Bush's failures same as success?

I have a very interesting calender on my desk, every day it has an interesting quote. Todays quote will probably drive every Bush bashing, Bush hating person on this site. I thought I would put it out there just to see what some people on this site have to say about it.

"Scientist failed their way to success - Edison tried hundreds of times before developing the light bulb; Salk failed countless times before finding the polio virus. Failure can point to success."

Is it possible this can be applied to George W. Bush? Let's see what the JU community has to say, I'm all ears (in a figure of speech).
6,759 views 21 replies
Reply #1 Top
Salk was a genius; Edison was a genius. Bush not so much.
Reply #2 Top
I think Bush reached a certain point and it didn't matter what he did, it was wrong.  I think he has made many mistakes but I also know that I do not have access to the intelligence information that he does and also that it is really easy to second guess when you have the benefit of hindsight. 
Reply #3 Top
Salk was a genius; Edison was a genius. Bush not so much.


Also, their mistakes didn't cost the lives of thousands. Bush, however . . .


But yes - Bush's failure may point to the success of another president in cleaning up his f*ckin' mess.
Reply #4 Top
The man who never makes mistakes is the man who never learns.
Reply #5 Top
The man who never makes mistakes is the man who never learns.


I disagree. My grandfather always said, "The intelligent man learns from the mistakes of others, the normal man learns from his own, and the idiot never learns".

In Bush's case, I see far too much evidence of the last of the three.
Reply #6 Top
"The intelligent man learns from the mistakes of others,


Edison tried hundreds of times before developing the light bulb; Salk failed countless times before finding the polio virus. Failure can point to success."



so your saying that these two men were not intelligent.
Reply #7 Top
No, I'm just saying that it's possible to learn from other's mistakes - you don't have to screw up yourself to learn something.

They were not only intelligent, they were geniuses. It's just an axiom, Daniel - get over it.
Reply #8 Top
No, I'm just saying that it's possible to learn from other's mistakes - you don't have to screw up yourself to learn something.

They were not only intelligent, they were geniuses. It's just an axiom, Daniel - get over it.


you get over it.


i think that the geniuses learn from everybodies mistakes theirs and yours.
Reply #9 Top
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I'm sorry, I think this says it all. I'm still laughing. The problem with Bush and Iraq is simple: his mistakes cost an arm and a leg. Actually, thousands of arms and legs, eyes, faces, and lives. As far as I know, lives weren't lost when the light bulb was developed. Nor did we mortgage our future for the polio vaccine.
Reply #10 Top

Science is all about trial and error.  War, however, is based on success.  You fail too many times and you lose.  Even if you learned something you lose.

~Zoo

Reply #11 Top

The only True judge of Bush will be history, try to remember Abraham Lincoln's Presidency was seen as a huge failure, 100,000 of thousands of Americans lives lost, American killing each other, brothers and fathers killing brothers and sons, History proved him to be a great man.

Time will tell, not any of us.

Reply #12 Top
Wow, the responses are very interesting.
Salk was a genius; Edison was a genius. Bush not so much.


Gid,

True, but it doesn't take a genius to succeed in life. In Bush's case, his genius may be in the eye of the beholder. It's possible those people who many claim are the ones controlling Bush may see the genius in him as he helps them make tons of money. Of course I'm talking about the stories of how Bush is actually a puppet president.

I think Bush reached a certain point and it didn't matter what he did, it was wrong. I think he has made many mistakes but I also know that I do not have access to the intelligence information that he does and also that it is really easy to second guess when you have the benefit of hindsight.


Loca,

It may be true, but how many mistakes can you excuse with second guessing? People like him are usually expected to make intelligent guesses, not sure of his guesses were intelligent unless they were meant to benefit someone we are unaware of.

Also, their mistakes didn't cost the lives of thousands. Bush, however . . .


Sam,

I don't know, had Edison gotten the light bulb right the first time many lives could have been saved that were lost during times when a light bulb could have been useful. And if Salk would have found the cure to polio faster, many of those 6000 dead could have been saved. But hey, no ones perfect right?

I disagree. My grandfather always said, "The intelligent man learns from the mistakes of others, the normal man learns from his own, and the idiot never learns".


I didn't know there was a middle between an intelligent person and an idiot. So a normal person is not smart nor an idiot, is that even possible?

I'm sorry Sam but you may have misunderstood him. But that's just my opinion. I have to question his concept considering we would not have many if not all of todays technologies, products and services without actually trial and error on behalf of those who created them. How would you classify them? Wouldn't "The intelligent man learns from the mistakes of others" be like saying "he got sick from eating fish so I am not gonna eat it"? I would think personal experience and learning from it would make someone more intelligent than those who learn from others mistakes, not normal.
Reply #13 Top
So a normal person is not smart nor an idiot, is that even possible?


Basically. I'd say about 60-70% of the population is in the neither idiotic or intelligent category.
Reply #14 Top
The only True judge of Bush will be history, try to remember Abraham Lincoln's Presidency was seen as a huge failure, 100,000 of thousands of Americans lives lost, American killing each other, brothers and fathers killing brothers and sons, History proved him to be a great man.


I'm not here to defend Bush and make him seem like the best thing to happen to this country since slice bread. But I do point out that while doing a lot of stupid things, Bush has been about as idiotic as any other president ever has and the true problem in this country is not Bush, or Cheney or even Hilary. The real problem are the American citizens who just don't care enough to stand up and actually get involved in fixing the problems of this nation. instead they want people like Bush, Mrs Clinton, Pulosi, Reed, etc to do it for them, to give them everything they think they deserve and to do it all without take taxes from them. I think the average American has confused the White House with a church and our politicians with God.

How can we claim this country to be "By the People, For the People" when the people have a "by them, for me" mentality.
Reply #15 Top
Basically. I'd say about 60-70% of the population is in the neither idiotic or intelligent category.


statistically, yes, 2/3 (66%) fall within the "average" range.
Reply #16 Top
Basically. I'd say about 60-70% of the population is in the neither idiotic or intelligent category.


Based on what I see from personal experience, what I hear on the radio and what I see on TV,I would say 60-70% are idiotic and 15% are extremely intelligent.
Reply #17 Top
Basically. I'd say about 60-70% of the population is in the neither idiotic or intelligent category.


statistically, yes, 2/3 (66%) fall within the "average" range.


sorry i believe average means 50%
Reply #18 Top
sorry i believe average means 50%


Well, let's look at the distribution of IQ scores - while not a perfect measure of ability, a pretty fair example of cognitive skills.

IQ Description % of Population
130+ Very superior 2.2%
120-129 Superior 6.7%
110-119 High average 16.1%
90-109 Average 50%
80-89 Low average 16.1%
70-79 Borderline 6.7%
Below 70 Extremely low 2.2%


So let's see - all the ones labeled some type of "average" add up to 82.2 percent.

In other words - you don't quite understand the definition of "average" as applies in this circumstance. Yes, some are "high average" or "low average", but their intelligence is still considered average.
Reply #19 Top
130+ Very superior 2.2%
120-129 Superior 6.7%


gee i am smarter than i thought. depending on which test i score 129 to 131. i thought it was only high average.
Reply #20 Top
130+ Very superior 2.2%


Below 70 Extremely low 2.2%


the difference between these two is about that much (II). sorry don't know how to show thumb and finger being held together.
Reply #21 Top

The only True judge of Bush will be history, try to remember Abraham Lincoln's Presidency was seen as a huge failure, 100,000 of thousands of Americans lives lost, American killing each other, brothers and fathers killing brothers and sons, History proved him to be a great man.


Time will tell, not any of us.



On this one, I'm happy to rely on history as the judge. Think Nixon.