Clyde on Perfection

mary poppinsEnough is as good as a feast.” ~ Mary Poppins

When Mary Poppins said it, she meant what the children had done was sufficient and more belaboring would only please those of meticulous nature.

Close enough for government work” ~ Red Dwyer

In the grand scheme of things, perfection is overrated; yet, humans chase the golden ring for the majority of their lives. Clyde says,

Get over it.”

Imperfection is part of what makes our personalities distinct. The idiosyncrasies define our method of approach to myriad endeavors and are very different from others’.

Perfection, in many cases, is subjective. Subjectivity requires opinion. Everyone knows opinions are like…

navel

bellybuttons… everyone has a different one, and they are all full of gradu.

Caveat-ish

Yes, some things are measurably perfect. Specifications are met on a daily basis; however, the feasibility of a perfect product cannot be measured with a caliper. For instance, very few people would debate the mechanical perfection of a Gran Cabrio.

maserati gran cabrio

A gift of one to a single mother with four children would be met with a raised eyebrow; it is far from perfect for her situation.

What of all the other ways humans, especially adults, strive for perfection? Nutrition, job performance, relationships, to name a few.

Do Not Eat That

nih food pyramid

The improved food pyramid is another great example of overrated perfection. Most of us grew up with a pyramid built in layers (practical). Today, it is built in vertical stripes.

While the chemistry of the human body is not rocket science, telling a vegetarian to eat a plate of meat will cause far more harm than good. Our bodies grow accustomed to our diets and function in spite of what we put in our mouths.

Even though the pyramid is a good example of what to feed an unconditioned body, chances are better than average people who are lactose and gluten intolerant will tell you three glass of milk and six servings of bread are enough to put them into the ground. Again, overrated perfection.

Give me a raise!

performance reviewWhat kind of nightmare is this? You have hit every production milestone accurately and think this is unfair. You see your performance as perfect because the client was happy with the perfect product.

What your boss sees is the six days you were tardy, three days you were absent, five days you worked in excess of 10 hours, two overtime requests, employee who quit because she could not produce without your materials and your blown budget.

Love Me Long Time

burning heartMatters of the heart are no different. How many people are looking for the perfect mate? Those same people believe they are the perfect mate. Overrated perfection.

The most beautiful body walks into the room. Animal magnetism sends hormones racing. Small talk leads to a date. Nature takes it course from an intimate to exclusive relationship. Over time, the imperfections surface.

  • Dirty dishes in the sink and laundry on the floor
  • Failure to laugh at your jokes
  • Incongruity on your acceptance of family
  • Disinterest in your hobbies
  • Fixation on parts of life which were present when the body walked in the room

Exclusivity is not as exclusive as you once perceived, even though Mate is only having sex with you. The differences between you are growing exponentially. The harmony becomes more off-key with every situation. What you saw as perfection is not even close to your ideal of perfection.

Enter Ape

Right turn, Clyde!

When perfect is in the eye of the beholder looking at a mirage, why do we insist on chasing perfection? Better still, why do we expect adulation for our own perceived perfection?

Moreover, what is it which brings us to judge those who do not hold our same ideal of perfection? Why do we think the single mother should be grateful for the mother of all inappropriate gifts? Why do the vegetarians think the omnivores are barbaric and the omnivores think the vegetarians are stupidly missing out? Why is performance based on the ability to hold to strictures which do not mitigate successful satisfaction of the client? Why is relationship perfection based on similarity rather than complimentary nature?

It is enough to make an ape wonder.

perfection butterfly

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Is perfection overrated? Does the butterfly have it right? How closely related are perfection and judgment?

Hashtags: #perfection #relationships

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© Red Dwyer 2013
Image Credits:
Mary Poppins © Disney
Maserati courtesy of Carbuyer UK
Food pyramid courtesy of NIH
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23 Comments

  1. Being that I am perfect I will just say…

    Yes I agree that some do strive for perfection but as each level of perfection is reached then there are another set of equally higher levels to navigate, thus showing that perfection can never be truly ascertained. I guess that ascension and perfection is just an improbable thought but it doesn’t stop anyone trying.

    I have enjoyed reading this posting Red as it is highly thought provoking and I am sure that it will have some interesting feedback 🙂

    Andro xxxx

    Reply
    • I am a perfectionist, always have been. I realize there are increasing levels of complication, but the mastery of the more simplistic levels are no less perfect. So, who gets to decide what is perfect?

      Reply
      • Ahhh well that would depend on what you were doing at the time, but then I am sure that whatever you put your mind to would be perfection… Well as near perfection as it is possible of course 😉 🙂

        Andro xxxx

        Reply
  2. It seems to me you may be implying that I am not perfect. I find that hard to believe! I believe, deep down, most of us are perfect. Perfectly stupid.
    Binky recently posted..Stupid HurtsMy Profile

    Reply
    • I think we each have a level of perfection which allows us to be ourselves. Aligning ourselves with our own perfection to the exclusion of the judgments to the contrary is where self-love exists.

      Reply
  3. The butterfly has it right. Perfection is not only over-rated I think it’s an impossible goal in any activity or relationship or object in the organic and cosmic world. Perfection and judgement are twins in the same fun house mirror. I’ve been guilty of both striving to be perfect to my own standards, and judging others for their productivity. Lately I’ve been removed from both obsessions or what I think is depravity in myself. I’m listening to the butterfly and trying to be the best me.
    Gail Thornton recently posted..Poem — The PrayerMy Profile

    Reply
    • Holding ourselves to our own standards is not a bad endeavor as long as those standards are truly our own. When they are tempered with the judgment of the world outside our skins, we are letting others decide what is right for us, ergo imperfect. Be the butterfly. xxx

      Reply
  4. Perfection is impossible because perfection means you are finished, nothing left to be done. What fun is that? I prefer the journey to some distant destination.

    We see what we want to see so most people only see the good stuff (in the beginning). We see what we expect to see. We hear what we expect to hear. What if we went through life with no expectations?
    John McDevitt recently posted..Saigon 1966: A Day in the LifeMy Profile

    Reply
    • We would all be infinitely happier. Expectation is met with disappointment. The journey is where the joy of life is. Knowing ourselves well enough to be the best we can makes the journey far easier. Glad to see you, John.

      Reply
  5. I’m with the butterfly in this one! 🙂

    The only time I will ever be perfect is when I’m cremated at a very great age!!! 🙂

    Love and squishy hugs!

    Prenin.
    Prenin recently posted..Saturday – pushing the clock.My Profile

    Reply
    • What a dreadful thought. I believe you have had perfect moments already. Take care not to measure them with someone else’s ruler.

      Reply
  6. Perfection is out of the question but I do sometimes have delusions of adequacy.
    Bo Lumpkin recently posted..Unsung Heroes- Hank The Handy ManMy Profile

    Reply
    • ROFL! I would venture a guess Gloria would tell me you have far more moments of perfection than you take credit for. Great to see you, Bo.

      Reply
  7. “Over time, the imperfections surface.”

    Around here, that’s called “The honeymoon is over.”

    As for perfection, I experienced it yesterday. Well, as close as it’s gonna get. Kevin McLeod will once again grace one of my saga videos…as soon as I can add a frame and a tag of music for it, and upload it to YT. I found one of his compositions that hits the transitions of my photos so closely I was blown away by the effect. We couldn’t have meshed better if we’d actually worked together.

    Reply
    • I suppose the delusion of believing anyone as perfect by a scale other than their own must be “the honeymoon”. Congrats on your video! Glad to see you. xxx

      Reply
  8. Perfection IS over-rated. As mentioned above, how boring would life be if we lived in a perfect world? I don’t look for perfect, I look for the best I can do or have. People some might judge as perfect, might be stressed trying to live up to too high expectations.

    So many ‘beautiful’ people can’t even get a date.
    Tess Kann recently posted..Trifextra – Week 81My Profile

    Reply
    • How sad is it, Tess, we consider beauty the equivalent of perfection? Sadder still are those who would work hard to be someone else’s interpretation of perfection. xxx

      Reply
  9. Perhaps we strive for perfection in our work, our relationships and our selves because we are conditioned to do so. We are also conditioned to judge others and ourselves harshly.

    Look at how high the profits are in all the industries which play on our insecurities and failures.
    Valentine Logar recently posted..Fall Flash 4My Profile

    Reply
  10. Right now I’d settle for the floor staying clean more than an hour at a time. It doesn’t have to be perfect, I just like to know it’s still there.
    Laurie recently posted..Flash in the Pan: BackwardMy Profile

    Reply

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