It appears as if I have opened a can of worms. :crazy:
Perfection is not what I meant no but that is what we must strive for, it is the journey that shapes a person not what they reach at the end. It is the fact that you are TRYING, that is what matters, not whether you will reach it or not. We graduate from high school, from college and we get a piece of paper that it is just a stamp of approval something material for our materialistic society to see. What really matters is the journey through high school or college. The things you learned a long the way. It is the struggle, the aspiration towards the end that is what matters. I feel it is fairly common sense that the struggle is what makes us, not the piece of paper, the stamp, the medal we get at the end of it.
All of you are smart enough to know this so I am probably preaching to the choir. :laughing:
I was thinking about this thread and a song lyric from one of my favorite artists popped into my head. "You and your heart shouldn't feel so far apart." - Jack Johnson You and your heart
Never stop struggling, never stop pushing and never give up hope. I see far too many people becoming stagnant individuals and it pains me.
Humilis Curator, I don't believe you opened a can of worms. Many words have many meanings. The context in which a word is used explains it's proper definition. I was not trying to cause anyone grief. The word "perfect" used in the way it was evoked a strong stressor concept. I believe the less stress one has when it comes to the matter of improving ones' self, there is a better chance of doing so. When a stressful (whether eustress or distress) situation arises, we humans trigger a self-defense mechanism called fight or flight. I believe INFJ's (including me, I am one) don't care for conflict, so flight is our fancy. Funny thing is, we fight with this flight the whole time we are fleeing. A catch 22 for sure. So, it is my thought that in order to take away the heaviness of stress and it's triggers, one is better off taking away a word that is demanding like the word perfect. Simply put, "Take the stress out of the equation." My theory is soft and gentle and firm (steady and sure). I believe it is much more comfortable and digestable this way.
per·fect (pûrfkt)
adj.
1. Lacking nothing essential to the whole; complete of its nature or kind.
2. Being without defect or blemish: a perfect specimen.
3. Thoroughly skilled or talented in a certain field or area; proficient.
4. Completely suited for a particular purpose or situation: She was the perfect actress for the part.
5.
a. Completely corresponding to a description, standard, or type: a perfect circle; a perfect gentleman.
b. Accurately reproducing an original: a perfect copy of the painting.
6. Complete; thorough; utter: a perfect fool.
7. Pure; undiluted; unmixed: perfect red.
8. Excellent and delightful in all respects: a perfect day.
9. Botany Having both stamens and pistils in the same flower; monoclinous.
10. Grammar Of, relating to, or constituting a verb form expressing action completed prior to a fixed point of reference in time.
[Middle English perfit, from Old French parfit, from Latin perfectus, past participle of perficere, to finish : per-, per- + facere, to do; see dh- in Indo-European roots.]
per·fecter n.
perfect·ness n.
Synonyms: perfect, consummate, faultless, flawless, impeccable
These adjectives mean being wholly without flaw: a perfect diamond; a consummate performer; faultless logic; a flawless instrumental technique; speaks impeccable French.
Usage Note: Some people maintain that perfect is an absolute term like chief and prime, and therefore cannot be modified by more, quite, relatively, and other qualifiers of degree. But the qualification of perfect has many reputable precedents (most notably in the preamble to the U.S. Constitution in the phrase "in order to form a more perfect Union"). By the same token, perfect often means "ideal for the purposes," as in There could be no more perfect spot for the picnic, where modification by degree makes perfect sense. See Usage Notes at absolute, equal, unique.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
perfect
adj [ˈpɜːfɪkt]
1. having all essential elements
2. unblemished; faultless a perfect gemstone
3. correct or precise perfect timing
4. utter or absolute a perfect stranger
5. excellent in all respects a perfect day
6. (Mathematics) Maths exactly divisible into equal integral or polynomial roots 36 is a perfect square
7. (Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Botany) Botany
a.* (of flowers) having functional stamens and pistils
b.* (of plants) having all parts present
8. (Linguistics / Grammar) Grammar denoting a tense of verbs used in describing an action that has been completed by the subject. In English this is a compound tense, formed with have or has plus the past participle
9. (Music, other) Music
a.* of or relating to the intervals of the unison, fourth, fifth, and octave
b.* (of a cadence) ending on the tonic chord, giving a feeling of conclusion Also full final Compare imperfect [6]
10. Archaic positive certain, or assured
11. Music Designating the three basic intervals of the octave, fourth, and fifth.
n.
1. Grammar The perfect tense.
2. A verb or verb form in the perfect tense.
tr.v. (pr-fkt) per·fect·ed, per·fect·ing, per·fects
To bring to perfection or completion.
[Middle English perfit, from Old French parfit, from Latin perfectus, past participle of perficere, to finish : per-, per- + facere, to do; see dh- in Indo-European roots.]
per·fecter n.
perfect·ness n.
Synonyms: perfect, consummate, faultless, flawless, impeccable
These adjectives mean being wholly without flaw: a perfect diamond; a consummate performer; faultless logic; a flawless instrumental technique; speaks impeccable French.
Usage Note: Some people maintain that perfect is an absolute term like chief and prime, and therefore cannot be modified by more, quite, relatively, and other qualifiers of degree. But the qualification of perfect has many reputable precedents (most notably in the preamble to the U.S. Constitution in the phrase "in order to form a more perfect Union"). By the same token, perfect often means "ideal for the purposes," as in There could be no more perfect spot for the picnic, where modification by degree makes perfect sense. See Usage Notes at absolute, equal, unique.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusLegend: @Synonyms #Related Words %Antonyms
Noun
1.
perfect - a tense of verbs used in describing action that has been completed (sometimes regarded as perfective aspect)
@ perfect tense, perfective, perfective tense
# tense - a grammatical category of verbs used to express distinctions of time
# present perfect, present perfect tense - a perfective tense used to express action completed in the present; "`I have finished' is an example of the present perfect"
# past perfect, past perfect tense, pluperfect, pluperfect tense - a perfective tense used to express action completed in the past; "`I had finished' is an example of the past perfect"
# future perfect, future perfect tense - a perfective tense used to describe action that will be completed in the future; "`I will have finished' is an example of the future perfect"
Verb
1.
perfect - make perfect or complete; "perfect your French in Paris!"
@ hone
# optimise, optimize - make optimal; get the most out of; use best; "optimize your resources"
# ameliorate, improve, meliorate, amend, better - to make better; "The editor improved the manuscript with his changes"
# polish up, brush up, round off, polish, round - bring to a highly developed, finished, or refined state; "polish your social manners"
Adj.
1.
perfect - being complete of its kind and without defect or blemish; "a perfect circle"; "a perfect reproduction"; "perfect happiness"; "perfect manners"; "a perfect specimen"; "a perfect day"
# unblemished, unmarred, unmutilated - free from physical or moral spots or stains; "an unblemished record"; "an unblemished complexion"
# unbroken - not broken; whole and intact; in one piece; "fortunately the other lens is unbroken"
# exact - marked by strict and particular and complete accordance with fact; "an exact mind"; "an exact copy"; "hit the exact center of the target"
# utopian - characterized by or aspiring to impracticable perfection; "the dim utopian future"; "utopian idealists"; "recognized the utopian nature of his hopes"
% imperfect - not perfect; defective or inadequate; "had only an imperfect understanding of his responsibilities"; "imperfect mortals"; "drainage here is imperfect"
2.
perfect - without qualification; used informally as (often pejorative) intensifiers; "an arrant fool"; "a complete coward"; "a consummate fool"; "a double-dyed villain"; "gross negligence"; "a perfect idiot"; "pure folly"; "what a sodding mess"; "stark staring mad"; "a thoroughgoing villain"; "utter nonsense"; "the unadulterated truth"
@ arrant, double-dyed, sodding, utter, thoroughgoing, unadulterated, staring, pure, everlasting, consummate, stark, complete, gross
# unmitigated - not diminished or moderated in intensity or severity; sometimes used as an intensifier; "unmitigated suffering"; "an unmitigated horror"; "an unmitigated lie"
3.
perfect - precisely accurate or exact; "perfect timing"
# exact - marked by strict and particular and complete accordance with fact; "an exact mind"; "an exact copy"; "hit the exact center of the target"
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2008 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.