Perfection Vs. Flaws

Everyone had probably heard the say "nothing is perfect" as least once in his life. Usually, that statement is used justify our mistakes and human faults: nothing is perfect and, thus, no one can be expected to do everything right. However, as irritating as this lack of perfection can be, I believe that, in reality, it is a valuable stimulus for humans. We are not flawless, and we admit it; but we learn to live with our faults, and thrive.

People may start their lives with a struggle for exactness. They may try, repeatedly, to achieve the apex of human perfection. However, as time goes by, they realize that mistakes and "false steps" are the spice of life. A good example to illustrate that would be the evolution of arts throughout history. Take literature, for example. In past times, writers wrote (AHEM! SORRY) of great heroes, with superhuman abilities and pure souls, who would fight for the greater good of mankind. Heroes like Ulysses, Hercules or Achiles, of the Greek mythology, or Roland or "El Cid" of the French and Spanish mythology (OK, IAR N-AM VAZUT) were all embodiments of god-like perfection. Nevertheless, as time passed, the trends in literature changed. With the arrival of the Renaissance period, man became the main focus point of all arts, but this time, the limited human aspects were illustrated, too: men were shown lying, cheating, crying and acting in their own interest. Modern literature is an even better mark of people's interest in flaws rather than perfection. Gone are the heroes and the imposing figures of Good; they have been replaced, instead, by ordinary men and women, who lead normal lives and are subject to errors and emotions. Aspects of the (OOPS...) life such as war, are no longer idealized. The glorious war depicted in Homer's "Illiad" (zbang! De unde sa stiu cum se scrie!) is very different from the petty, miserable fights in Hemmingway's "Farewell to Arms".