Original artwork, not a still
Trying is the first step towards failure.
— The Simpsons • 1989
Behind the line
What it means
Our interpretation.
Homer turns laziness into logic: if trying is where failure starts, then the safest plan is never to start. It is the voice of every discouraging relative, delivered as if it were wisdom, and the show's joke is that Marge goes on to prove him wrong. Fans quote it as the anti-motivational motto, usually when they are about to skip something they know they should do.
Context reviewed
In context
Spoilers for The SimpsonsShow the scene
In "Realty Bites" (The Simpsons, season 9, December 1997), Marge is bored at home and decides to try selling houses after meeting lawyer-turned-agent Lionel Hutz at Red Blazer Realty. She tells Homer she would really like to give it a try, and he answers with the line. Marge studies for the licensing test anyway, passes and gets the job, only to find that her honesty costs the firm sales. The episode's other plot has Homer buying a hot rod at a police auction, a car that turns out to belong to Snake.
Sources (2)
- Simpsons Wiki: Realty Bites/QuotesQuote list (Marge and Homer exchange)Reference checked
- Simpsons Wiki: Realty BitesInfobox and synopsisReference checked
Context reviewed
