Perfection: Part 1

Introduction:
Brought into a world of "right now", creating offspring’s of fast pace, impatient individuals searching for perfection in the right here, right now. Perfection is a word that could be harnessed as a type of motivation or platform in which one can use to create a strong foundation for any given matter; but instead is commercialized as an absolute necessity in tangible form. Merriam-Webster’s definition of perfection is the quality or state of being perfect: as freedom from fault or defect: flawlessness; it also defines it as an exemplification of supreme excellence, an unsurpassable degree of accuracy or excellence, and the act or process of perfecting. My motto has always been "striving for perfection, making my best even better". Striving for perfection should create a mindset and sense of betterment allowing the individual to improve their life...right? Well, I'm coming to understand that "perfection" depends upon one's own perception in conjunction with society's definition rather than the actual definition of the word; which seems to me to be a downfall, a flaw, a glitch in the human psyche. At what point should one realize that as a result of their outlandish demands, their quest for perfection in a given variable is a journey taken which will ultimately become an endless search or an undesired conclusion outlined with mindless hypotheses and procedures? When will a stand be taken? When will one find themselves looking beyond what the norms are so that they may do the right thing and focus on who they are?

Part One: Searching for Perfection in People
Must we always allow ourselves to become perplexed by others personalities? It seems to me that we as a people, set expectations too high for others and when the expectations are not met we find ourselves disillusioned in many ways. We end up feeling as if they have thrown us into a whirlwind of emotions, and tricked us into believing they were better than that. It’s like we look for perfection in people even though we claim we don’t do that. Instead we make excuses or come up with “reasons” why someone should be a certain way in order for us to be satisfied or at ease with that person. Indeed, some things need to be expected in order for personalities to keep from clashing, but more often than not, we expect so many things in one person that we forget about compromise and acceptance. What would we actually do if we found someone “perfect”? Let’s look at this from an honest point of view, better yet let’s look at history; in what person on Earth has perfection ever been found? Jesus… and what did man do to Him? Yes, many praised, adored and reverenced His name. They came from all over just to see Him, but as time went on and things got hard they hated what they did not understand and quickly turned on Him as bleach does a black shirt; then they shunned, cursed, persecuted and put Him to death. Which makes me pose this question: Are we ready for a perfect person? Seems to me that this search for perfection in people sometimes comes from insecurities within us; or it is just our stubborn quest to attain our desires regardless of anyone else’s thoughts, views, needs, wants and feelings. Must be why we say we’re disappointed or question whether or not people just disappoint us all together; it’s as if we are ready to just give up on humanity. To Be Contd...

Perfection: Part 2

Part Two: Make a Move
They must be thinking: I sit on this train full of commotion, a rapid race against time, missed moments but no way to rewind. Not a shout, murmur or peep from me, I just sit, watch and see it play out. I heard the story I know where it’s headed…no need for me to change, forget it!
Are we not creatures of curiosity, searching for definition and reason? Should we not be as God created us…INDIVIDUALS striving to create personalized moments of happiness and success? Then why must we settle for mediocrity, why must we let well enough alone? Dare to be different, dare to stand out, dare to have "A mind raging against the dying of the light"(1).
"O my body, make of me always a man who questions!"(2) When will we dig deeper than the depths of the surface? We must obtain new scenery by gaining vision without sight which will truly be a gift from God! There we will see past the dilation of our pupils. We must not lean neither on our own understanding nor on society's definition but depend solely on God's direction for us as individuals, so that we may acquire a life anew. "The aspiration to do the right thing might be felled by the fragility of the individual, by atavistic animosities, by the iron hand of history, or by indecision and uncertainty, but these failures do not devalue the ethical and imaginative act of reaching out toward rights and freedoms."(3)


1: Foreward: Framing Fanon by Homi K. Bhabha
2: Black Skin, White Masks by Frantz Fanon
3: The Wretched of the Earth by Frantz Fanon


-Anita M. Brooks