A tipped-over golden trophy beside a small burgundy rosette on a dark red background.

Original artwork, not a still

J.M. Barrie

We are all failures'at least, all the best of us are. Rectorial address, May 3, 1922, St. Andrew's University, Scotland.

Behind the line

What it means

Our interpretation.

The saying reverses the usual shame of failure by including the best people among failures. It challenges success as the sole measure of worth rather than judging every person's achievement. The final line is the retained address citation.

Context reviewed

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