The Genius of Imperfection

"Better to rule in hell than to serve in heaven"

- J. Milton Paradise Lost


Let us assume that there is a god. Let us also assume for the sake of argument that this god is a perfect god. From this premise it could be deduced that in an imperfect world populated by individuals who each in their own unique way fall short of perfection, our very existence is an act of genius (more on this later). As I gaze across my classroom observing my anxious students toiling through an exam this notion is quite evident. Every day I watch these young men and women who have been labeled special ed. struggle with the fact that they are not perfect. Because of this often debilitating concept their study habits, concept of time and outright desire to attend school suffers on a daily basis. This is all because somewhere during their development someone informed them of their imperfections in very harsh ways. In fact, they are constantly informed not only by outside influences but in their subconscious minds. I have one student in my 8th period class who blatantly, reports to class late, and when he arrives makes it his mission to be especially disruptive. When I asked him the reason for this destructive routine he replied that he might as well have fun now because he may die tomorrow. He is only 15.

What this student unwittingly described is the dilemma of human existence on a very basic level. Imperfection has been the engine that drives us since the invention of the wheel. It constantly places us mortals on opposite sides of a dichotomy where we are forced to strive for our highest good or be content with mediocrity. For example, each day I wake up and do 100 push-ups and 100 sit-ups to start my morning. This routine stems from my drive to be as aesthetically perfect as possible. Although I know that this is impossible, I achieve solace in the very process of it because helps me feel a sense of order (even if it is an illusion) to my life. Some would say that this is a fruitless venture because sooner or later age will catch up to me and I will eventually look like a man who has become comfortable with his own physical existence, which is a solace of a different kind. On a larger scale this example could also be applied to a monk who meditates for hours at time and lives a life of temperance and necessity. This type of existence is of course a far cry from the average person whose mind is steeped in western thought. We could also apply this example to the more (ahem) respectable professions of our society such as medicine, law or finance. At the purest level, the major element that these professions share is that not only do they have the ability to inspire but to deter as well almost unwittingly. For example, the drive and discipline that is needed to be successful in the professional arena is of no consequence to my 15 year old student. In fact, in his mind, it is all just a waste of time.

The genius of this dichotomy is that societies have been run by it for centuries. Our society, which is probably one of the best examples, is predicated on the pursuit of happiness [or perfection] and the contentment of mediocrity. Those of us who pursue perfection/happiness get to manipulate those of us who don’t. Although he may be fully aware what side of the dichotomy he is on, what my student doesn’t know is that his reluctance to reach perfection creates a crisis. Crisis is a by-product of mediocrity and is what fuels the engine of this society. The crisis of illiteracy is what pays my salary and could potentially pay the salaries of the alternative school that may accept him if he continues on his current path, the public defender who could potentially defend him if he decides to commit a crime, the staff of the penal system if he is convicted and countless others whose primary purpose is to serve and profit from the imperfect. And since we are all imperfect someone always gets paid.


On a more personal level, i.e. my obsession with push-ups, we also stand the risk of disillusionment and boredom when we don’t pursue personal goals of perfection. We then fall into the routine of creating our own personal hells in which issues of self-esteem and lack of self-actualization come in to play. It is possible that my student has learned how to make the best of his hell. It is possible that he is the classic example of the Miltonian demon in the above quote who is content with his current position in life. It is also possible that many of us have become slaves to the pursuit of perfection and if you asked him, he is free. If so, then I suppose this perfect god of ours truly blesses the imperfect perfectly.