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It is hard to fail, but it is worse never to have tried to succeed.

Theodore Roosevelt, 'The Strenuous Life', 1899

Philosophy

The story behind the card

Roosevelt gave the speech 'The Strenuous Life' in Chicago on 10 April 1899, while he was Governor of New York. The year before, he had won fame leading a volunteer cavalry regiment, the Rough Riders, in the Spanish–American War. He argued that a life of ease leads to decay, in a person and in a nation, and that success comes to those who do not shrink from hardship. The speech also defended the war the United States had just begun to keep control of the Philippines, which many criticised.

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Başarısız olmak zordur, ama başarıya ulaşmayı hiç denememiş olmak daha da kötüdür.
Theodore Roosevelt, “The Strenuous Life” konuşması, 1899

Roosevelt “The Strenuous Life” (Çetin Hayat) konuşmasını 10 Nisan 1899'da Chicago'da yaptı; o sırada New York valisiydi. Bir yıl önce İspanya-Amerika Savaşı'nda Rough Riders adıyla bilinen gönüllü süvari alayına komuta ederek ün kazanmıştı. Konuşmada, rahat ve konfor içinde geçen bir hayatın hem insanı hem ulusu çürüttüğünü, başarının zorluktan ve ağır emekten kaçmayanlara geldiğini savundu. Konuşmanın o gün de bugün de eleştirilen bir yanı vardı: ABD'nin Filipinler'i elinde tutmak için birkaç ay önce girdiği savaşı savunuyordu.

Sources and further reading

Background reading: Theodore Roosevelt
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