We spend countless hours daily looking for ways to either fix our flaws or compensate their existence in one way or another, be it about beauty, skills, or earthly possessions, but why? Do we really think it’s possible to be complete and content at some point? Are we beasts of burden cursed with a constant need to do something? When are we done, and what are we then? Full scores in a personality test, swimming in cash and in perfect health? Now there’s a character you would not want to know, and in all likelihood would not even read a comic about.

Complexity and necessity of flaws

Superman appeared in the cover of an action comic in 1938 for the first time, but Kryptonite – his only weakness only came alive over a decade later in 1949. This was mainly because an overpowered hero without flaws is boring, no matter how heroic or good his deeds. The price for perfection was the loss of meaning. Everything was too predictable, dull and flawless. Art often, sometimes very unexpectedly, tells us stories about life itself. We are as we are and do what we do for a reason, but sometimes need something to reflect on to realize it. Much like Superman, people need flaws and weaknesses too. If life was just paradise and abundance, with nothing to do but enjoy and procreate, it would be in our nature to smash things up and stir trouble just to feel excitement and find adventure in unexpected consequences. If there was no pain and loss, there would be no joy and gain. Everything would just be static. No cradle, no grave, no life, no death. Like a two sides of a coin, yin and yang, chaos and order, the good and meaningful in our lives is to some extent defined by the loss, sorrow, and tragedy. Sometimes things taken for granted show their true worth and meaning only after it’s too late. Still we never mourn what had no meaning, only the things that matter, things that made our lives better, made us feel better, played an important role in our lives.

“Fractured but whole”

Being a superman of your own life is hardly about being perfect or flawless, it’s more about living with the flaws you have, and accepting them as a part of you. Perhaps even a defining part, like most of us to some extent do.

Knowing we’ll never be complete, and life without flaws would suck big time anyway, would it hurt to relax a bit once in a while? Get up with a messy hair, drink morning coffee before brushing teeth, go nuts. Eat candy in the middle of a night sitting on the balcony watching cars go by. Sleep in, miss a deadline, fail a course and take it again. There is a lot of stuff we can do and the consequences are hardly ever what we fear they are. We only fear falling down until we’ve done it a couple of times. This is what I see in skateboarding kids and it never ceases to amaze me: they fall down constantly and get up straight away to try again and come back every week more courageous and adventurous than ever before. Grab the kryptonite, it’s go time. To hell with perfect scores and perfect make-up, let’s embrace our flaws and own our mistakes and errors.