Perfection and its Enemies

PERFECTION AND ITS ENEMIES

Lo perfecto es enemigo de lo bueno - Anónimo

A well known quote in Latin America states that “perfection is an enemy of goodness”, or more literally “the perfect is an enemy of the good.” 

Two powerful concepts, two different world views – one which corresponds more directly to the Anglo-Saxon , Eurocentric, western, protestant, Calvinist, and rational view of the world and another pertaining to the far more informal, imprecise, oftentimes irrational or marginally rational, intuitive, oftentimes magical, subjective, non-dogmatic world view which prevails in Latin America and other “developing” and emerging nations.

Clearly there is a direct connection between the perfectionism that prevails in certain cultures and nations and the degree of “development” and wellbeing which prevails in said nations – Switzerland, Germany, Korea, Japan, Israel, and to some extent, England and the United States come to mind. It is no coincidence that highly sophisticated scientific and technological breakthroughs -- and the capacity to translate innovation into industry and commerce – prevail in those societies which value perfectionism.  

Rationality, precision, integrity, feedback, teamwork, honesty, transparency, clarity in communications, in human interactions, in the production of handicrafts, tools, products, and services and in all other domains of life are the hallmark of individuals, communities, sectors, cities or nations that treasure perfectionism and strive towards perfection in workmanship and other domains – including, but not always, human relations and individual and collective wellbeing.

In the third world, on the other hand, in nations like Bolivia, perfectionism is in fact an enemy of the good. Citizens in imperfect societies would never – until forced otherwise – disrupt a perfectly civilized meal, decent nap, or friendship in order to comply with rules, regulations, quotas, timelines or other externally imposed forces which, in the name of perfection, precision, logic, rationality, reason, and such other values or qualities, do away with the perfection that lies dormant in goodness. Good food, quality time, healthy relationships, a happy family, a stable community are far too important to neglect in the name of perfection and its related qualities…