<p>I have to write a paper and the topic is writing about something that most people view as a good thing, but really is a bad thing. I know this is not a very good topic, but i chose to write on how people strive so hard for perfection, but it is really the imperfections and mistakes of people that enhance the world. I have to give specific examples relating to my topic, and I am having a really hard thinking of any. Any ideas?</p>
<p>I understand that people with Aspergers tend to do well in careers that dictate a strong single minded focus.</p>
<p>i’m sorry i don’t understand how that relates to my topic</p>
<p>I can’t think of anything that is perceived as good yet is explicitly bad (and only bad). There are some things (e.g. organized religion, just warfare), that people justify as good but can have terrifying effects. Obviously, there must be some element of good in an object in order for people to like it.</p>
<p>If you’re a Christian, premarital sex.</p>
<p>Taking risks. Learning from mistakes. In chess you learn more from trying new things even if they don’t work. Some times perfectionism can spill over into OCD. My kids when they were little were so intent on having perfect wonderful creative sentences using their spelling words they were paralyzed. My younger son tends to make perfect projects wasting tons of time which would be better spent working on things he likes less.</p>
<p>I’ll have to think about this, but at first thought I’d say that drive/motivation CAN be excessive to the point that it can cause psychological issues/medical issues (related to stress–the classic Type A personality). There is some benefit to the “stop and smell the roses” philosophy, but those people are typically inherently less driven than those who don’t make the time to do so. There is definitely a double edged element to excessive drive/motivation–and motivation is generally seen (and IS in many instances) a positive thing.</p>
<p>I look at ADD or ADHD and medication</p>
<p>there are some people in histroy who created some amazing things, produced some amazing inventions, works, art, who were probablly ADD or ADHD, and imagine if they were medicated or treated </p>
<p>Sure there are some people that need some help, but all too often, that energy might be squashed for convience</p>
<p>Dr. Dean Edell, talks about being ADD growing up, and his behavior, and that nowadays he might be treated, but then he wouldn’t be as sucessful as he is</p>
<p>I get the correlation about ausbergers, its seeing peoples “faults” and assuming they can’t have a good life, instead of understanding how all people function differently</p>
<p>Its a way of assuming that people with “disabilities” somehow must have lesser lives, when often they have wonderful lives, so long as society is welcoming</p>
<p>This relates to perfection in that many see perfection in a very narrow view, instead of appreciating, and those that are “perfect” in society can’t have good lives</p>
<p>oops, I read it the opposite way, something that people perceive as bad but is really good. I feel so silly…</p>
<p>And I’m not real clear if you are talking about real things or idea’s. </p>
<p>oh, I’ve got one! How about chemicals that were invented like DDT that turned out to be really bad. Or vegetation and animals that were imported but took over the area where they were introduced and turned out to be very harmful. For vegetation I’m thinking of the multi-flora rose and purple loosestrife. <a href=“http://www.invasiveplants.net/[/url]”>http://www.invasiveplants.net/</a></p>
<p>If you don’t want to write about perfectionism - invasive plants and animals are very easy to write about. Bunnies in Australia. House sparrows here. Grey squirrels in England. The list goes on and on and on.</p>
<p>What about the idiotically wonderful idea we had to invade Iraq in the name of Democracy?</p>
<p>Or if you want to avoid politics, how about the loon who decided to import all the birds named in Shakespeare’s plays into Central Park in NYC (“isn’t that sweet” I can just hear his friends saying)–with the result that starlings are a nuisance throughout the US?</p>
<p>My younger d does a lot of theatre and is always working on something for an audition.</p>
<p>I have always thought that when she doesn’t get cast in something, or doesn’t get the part that she really wanted–that she learns more, works harder and becomes a better actor.</p>
<p>Just a thought. Perhaps you could relate this to not getting into the college that you want, or the job that you want.</p>
<p>“Duck and cover!”</p>
<p>curious—if you are still looking for examples, you can go to the list of inventions that happened as “mistakes”…I’ve seen a chapter in a book on this somewhere, but can’t remember it. Examples—post-it notes—the adhesive was supposed to be something completely different, but they realized that it had the properties that make post-it notes so cool…</p>
<p>curiousmother - do I understand correctly, your topic is perfectionism and you need examples that fit this theme? </p>
<p>If so, what about music? I’ve sat through many a technically perfect piano performance that seems passionless because the musician is so cautious trying to hit every note correctly. And it so refreshing to see a kid get up there and just joyfully pound away at those keys because he loves the music and he loves to perform… and just ‘d*mn the torpedos’ with regard to mistakes. Those are the kids who deserve the standing ovations imho.</p>
<p>Well, here are my overly broad ramblings on the topic written during an insomniatic yet overly-tired moment </p>
<p>Im not sure I would agree that it is the imperfections and mistakes of people as opposed to a drive for perfection that has benefitted the world. This seems a little too black and white to me, since it is probably a combination of both. However, I think many people would say that perfectionism often blocks creativity, and, on a very broad, societal level, I would even argue that evolution of societies our very survival depends more often on creativity and the ability of humans to change and adapt during times of great societal change or when immediate solutions are needed, than it does on efforts to improve or make society more perfect. </p>
<p>In general, I would think that the linear thinking that is often found among individuals who strive for perfection (be it an invention, a religion, a form of government, etc.) can often result in a narrow tunnel vision and an inability to see the forest through the trees, and this would be detrimental to society were it not balanced with the more creative, global, big picture thinkers. They each have their own purpose but it is probably the latter who are better able to put the ideas of the former to practice, and actually bring about the changes envisioned by the perfectionist. Perhaps this is because such creative thinkers have been able to learn from their own mistakes and, therefore, can apply those lessons more broadly to the world around them?</p>
<p>Sorry, this isnt really giving you any specific examples for your topic since it is actually presenting a slightly different take on your original topic </p>
<p>astrophysicsmom is on the right track I think. A lot of inventions were originally “mistakes”. That was the first thing I thought of when I read the OP.</p>
<p>A saying that comes to mind: “Necessity is the mother of invention” which also suggests that success is a result of something more than just a drive for perfection.</p>
<p>Thomas Edison had thousands of failures before he finally invented the lightbulb. A few Edison quotes: " I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work" and “Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize just how close they were to success when they gave up.” However, he could be considered an example of someone with both a drive for perfection and the creativity to persevere and learn from his mistakes. (he also had learning disabilities)</p>
<p>Here’s link to a story about an accidental discovery about LED that may replace the lightbulb…</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.livescience.com/technology/051021_nano_light.html[/url]”>Accidental Invention Points to End of Light Bulbs | Live Science;
<p>Here’s a cite noting a few other “accidental” scientific discoveries (penicillin, electric current, x-rays…)</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.trivia-library.com/cases-of-accidental-scientific-discoveries/index.htm[/url]”>http://www.trivia-library.com/cases-of-accidental-scientific-discoveries/index.htm</a></p>
<p>Oh My Gosh…You are wonderful!!! (This is curiousmother’s daughter by the way!)</p>
<p>You have all given me so many great ides…Tomorrow, I will read them more carefully.</p>
<p>Kathiep…don’t feel silly…Actually the topic could be either something perceived as good which is actually bad or vise versa (somethng perceived as bad that is actually good). So your aspergher’s example could have been a good one.</p>
<p>I am sticking to the perfectionism idea, and everyone has given me LOTS of great ideas!!!</p>
<p>dmd77, someone in my class is already doing the invasion in Iraq for democracy thing, but that is a great idea, and I am sure the girl doing that topic will have a great paper. </p>
<p>I’m going to develop the idea that although one must strive for perfection, it is through our mistakes that we learn and discover.</p>
<p>Wish me luck!</p>
<p>Cristina</p>