Comments on: Failure IS an option

By: Stilgherrian · Thanksgiving With the Kranzes

Stilgherrian · Thanksgiving With the Kranzes — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 00:56:36 +0000

[...] OK, it was mentioned in the comments, but the movie Thanksgiving With the Kranzes deserves its own post. It’s a superb satire on [...]

By: Stilgherrian

Stilgherrian — Sun, 24 Jun 2007 23:46:44 +0000

@Richard: Time to destroy the myth. From the Wikipedia article on Gene Kranz:

During the Apollo 13 mission, Kranz never actually used the phrase "Failure is not an option," which was created for the Ron Howard movie Apollo 13. However, he so liked the way the line reflected the attitude of mission control, that he used it as the title of his 2000 autobiography.

By: Stilgherrian

Stilgherrian — Sun, 24 Jun 2007 23:33:39 +0000

@Richard: You're 100% correct about context. I've added linkage to your comment -- and I'll also mention here the link you just emailed me to the superb, superb short film Thanksgiving With the Kranzes, a spoof of the movie Apollo 13.

By: Richard

Richard — Sun, 24 Jun 2007 23:23:51 +0000

The phrase is generally attributed to Gene Kranz, the NASA controller tasked with saving the Apollo 13 crew. He said it to motivate a team working around the clock to save the lives of their colleagues.

Kranz knew all about failure, after the Apollo 1 fire. I’m fairly sure Kranz wasn’t in denial; he was just trying to say ‘we won’t be able to live with ourselves if we stuff this up’. In those circumstances, I’d say some hype is understandable and even desirable.

I don’t think the people who use the slogan nowadays are facing quite the same circumstances. Kranz was trying to save three lives and possibly the US space programme itself, not re-brand a salad dressing that’s fallen out of favour.

Context is everything, folks.