Ben Brown, Internet Rockstar Feverish Velocity

Own Your Failure

Last Thursday, Katie and Alex sat in our living room and listened with rapt attention, broken only by moments of pure joy, to the speech given by Senator Barack Obama at the end of the Democratic National Convention. It was a good speech, and I think it was densely filled with meaning and information - a refreshing change from most political nonsense I hear that is mosty opinion opinion opinion.

After going through his thank-yous and introductions, Obama turned to the issue of the last eight years of failed leadership this country has had to struggle through by saying about the Republicans that “It’s time for them to own their failure.” As soon as I heard this line, my brain lept into action. Owning their failure is absolutely something that the Republicans should do - they have lots to own up to! But, to paraphrase Obama, it’s not only about THEM, it’s about US. We are all to blame for the failures of our government and the systematic disassembly of the American Dream.

Minutes after he had spoken the words, I had purchased OwnYourFailure.com. The next morning, I got to hacking, and a few hours later launched a site where anyone can take responsibility for one of the failures of the Bush Administration. I Twittered about it, and submissions started rolling in. Then, other people Twittered about it, and even more submissions rolled in!

After just 5 days, more than 200 people have submitted their failures to the site. Watching the submissions come in has been a surprisingly interesting experience. While some people have done what I initially (and snarkily) intended them to do - fascitiously claim responsibility for Bush’s failed policies - many people have posted genuine feelings of guilt, remorse and anger at their own personal failures. What I think becomes very clear, reading through these admissions of guilt, is that there is a very real re-awakening of civic duty and responsibility happening in this country. I think people are really starting to realize that they cannot risk being apolitical. Post after post, people are recognizing that the problems we face now are directly linked to their failure to get informed, to get registered, to go out and vote in 2000 and 2004.

It is really an amazing thing to read these confessions. I feel honored and privileged to have stumbled into this amazing record of the zeitgeist. Here are some of my favorite confessions so far… and you can always add your own!

K from Colorado takes responsibility for: I voted in the Presidential election once when I was 18 and became so disillusioned I didn’t vote again until I was 34. I feel I have contributed to the recent failures in our government by being one of too many Americans who don’t let their voice be heard by voting in every election.

Jenn from Tokyo, Japan (expat) takes responsibility for: I’ll take not raising my voice and fists in moral outrage that the U.S. tortures people who are never offered a fair trial. With no legal recourse. Who could potentially be innocent. So sorry!

Derek Wallace from North Hollywood, California takes responsibility for: I worked in the advertising/marketing field of the car industry for several years and helped not only brainwash people into buying things they didn’t need, but also helped them contribute to global warming/international resource wars/Third World exploitation/toxic pollution/health threats in the process. I didn’t directly sell the cars myself, but if I hadn’t done my job, hundreds of dealerships across Southern California would not have been able to achieve the kind of success they had from 2003-2006.

Hannah from Virginia takes responsibility for: Going along with No Child Left Behind. Every day of my first year of teaching, dragging my students toward a place where they could pass the damn test was at the core of my teaching, rather than creativity and exploration. I’m sorry to have failed them, their families, and their community.

Rachel from Austin takes responsibility for: Failing to prevent the income gap from widening.

Ariel from Boise ID takes responsibility for: I VOTED FOR BUSH THE FIRST TIME! I SWEAR TO GOD ON MY FIRST BORN CHILD I DIDN’T KNOW WHAT I WAS DOING! I JUST VOTED LIKE MY PARENTS ALWAYS DID!!!! And I will never forgive myself!

And I think my #1 favorite:

Christopher from Bakersfield, CA takes responsibility for: Not knowing then as much as I know now. I’ll continue my research.

A minor note of little current importance - I was able to launch this site so quickly because I built it using the PeoplePods framework for social sites that I will eventually release through my new company, XOXCO, Inc.