We all fail. It’s part of being human; trying, falling short of our own standards or those imposed on us by others. Most of us know this experience well, and for many it’s one of the most painful we face. Failure can bring shame, self-hatred, alienation, and the urge to disappear. But what if failure isn’t something to fear or avoid? What if it’s something we should actively seek?

In this week’s episode, I ask a simple but unsettling question: What is failure, and is it really that bad? Building on our previous exploration of nihilism, the relentlessly nihilistic Romanian philosopher Emil Cioran takes this idea to its extreme, inviting us to consider whether failing might be the only way we ever truly come to know ourselves.