"Failing upwards" is not a thing, you're just denying the damage you caused and therefore lying by implication.

Context?

@iiii Literally every context where I've heard the phrase so far.

@iiii When somebody describes how they did something or achieved some feat, I always try to imagine their effect to the people they worked with and projects they participated in. Those who "fail upwards" gain position by crashing perfectly fine projects and stomping on everyone who actually cared about the project rather than themselves.

sounds like the peter principle

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...

@NeatNerdPrime Not quite, I'm talking about collateral damage one causes while climbing past the point the Peter principle identifies as their final position, through denying their previous failures.

@homo-lorens oh, now I understand it.... This is way worse! Dear lord...