Le monde du vieux bandit

I am nowhere near perfect, and have never claimed to be (if I have, it just goes to show…). Chances are, you’re not perfect either. So why is it that we all judge others for not being perfect according to our own standards? It’s a vicious trend I’ve felt during the electoral campaign, as if people only wanted to support a candidate who had reached perfection (no surprise there, we didn’t have one on the ballot), but I perceive it as a wider tendency, a hardening in the judgment of others, if you will. It makes me uneasy.

I’ll give you an example. I’m quite committed to improving the way I live in order to have less of an impact on the planet (and so is Herb, therefore our family is quite committed to that goal), and I tend to ask questions about where used items end up, about biodegradability, about over-consumption, etc., and I tend to spread the word when I find something wonderful that could help others as well (soap nuts and freecycle come to mind). I don’t pretend to hold the Truth, but I will gladly discuss my attempts with similar-minded people and will often learn greatly from such discussions (I don’t learn nearly as much from people who simply dismiss my choices as puerile or useless — judgment has already shown its ugly head). I try to provide information to others who may not have it. Of course, in the end they will make their own decisions — but I can ask them to respect our beliefs and our way of life. We strive to do the best we can and to change what we can. We are not perfect — perfection is an ideal, whereas we strive to… strive. I know my life, such as it is, is not perfectly aligned with all of my beliefs. Not yet. But I do try to improve parts of it every day in a thousand little ways. I am aware of the gap between what I believe and what I do and I do not think it wise or feasible to bridge that gap all at once, so I work on it a little every day. I won’t pretend to give lessons, but I will continue to make my own choices and to politely request that these be respected.

So why is it that the slightest lapse is seen as a mortal sin? If I buy something that is over-wrapped, if I rent a car, if I eat junk food once a month, does that make me a hypocrite, all of a sudden? No. It makes me someone who tries to do the best she can, aware of her limitations and striving to push them back. Don’t shoot the imperfect: chances are you are one!

This entry was posted on Monday, April 2nd, 2007 at 1:45 pm and is filed under humanit(é)y, moi, * in english. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.