Opus 2015-103: Striving for Perfection

Is the quest for perfection building or destroying our culture and our lives?

I think most of us would assume that we are looking for the ultimate ________ in many areas of our life.  It might be something as simple as a pizza.  It might be as complex as pollution free power.  When we plant a garden, we want it done right.  When we raise children we want them to come out better than anyone else’s. 

The striving for excellence is the prod of progress.  If we are satisfied with the way the chili tastes then we never try new spices or techniques.  We would stagnate.  Thus, the quest is good.  When we don’t achieve perfection we continue to strive.  In a sense we know that even if we reach our goal we will just set a new one.

For some people perfection is destructive.  I see this at school all the time.  I have some students who seem to be mediocre.  They never get much done.  Often they turn in no work.  If you observe them they seem to be working.  What is the problem?  They are perfectionists.  If they make a little mistake, they start over again.  It doesn’t matter if they are on the first word or the last line.  A mistake is not acceptable.  Even eraser marks are not allowed.  They start over. 

It is a personality type.  I must confess that it is not me.  I have many areas of life where “it’s good enough for government work”, as my father used to joke, is the standard.  Other areas I go for the gold, but I have learned that it is often out of reach.  Today.

There is always tomorrow. 

Some of us need to lighten up.  Some of us need to buckle down.

homo unius libri