Stephen Dubner

So that's how a couple of psychologists think about failure, especially personal failures and failure in organizations. Let's slide over to thinking about failures in the economy. How might an economist think about failure? I think it's extraordinarily important. John Van Rienen is a professor at the London School of Economics.

He studies innovation, or as Amy Edmondson calls it, innovation blah, blah, blah.

He studies innovation, or as Amy Edmondson calls it, innovation blah, blah, blah.

He studies innovation, or as Amy Edmondson calls it, innovation blah, blah, blah.

Van Rienen is particularly interested in failure because of a puzzle that economists are trying to solve. Why has there been, over the past couple of decades, a decline in innovation and productivity in advanced economies like the UK and the US?

Van Rienen is particularly interested in failure because of a puzzle that economists are trying to solve. Why has there been, over the past couple of decades, a decline in innovation and productivity in advanced economies like the UK and the US?

Van Rienen is particularly interested in failure because of a puzzle that economists are trying to solve. Why has there been, over the past couple of decades, a decline in innovation and productivity in advanced economies like the UK and the US?

There is a set of mantras from Silicon Valley about fail fast and the success of failure and so on. But in most places in the world, people don't really believe in that. Failure is seen as an embarrassment, a shameful thing, a thing we don't talk about and therefore a thing we don't learn about. So do you have any advice for changing mindsets about failure?

There is a set of mantras from Silicon Valley about fail fast and the success of failure and so on. But in most places in the world, people don't really believe in that. Failure is seen as an embarrassment, a shameful thing, a thing we don't talk about and therefore a thing we don't learn about. So do you have any advice for changing mindsets about failure?

There is a set of mantras from Silicon Valley about fail fast and the success of failure and so on. But in most places in the world, people don't really believe in that. Failure is seen as an embarrassment, a shameful thing, a thing we don't talk about and therefore a thing we don't learn about. So do you have any advice for changing mindsets about failure?

I just want to make sure I understood that right. You are saying that America does lead the world in failure.

I just want to make sure I understood that right. You are saying that America does lead the world in failure.

I just want to make sure I understood that right. You are saying that America does lead the world in failure.

Are you saying that that relatively high rate of success is due in some part to a particularly American embrace or at least ability to withstand failure?

Are you saying that that relatively high rate of success is due in some part to a particularly American embrace or at least ability to withstand failure?

Are you saying that that relatively high rate of success is due in some part to a particularly American embrace or at least ability to withstand failure?

Okay, to summarize John Van Rienen's economic view, the United States is a hotbed of failure, and that's a good thing. But he is talking about failed business ideas. How about failed relationships?

Okay, to summarize John Van Rienen's economic view, the United States is a hotbed of failure, and that's a good thing. But he is talking about failed business ideas. How about failed relationships?

Okay, to summarize John Van Rienen's economic view, the United States is a hotbed of failure, and that's a good thing. But he is talking about failed business ideas. How about failed relationships?

That's coming up after the break. I'm Stephen Dubner. This is Freakonomics Radio, and you are listening to How to Succeed at Failing. Most of the academic literature on failure is devoted to institutional and business failures. And that makes sense. That's where the money is.