-S 2, Ep 21
Picard says this to Data because Data is worried about again losing a strategy game against an exceedingly . . . well, "skilled" opponent. After reprimanding him, Picard says this.
In this crazy world we live in, it's hard to cut yourself a break sometimes. We all get caught in the trap of needing to do something perfectly. The culture we live in is one that devalues losers and overvalues winners, so I suppose it's hardly surprising that we all will, on occasion, fall into the trap of seeing ourselves as weak simply because we've failed.
This is one of those quotes that reminds me of that Thomas Jefferson quote that Ben Gates says in National Treasure. The one about the lightbulb. "I didn't fail. I found 100 ways not to make a lightbulb." Very often we view our losses as nothing more than failures, which has a very negative overtone. Failing is bad. Failing means you're a pathetic, wimpy person. If you fail at something, that means you yourself are a failure as a person. It's one of those things that we humans tend to focus on and label ourselves with when they occur.
That's why I like this quote from Star Trek. As much as we'd like to think otherwise, we won't win every battle, but that doesn't make us failures or "weak". "That is life." It's one of those things that make us equal because it's something we all share.
The way this quote resonates with me is mostly to my writer's side. We writers tend to be very hard on ourselves. When our creations our rejected, it's taken very personally because it doesn't feel so much like our writing is being rejected so much as who we are is. But, that's not really fair to ourselves. If no one likes the things you come up with, that may be hurtful, but does it really matter at the end of the day? I hope not. So long as you've created something that you are proud of, then what does it matter what everyone else thinks. This may be encouraging selfishness, but I think it's okay to just write for yourself and forget about everyone else. :)
Sometimes even something perfect will be rejected by those around us. That doesn't mean it's bad. From an LDS girls' perspective, I look at the many missionary stories from the Book of Mormon. More than once, they would go into cities, preach the gospel, and get kicked out - usually getting severely injured in the process. They did everything they were supposed to, everything they were asked, but it looked as though they still lost. Well, not really. They did their job. The fact that the people rejected them wasn't their fault. They couldn't force them to believe. The final decision was left up to the people they preached to, and they chose to reject it. So, I guess technically, the missionaries didn't lose, but the cities who rejected them sure did.
Anyway, I guess my whole point is that this is a good quote; something to remember when you're being really hard on yourself. Don't let yourself label yourself when you make mistakes or fail at something. As Riker says in a later episode, "It's arrogant to assume you'll never make a mistake." And as Mr. Jefferson said, "I found 100 ways not to make a lightbulb." Losing isn't a failure or a weakness. It's the first step to finding something greater. That's a cheesy thing to say, I know, but let's be honest here, you know it's true.
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