Should We Flaunt Our Faults?
On self-awareness, authenticity and the pursuit of goodness
Imagine being hurt so deeply by some harsh words someone said to you. No matter how much you thought about it, you couldn’t think of any good reason why you deserved to be insulted that way. So after some reflection, you opened your heart and told that person how his or her words hurt you. In the end, however, that person simply shrugged one’s shoulders and told you, “Don’t be so sensitive! This is the way I talk, you know. Did you expect me to be perfect?”
Instead of receiving an apology, you received sarcasm. Instead of trying to improve one’s ways, the other person simply accepted the fact that one couldn’t possibly achieve perfection.
One of the most common ideas when it comes to personal development these days is to accept one’s imperfection, and with that, the encouragement to reveal one’s flaws to the world. The concept is that it is our flaws that make us unique. It is our shared vulnerabilities that make us human. And there shouldn’t be any shame in flaunting our faults.
I must admit that this can sound like a very empowering thought! And it is tempting to use it as one’s motto in life.
For many people who have been constrained by perfectionism and harshness towards themselves, this…
