Perfectly imperfect

How much of a perfectionist are you? The Cave has a ‘done is better than perfect’ kinda vibe, but with the benefit of being naturally flawless. Ahem.

Perfectionism is nothing new, of course. Neanderthals presumably strived for the consummate day of foraging and throwing spears at long-extinct predators. 

But modern technology has markedly exacerbated those tendencies. Research shows that comparison on social media is closely associated with perfectionism. Which is only natural - if you see someone’s exquisitely manicured life as standard, it raises standards exponentially.

Inevitably, AI has taken it a step further. It’s no longer enough to compare yourself to the highly stylised, photoshopped models that appear on seemingly every surface. Now there’s made up perfect people to strive for.

They’re at Wimbledon (or not). They’re amassing millions of followers and starring in Prada and Calvin Klein campaigns. They’re competing in the ‘Miss AI’ beauty pageant. 

And they are, inevitably, perfect. They don’t sleep. They don’t age. They don’t appear in sponsored clickbait articles under the headline “You Won’t Believe What They Look Like Now” after going to the shops with no make-up on.

The pressure of perfection has real impacts. Perfectionism is associated with mental health issues including depression, anxiety and eating disorders. And now, new research from Murdoch University has found chronic pain is associated with significantly higher levels of perfectionism and reduced levels of self-compassion.  

We’re in an age where whoever you are, and whatever you’re into, you can easily find someone or something to compare it to. There are very few escapes from the pressure of being better, and far more examples of perfection to strive for.

Perhaps it’s time for the anti-perfectionism movement. Not some faux authenticity, but an active ambition for flaws and mess. The Cave will do its utmost to take the lead.