Innovation is not just about creating new products; it's about reimagining the entire experience.
Lisp is worth learning for the profound enlightenment experience you will have when you finally get it; that experience will make you a better programmer for the rest of your days, even if you never actually use Lisp itself a lot.
The only way to deal with an unfree world is to become so absolutely free that your very existence is an act of rebellion.
Failure is just another step toward success.