The viral response to Miss
Utah, Marissa Powell, flubbing her answer to a question during the Miss
Teen USA Pageant personifies the fear that many have about public
speaking: they will be made fun of for
being less than perfect.
NPR’s
Linda Holmes says of the question asked that, “…it's basically a test of
your ability to generate cow patties on command.” So Powell’s not a great bull sh*tter. Given a second chance on the
Today Show she answered fine.
Beauty contest entrants focus on maximizing how they present
themselves in many ways. They are
striving for perfection. Salvador Dali has said, “Have no fear of
perfection, you’ll never reach it”.
Striving to be perfection can achieve excellence, but for another twist
in thinking consider the Japanese concept of wabi sabi. It is about finding beauty in
imperfection.
The viral response, both bullying and accepting, has
overshadowed that Erin Brady of Connecticut won the Pageant. The now notorious Powell did go on to be 3rd
Runner Up in the competition. That’s
pretty close to perfection. She is grandly
gorgeous and more beautiful because of her humanity.
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