Perfection has been a topic that people have pondered for centuries now. Some may even argue that it is something about human nature that causes us to think about and strive for perfection. This thought continues to stand firm in modern day society. We live in a world filled with digitized perfection. Because of magazines and photoshop the adverse effects of perfectionism have become adherently clear. We have seen a decline in self esteem and an incline in anxiety disorders in the passing years. Some point a finger at media constantly displaying pictures of models edited to look like nothing less than perfect. According to Merriam Webster's online dictionary the medical definition for perfectionism is, “a disposition to regard anything short of perfection as unacceptable; especially : the setting of unrealistically demanding goals accompanied by a disposition to regard failure to achieve them as unacceptable and a sign of personal worthlessness (Webster).” With such an unattainable disposition towards ones goals it is no surprise that problems may occur. Nonetheless, what happens when perfectionism is paired with another personality traits. Is it possible that such a paring could lead to perfectionism being less counter intuitive? Or could pairing perfectionism with the wrong trait cause devastating effects like depression, anxiety disorders , and eating disorders? Though I would not doubt the accuracy of the definition of perfectionism stated above I also cannot deny the fact that there is more to perfection than that. This thought is supported by the multidimensional perfectionism scale. The MPS is a scale that assess the domains of perfectionism and splits it into three groups. The first is self-oriented perfectionism. This... ... middle of paper ... ...ns are often very high and develop into something unattainable. The need to succeed of perfectionism put together with the emotional instability of neroticism cause a toxic mix in the face of failure. Failure to attain ones goals can even lead a neurotic perfectionist to commit suicide. Though we may not relieve it perfectionism can have a large influence on other facets of our personality. It can influence us for better or for worst. Understanding neurotic perfectionism can allow us, especially those working within mental health, to understand and prevent the problems associated with it. Socially prescribed perfectionism, neuroticim, and just a dash of pressure from the media to look a certain way can quickly turn into a recipe for disaster. If one understands neurotic perfectionism it would not be difficult to understand how one can develop an eating disorder.
But then her eyes sought Aylmer’s face with trouble and anxiety. She then said to him ‘Dearest Aylmer, I’m dying,’ and she died.” (Hawthorne 324). Perfectionism is something everyone should try to avoid. It can never bring comfort, instead it adds to the
Perfection? Can any one person be perfect? Benjamin Franklin believed that he could accomplish this task. Benjamin Franklin was known for being a cognizant and diligent perfectionist. During his lifetime, many people were concerned with correcting themselves of any fault that they may have had. Benjamin Franklin did have an interesting way to proclaim how he, could show everyone how to be perfect. He believes that he can make himself perfect. Even though his ways of being perfect are not the same as everyone else's ideas, he still tries to show them he can be perfect. In his essay "Arriving at Perfection" Benjamin Franklin tries to tell everyone how he will be perfect and how he is going to actually accomplish this task.
The Article “Perfection Anxiety” written by A.A Gill illustrates through his findings, that while the means to have everything you desire is by no means bad , neither is it the best. Throughout the article he talks about the phenomenon of “perfection anxiety”, a condition causing it’s host’s feelings of significant ennui, a circumstance found within the abhorrently wealthy portion of the world’s citizens. This psychological disorder is found to occur when the incomprehensibly rich have realized essentially, that they have run out of things to spend their money on, continuing to spend only to appease the ever imposing expectations and judgments of the wealthy.
The participant’s BDI scores reflected moderate depression severity in the depressed group (mean = 29.62, SD = 9.27), and no depression in the control group (mean = 3.26, SD = 3.83). To measure for the level of perfectionism of an individual the performance perfectionism scale which is a 32-item questionnaire that measures outcome expectancy for performance associated with perfectionism was used. The PPS indexes how individuals expect their perfectionism to influence their performance. To make a graph from the measurements two dimensions are used in this study include, the outcome expectancy for performance (positive or negative), and the source of the high standards for performance (self-generated or prescribed by others). Four subtypes of perfectionism are quantified in the PPS: Positive Self-Oriented Performance Perfectionism, Negative Self-Oriented Performance Perfectionism, Positive Socially Prescribed Performance Perfectionism, and Negative Socially Prescribed Performance Perfectionism. Another test was conducted to measure the depression symptoms which was called Beck depression inventory II. This test includes 21-items questionnaire and the coefficient alphas were .93 and .94 for the Cognitive and Non-Cognitive subscales, respectively. The results revealed that positive and negative outcome expectancy
Hating your body is one of the worst things that can ever happen to a person, and thoughts, of just how to be perfect can ruin a person.There are many other eating disorders, there will only be discussion about one for now.
While reading, “The Story of a Good Little Boy”, the word perfection is the first thought that comes to mine, the entire story. Jacob Blivens was trying to be the perfect Sunday school book boy who was perfect and continuously did the right thing, and would always be rewarded at the end of the day. But Jacob did not realize that was not always the case until his extreme emotional death. Twain knew this universe was not like that, and would never be, “perfect”. Perfection is good to strive for but be able to come to the realization that perfection is unattainable. As Mark Twain once wrote, “Supposing is good, but finding out is better”(A Life Lived).
In the article “Other-oriented Perfectionism Vs. Self-oriented Perfectionism” by James Anderson, he states, “Self-oriented perfectionists have exceedingly high personal standards, strive for perfection and expect themselves to be perfect.” Anderson, James. "Other-oriented Perfectionism Vs. Self-oriented Perfectionism." ReliaWire, 14 May 2015. http://reliawire.com/other-oriented-perfectionism-vs-self-oriented-perfectionism/ This type of perfectionist can cause mental health problems in people by having them struggle to reach the standards said in the above quote. One thing that one with self oriented perfection might struggle with is low self esteem because of their high standards. Another example of the different types of perfection would be Socially Prescribed perfection. “…believe that others hold unrealistic expectations for their behavior (and that they can't live up to this); experience external pressure to be perfect, believe others evaluate them critically.” Pychyl, Timothy A. “What Flavor of Perfectionist Are You? It Matters!” Psychology Today, Sussex Publishers, 30 Apr. 2008, www.psychologytoday.com/blog/dont-delay/200804/what-flavor-perfectionist-are-you-it-matters. For one to believe that others want them to accomplish unrealistic standards can really affect the way someone feels about oneself. For some it might make one feel like one is unable to accomplish anything and
...ction for some people. Even though the person who has one of these disorders may think that this is the best way to be perfect, they are not treating their body as a temple but rather they are harming their body and mind. While the majority of people with eating disorders are female, there are also undoubtedly many males that suffer from these disorders. Anyone no matter the age, size or gender can suffer from an eating disorder and it can be a decision that is made in the blink of an eye and although there are some signs that a person may have one of these disorders it is quite possible that a person that you think you know best is hiding a harmful secret like this from you. As the years go by and as the ideas of perfection are being drilled into the minds of many, eating disorders are becoming more prevalent and can happen to anyone at any time.
I went through much of high school at stage two where I was thinking mostly about my needs and myself. Part of my perfectionism was driven by the promise of being rewarded for excellence. My teachers always told me that quality work would be rewarded with an excellent education and career and a life of satisfaction. I desired all these things for myself and so I worked to serve my self-interest. Now, however, I am more motivated to work towards the efforts of the team. Gradually, I am learning to subordinate this intense desire to get ahead in life to helping others in an interpersonal way. For example, it is easier for me to stop working on math homework in order to help take out the trash at night now that I am transitioning into Kegan’s third stage.
...o act unjustly. In order to sustain perfection there needs to be a willingness to negatively affect others for personal gain, such as the corporate leaders of the Compounds and their consumers, and Crake and all of the people close to him. The best way to avoid this very common and toxic desire in life is to be completely and utterly satisfied with the self and have no passion for perfection like Jimmy did. His acceptance of his dysfunctional family and himself allowed him to avoid the deception that is perfection.
Perfection is what many people attempt to achieve in there lives, yet none do. It is the ideal result to the hard work and toil each person does, in order to become greater than they are now. Within literature, characters may seem perfect but upon closer inspection, are deeply flawed. This is the case in the three pieces of literature; Oedipus the King, My Last Duchess, and Death of a Salesman. All three of these prove that fact that “Perfection is like a dream. When people finally see the flaws, they wake up and the dream ends.”
In today’s society, everyone seems to be talking about perfection. People can talk about something simple as a “perfect” book, to something as complex and important as a “perfect” life, or a “perfect” family. But, what is perfection? Well, according to the dictionary, the definition of perfection is, “the condition, state, or quality of being free or as free as possible from all flaws or defects.” In the book, Peter Pan by J.M Barrie, the story revolves around the idea of a perfect family. This can be seen through various factors, such as the roles of Mr. and Mrs. Darling, as well as Nana, in the lives of their children. Additionally, Peter Pan decides to ask Wendy ‐with her instinct to support the younger children‐ to be his mother and take
Perfectionism is a common cause of low self-esteem. It is critical of every effort and convinces you that nothing is ever good enough. It can also cause you to drive yourself to the point of chronic stress, exhaustion, and burnout. Every time perfectionism counsels counsels you that you "should", "have to", or "must", you tend to push yourself forward out of anxiety, rather than from natural desire and inclination. The more perfectionistic you are, the more often you're likely to feel anxious.
During the school day, I always work my hardest to complete all of my homework, and if I end up bringing some home, I prefer to get it done as soon as possible. While working with my grandparents either in the garden or around the farm, I strive to impress them with my hard work and determination to get the job done. Even in my current job, I work hard to complete the given tasks correctly and also efficiently. Perfectionism is obviously incorporated in all of those working environments, and I believe that it pushes me harder and harder each day. As a result of my perfectionism the outcome of my work is usually the best it can be. Although it might limit me, I always give one hundred percent when it comes to completing various tasks, and find pride in being a hard
We often think that our main goals are linked to perfection, however, we are unaware of the devastating effect this unattainable concept has on our outlook on life when we cannot achieve it. Though the textbook definition of perfection is, “the quality or condition of being perfect and without flaws”, it is a vice that harbors many doubts and insecurities and holds us back from things we want to do for fear of not being good. Perfection is a concept that cannot be achieved as it does not exist.