---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: America is now a land that rewards…"
description: "\"“America is now a land that rewards failure--at the personal, corporate and state level. If you reward it, you get more of it. If you reward it lavishl..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cec/mark-steyn-1844_failure_america-is-now-a-land-that-rewards-failu_321417.png"
---

#  America is now a land that rewards failure--at the…

![“America is now a land that rewards failure--at the personal, corporate and state level. If you reward it, you get more of it. If you reward it lavishly as the federal government does, you'll get the Radio City Spectacular of Failure, on ice and with full supporting orchestra. The problem is that…” quote by Mark Steyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cec/mark-steyn-1844_failure_america-is-now-a-land-that-rewards-failu_321417.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cec/mark-steyn-1844_failure_america-is-now-a-land-that-rewards-failu_321417.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cec/mark-steyn-1844_failure_america-is-now-a-land-that-rewards-failu_321417.png)

> ““America is now a land that rewards failure--at the personal, corporate and state level. If you reward it, you get more of it. If you reward it lavishly as the federal government does, you'll get the Radio City Spectacular of Failure, on ice and with full supporting orchestra. The problem is that, in abolishing failure, you also abolish the possibility of success, and guarantee only the huge sucking statist swamp. From Motown to no town, from the Golden State to Golden Statists. What happens when the policies that brought ruin to Detroit and decay to California are applied to the nation at large?””

[Mark Steyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-steyn/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Rewarding failure at all levels encourages more failure, creating a bloated, ineffective system that stifles success.

**In simple terms:** Rewarding failure breeds more failure.

Key Takeaway

Avoid incentivizing failure.

Themes

economics policy culture failure success

Mood

critical skeptical

Type

political economic.

When to use this quote

- government programs
- corporate bonuses
- personal goal setting
- urban planning

Key Concepts

incentive theory public policy behavioral economics

Questions to Reflect On

- What incentives truly promote success?
- How can we balance risk and accountability?

A Different Perspective

May oversimplify complex causes of economic issues.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Federal government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/federal-government/)

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