I fail all the time. I fail professionally, I fail personally, I fail mortally. I fail and fail and fail. Now if you think this is some sort of self-flagellation that leads to some redemption blog, then I will have to disappoint you, friend. I fail because I fail. Not for some deeper purpose like “fail faster “. I fail because I fail.

The reason I am sharing with you that I fail all the time is to put right on the table that I am not some paragon of virtue looking down on everyone. I am not an exemplar of virtue or wisdom. But even though I fail all the time on all kinds of levels at least I can admit it and put a pin in my own hubris as I offer a more severe criticism.

You’re all failing.

In Britain, in the United States, In Canada, in Poland, In France, In Italy, and across the western world you are all failing. All of you are failing miserably. You’re failing because you choose to not care about your neighbour who doesn’t have enough food. You’re failing because you’re willing to let racists and flim flamers take the reins of power in your country. You’re failing because you don’t demand that obscenely wealthy corporations and individuals actually pay their fair share. You are failing because you would rather believe bullshit conspiracy theories propagated by Vladimir Putin on Facebook than the people in your own town. You are failing because you can’t bring yourself to say Black Lives Matter. You’re failing because Me Too makes you feel uncomfortable rather than outraged.

You are failing because you refuse to vote or when you do vote you can’t be bothered to invest the time needed to make sure you’ve made an informed decision. You are failing and failing and failing because you would instead do that, fail, then admit you’re wrong, and it’s that hubris that lets people like Donald Trump get into power. It’s because of that hubris that Boris Johnstone can lie to you again and again and again yet you elect him Prime Minister of Britain. It is because of hubris that you chose the racist Andrzej Duda in Poland. And it is that hubris that allows Justin Trudeau to think he is The Dauphin rather than the servant he is supposed to be.

Now you could blame the right-wingers and the white power element or the patriarchy or the economy, but in the end maybe you should look in the mirror. Perhaps you should consider that you would rather see the world burn, people starve, demagogues be elected, and our children’s future dimmer than admit that you’ve gotten it wrong.

Or maybe you won’t, and you’ll start to hold yourself to account so we can hold those in power to account.

The future of the world os riding on your shoulders friend, so I really have to ask you.

Is failure an option?