Imperfection is Perfect!

I learned about a terrifying new app that turns people into aliens. It makes sense considering I’ve heard the Kardashians use it. On the right no makeup, on the left is the app.

Sure I have been guilty of using filters, shadowing, and selfying (yep that’s a verb now)…but really? Isn’t this a bit extreme? Are people now so conditioned they must slim their faces, raise their cheekbones, and enlarge their eyes and lips in order to take an acceptable selfie? On top of the photo and personal identification manipulation, the app is called Perfect365. This only proliferates the ideal we must be perfect every single day and if we aren’t…hey there’s an app for that! How boring that sounds. Who wants to look or be perfect every single day? I know I don’t. I’m pretty sure there is not one person in our society who actually is perfect, no matter how much Kim or Kanye want to think they are.  In our inevitable imperfection is where we as humans can cultivate growth-growth within our selves, our relationships, our professional lives. Imperfection is how we learn who we truly are.

I will admit, there was a span of many years where I strived to be perfect and I faulted myself everyday for not attaining it. I picked and prodded myself over it and this not only resulted in a very poor and incredibly unhealthy body image, but very poor self esteem which lasted for almost half my life. Those are years I will never get back. Those years are shrouded in disappointment and regret.

I have since learned how to love myself and others and embrace the imperfections. I found myself through my imperfections. As I said above, it is through imperfection we grow not only as an individual, but collectively as a society as well.  Thus an app propagating instant and constant perfection terrifies me. When is it too much? What is the threshold? I think those are questions each person can answer only for themselves.  Should you use the app? Well it was interesting to see what my nose would look like if it was squeezed together. Should you live by the app? Hell no. 

Just my two cents.