Yes, it is a failure. Don’t take that as an attack — you’re not obligated to be successful in every single area of your life. It happens, and there’s no need to spiral over it. “The economy was rough” is a real factor, sure, but it’s a bit like saying “the game level was hard” as the reason you didn’t beat it. Fine, it was hard — but you still didn’t beat it. That’s just what happened.
Think about Homer Simpson for a second. He’s a fool. He does dumb things constantly. And yet he’s never portrayed as a truly worthless person. Why? Because whatever else is going on, he’s married, he has kids, and he’s taken on the responsibility of providing for them. Responsibility is the thing that actually earns someone dignity in our eyes — not intelligence, not success in the abstract.
If the reason you haven’t moved out is “why would I, when there’s already a home-cooked meal waiting for me,” that’s avoiding a responsibility — and avoiding responsibility makes you less respected than you could otherwise be, even if you’re smart, even if you’re capable.
Now, you might push back: “So what if I’m not seen as dignified? Do I owe anyone proof of anything?” Fair question. You don’t. But you asked whether it’s a failure — and the honest answer is: yes, it is. That doesn’t mean you’re required to fix it, and it doesn’t mean you’re a bad person. It just means the answer to your actual question is yes.
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