Is it possible to fail on purpose?

[k-ossuburb]

I've been thinking about a concept for a new "Rule Of The Internets", it's more of a basic principle, really which boils down to the following (I'll try to describe it as best I can):

If you try to fail and you succeed in failing, does it count as a fail?

Because you tried to fail and succeeded in failing then you have successfully failed, which was what you were trying to do, so doesn't that rule the fail out as a success? Since you succeeded in the original goal of failing, then you've succeeded, not failed. Wouldn't the only way to successfully fail with intent to be to attempt to succeed because you were trying to fail?

But then because you've succeeded in succeeding then does it mean that you've failed in failing to fail on purpose because by successfully succeeding then you weren't trying to fail and therefore your successful success means that you failed to fail on purpose because you were trying to succeed and therefore put no effort into failing which means you failed to try to fail because of your intent was a successful success instead of a successful fail.

So... how the hell do you fail on purpose? Is it even possible?

It seems like the two things cancel each other out and the more I think about it the more like a Russian Doll it becomes; layering failures on top of successes on top of failures ad infinitum. Every success breeds a fail and every fail breeds a success, but as a success is created a fail is destroyed and as a fail is created a success is destroyed.

Not to blow my own trumpet here, but shouldn't that be a new rule? Mostly the: "[e]very success breeds a fail and every fail breeds a success, but as a success is created a fail is destroyed and as a fail is created a success is destroyed." part. If anyone out there can figure out an exception to it, please let me know. Consider this a peer review, I beseech my fellow Escapists to prove my little "theory" wrong so that I may learn from my mistakes.

 

[k-ossuburb]

~Mod Edit

Stop reporting this comment, it has been dealt with

EDIT

First

My apologies for that, I just wanted to get it out of the way so people would answer the question and not bother with the whole "first" thing. I promise this is the first and last time this ever happens.

EDIT EDIT

I'm surprised no-one has pointed out the irony of how I failed to realize that this was a very bad idea.... anyway, please don't kill me.

 

[DigitalSushi]

First!

(I just thought I'd get this out of the way.)

I request that you don't do that

~ColdStorage

So who likes my booming mod voice?.

It's okay, even though you stole the idea off of me.[sub][sub][sub].. and I stole it off Alex_P...[/sub][/sub][/sub]

--Zombie

 

[k-ossuburb]

Fair enough, this was more an attempt at disparaging people from doing it in the first place.

 

[imnot]

Fair enough, this was more an attempt at disparaging people from doing it in the first place.

people only seem to do it on ZP videoos

I guess it is possible, hard, and stupid, but possible.

 

[Imp Poster]

There is a difference in reality and perception as well. For example, I play golf with my boss. Even if I am better at golf than him, I will want to lose the game. I don't want him to look bad which makes me in a better place with him when it comes to advance in pay and position. Just being there with him is good for me. When it comes to the game, I don't care so let him win. Boss wins. In reality, I lost, but in my mind, I am in a better position to get advancement than the competition. Successful fail right? I somehow I won when I wanted to lose, that's failed to fail, right?

I am on a first date with a girl. During that time, I find out well she isn't worth it. I want to fail. I do everything to annoy her. She wants nothing to do with me now. I won, period even if the dating failed. I got what I want equals win, right?

 

[C95J]

First!

(I just thought I'd get this out of the way.)

quick! hide! I can hear the mods coming!

 

[dragonslayer32]

I asked this very question to my philosophy lecturer about a month ago and it blew his mind. I still don't have and answer however, if I ever get one I will let you all know...

 

[Macgyvercas]

Ahh, the old question "If you try to fail and succeed which have you done".

I saw that one a while ago on a sign. I'm still trying to figure it out.

First!

(I just thought I'd get this out of the way.)

I request that you don't do that

~ColdStorage

So who likes my booming mod voice?.

I do. And I am jealous of it.

 

[Dogstile]

First!

(I just thought I'd get this out of the way.)

Bad person, don't do that.

~ Dogstile

On topic, it is impossible to succeed at making a fail. Its like... It gives a result of say a paradox.

 

[k-ossuburb]

They already got me, I'm pretty surprised at the speed of them. I do offer my apologies, it was a bad idea. I had the best intentions, but the road to hell is paved, blah blah.

 

[k-ossuburb]

Sorry.

 

[k-ossuburb]

There is a difference in reality and perception as well. For example, I play golf with my boss. Even if I am better at golf than him, I will want to lose the game. I don't want him to look bad which makes me in a better place with him when it comes to advance in pay and position. Just being there with him is good for me. When it comes to the game, I don't care so let him win. Boss wins. In reality, I lost, but in my mind, I am in a better position to get advancement than the competition. Successful fail right? I somehow I won when I wanted to lose, that's failed to fail, right?

I am on a first date with a girl. During that time, I find out well she isn't worth it. I want to fail. I do everything to annoy her. She wants nothing to do with me now. I won, period even if the dating failed. I got what I want equals win, right?

That's the thing, you tried to fail and succeeded. But in doing so you success nulls the failure and the result is a positive, which means that your failure didn't count as a fail since it was a success. It's one hell of a mind game.

 

[DigitalSushi]

First!

(I just thought I'd get this out of the way.)

Bad person, don't do that.

~ Dogstile

On topic, it is impossible to succeed at making a fail. Its like... It gives a result of say a paradox.

whose a good Dogstile, whose a good Dogstile!

*pets Dogstile*

~ColdStorage

Yeah gotta agree on that second point, well I agree on the first point too.

 

[Brandon237]

I would say that the fails and successes don't cancel, they are in different areas. You succeed in intent but fail at the task handed to you...

So there is one success and one fail. If you intend to succeed and do, you succeed in all aspects. If you intend to succeed and fail, you fail at both. If you intend to fail then you always succeed at one.

 

[Mookie_Magnus]

EDIT

First

My apologies for that, I just wanted to get it out of the way so people would answer the question and not bother with the whole "first" thing. I promise this is the first and last time this ever happens.

That's one thing you'll find about this website... We don't do that here. Ever, at all.

Well, except for people commenting on Yahtzee videos... But we don't talk about them.

But anyway, on topic.

I dunno... Would it be rendered neutral?

 

[Something Amyss]

If you try to fail, you will always fail. Successfully failing will lead to failure and failure to fail (success) is still a failure.

However, due to the successful outcome also being guaranteed, Shrodinger's cat will explode in a shower of Heisenberg particles.

 

[Imperioratorex Caprae]

Succeeding at failing. Failure is failure whether intentional or not. If you happen to get something good out of failing, thats a by-product of the failure, which is still a failure.
I love the comment on failing at something you're good at to make someone else look better to gain favor. I didn't know ass-kissing and self-degredation were successes, since I've always looked at people like that as spineless worms. But thats me.