Achieving Immortality

If all else fails, immortality can always be assured by a spectacular error. -- John Kenneth Galbraith

I think the emphasis is a bit wrong here. I think immortality can only come from spetacular errors (errors not necessarily from the one being immortalized). The errors produce an opportunity for greatness. What's your take?

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Ron Kruger on April 22, 2008 at 3:56pm: I own a patent on something that came into being by one of the dumbest mistakes I've ever made. I was making something, and because I had so many things on my mind, and was in a hurry, I put the main body of the thing on backwards. At first I wondered how I could do something so stupid, then the dynamics of the altered shape hit me. The rest kind of fell into place, and when I found it worked better than anything, I applied for a patent.
Someone once told me it was the most ingenious thing. "Who would have ever thought of reversing the body," he said. I didn't tell them it was all the result of a mindless mistake.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by LIGuy on April 24, 2008 at 10:32am: As Woody Allen said "I would like to achieve immortality by not dying."

Ron,

What was it that you invented?; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Ron Kruger on April 24, 2008 at 1:28pm: LIGuy: A unique fly/lure used for fly fishing for bass. At least it was unique enough to earn a patent. I called it the Desperate Diver. Sold them everywhere (direct mail) for about a dozen years, which is a long time in the fickle fishing industry.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by LIGuy on April 25, 2008 at 11:36am: I thought it was somethingto do with reversing the aging process.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Tim555 on April 26, 2008 at 1:52pm: Timbo the clown has been trying to reverse the aging process by walking backwards for years...driving old folks in reverse and using his secret non dietetic cotton candy mixture ..
I'll let you know when he makes a mistake and discovers something..; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by redstella on April 26, 2008 at 4:33pm: No, he's Bob-Doler...; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Tim555 on April 27, 2008 at 1:47pm: He used to visit my Dad at our house in Kansas years ago...guess I rubbed off on him..; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Tim555 on April 27, 2008 at 1:46pm: yep ...north south and equator pole...; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Tim555 on April 26, 2008 at 1:56pm: There are a few people that made
mistakes that changed history...Columbus
..is the one I think about..; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Garooch on April 26, 2008 at 2:00pm: If he turned right, he would have discovered the eskimos. Anyone for a Columbus Pie?; ▶ Reply to This