Tropers / Bonehat

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Imperfection is Beautiful

"One of the basic rules of the universe is that nothing is perfect. Perfection simply doesn't exist.....Without imperfection, neither you nor I would exist."

— Steven Hawking

What makes someone perfect? Is it beauty? Smarts? Some other kind of inborn ability? Some works discuss this question at length. This trope covers media that discusses the idea that "beauty is in the eye of the beholder" - that there is something beautiful in everyone, regardless of what they look like on the outside. This idea states that one can find beauty in the imperfect, and that it should be celebrated.

In Real Life, things are complicated. The journey to perfection can be never-ending. Why worry about perfection when you can love life as it is? After all, Perfection Is Impossible. Could be a side effect of adapting an anti-nihilist mindset. On the Sliding Scale of Idealism Versus Cynicism, those who believe that imperfection is beautiful tend towards idealism.

Compare Perfection Is Static, inasmuch as it too describes an aspect of perfection. The trope can be used for Character Development. Can be discussed in works featuring the Beast and Beauty trope. Sometimes discussed in stories with a monster and a maiden.

Examples

Art

• Kintsugi is the Japanese art of mending broken pottery with gold filigree. The piece, once broken, is now just as beautiful as it was before.

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[[Comic Books]]

• A common trope in XMen, especially with the mutants that have a harder time fitting into "normal" society.

Film

• X-Men: First Class: Discussed briefly by Charles and Raven during the bedroom scene.

"I prefer the real Raven."

She changes back into Jennifer Lawrence

"I said the real Raven."

She changes into her blue-skin form

"Perfection."

Western Animation

• She Ra And The Princesses Of Power: Referenced in a quote by Entrapta: "Imperfection is what makes scientific experimentation possible. Imperfection is beautiful. At least to me."