” at something for which they were later renowned. The examples are supposed to teach us  “life=risk” or some such.

My first question was “But are these stories true?” Does it matter if these stories are true or not — as long as the Feel-good message is good? Why would anyone doubt such an authoritative voice? Can anyone say for certain that they are not true? Well, frankly, I don’t care. I have no interest at all in doing any harm to other people’s Feel-Goodisms. I just like to look stuff up and I’m curious: When it comes to the truth, does this video Pass or Fail? So let’s have a look at these claims. (References available.)

A Nerd Comments on the Nerd Venn Diagram

This diagram is supposed to be the “Nerd Venn Diagram” but it’s obviously not made by a real nerd. Not only am I intelligent enough to see the error, I’m obsessive enough to correct it and I have the social ineptitude to publish it here.

Venn diagram by someone who is not a true nerd.

You see, a Venn Diagram must have all elements from the same universal set. “Intelligence”, for example, is a trait, while “nerd” etc are labels for people. Here is the corrected version. Now no one can say Trebetheric is not a nerd.

 

The corrected version shows related set elements -- and that Trebetheric is a True Nerd: brainiac, maniac, and, yes, a complete nitwit.