Stephen Dubner

I'm guessing when it comes to intellect and talent, there are a lot of people in the first group who are virtually indistinguishable from people in the second group. And I'm guessing a lot of them are as stunned as Mike Ridgeman that they devoted so much time and money and effort to a system he dearly wanted to belong to, but which in the end just spat him out.

The tenured professors, meanwhile, are protected, even if they don't perform well in the classroom or produce good research. In some cases, even if they commit academic fraud. So if you were just starting out in academia, if you were a young Mike Ridgeman who didn't make it, or a young Melanie Stephan who did, but with scars from her failures, how do you know if the answer is grit or quit?

The tenured professors, meanwhile, are protected, even if they don't perform well in the classroom or produce good research. In some cases, even if they commit academic fraud. So if you were just starting out in academia, if you were a young Mike Ridgeman who didn't make it, or a young Melanie Stephan who did, but with scars from her failures, how do you know if the answer is grit or quit?

The tenured professors, meanwhile, are protected, even if they don't perform well in the classroom or produce good research. In some cases, even if they commit academic fraud. So if you were just starting out in academia, if you were a young Mike Ridgeman who didn't make it, or a young Melanie Stephan who did, but with scars from her failures, how do you know if the answer is grit or quit?

I wish I knew. I would happily tell you, but I don't. After the break, more failure. In love.

I wish I knew. I would happily tell you, but I don't. After the break, more failure. In love.

I wish I knew. I would happily tell you, but I don't. After the break, more failure. In love.

We'll be right back. Joseph O'Connell has been a maker all his life.

We'll be right back. Joseph O'Connell has been a maker all his life.

We'll be right back. Joseph O'Connell has been a maker all his life.

To say that Thomas Edison was an inspiration to O'Connell would be an understatement. Not just how Edison succeeded, but how he talked about failure.

To say that Thomas Edison was an inspiration to O'Connell would be an understatement. Not just how Edison succeeded, but how he talked about failure.

To say that Thomas Edison was an inspiration to O'Connell would be an understatement. Not just how Edison succeeded, but how he talked about failure.

Today, O'Connell and his studio build public art projects across the country. Some of them are complicated pieces with big moving parts. He has won awards. His work is in museums. But O'Connell says the projects he remembers best are the ones that don't work out. His biggest failure was in Houston. It's a massive piece made of aluminum and stainless steel and fabric. It's called Wings Over Water.

Today, O'Connell and his studio build public art projects across the country. Some of them are complicated pieces with big moving parts. He has won awards. His work is in museums. But O'Connell says the projects he remembers best are the ones that don't work out. His biggest failure was in Houston. It's a massive piece made of aluminum and stainless steel and fabric. It's called Wings Over Water.

Today, O'Connell and his studio build public art projects across the country. Some of them are complicated pieces with big moving parts. He has won awards. His work is in museums. But O'Connell says the projects he remembers best are the ones that don't work out. His biggest failure was in Houston. It's a massive piece made of aluminum and stainless steel and fabric. It's called Wings Over Water.

There's one more zone of failure that we haven't heard about today. It's love.

There's one more zone of failure that we haven't heard about today. It's love.

There's one more zone of failure that we haven't heard about today. It's love.

Helen Fisher was a friend of mine, a lovely human. She died last year. She was an anthropologist who studied romantic love.