Perfectionist Fallacy Examples in Media, Real Life, Politics, News & Ads

Perfectionist Fallacy

Perfectionist Fallacy Definition

The perfectionist fallacy is the idea that if one task isn’t completed perfectly, then all tasks are not worth completing. It is the idea that if you do something perfectly, it will be successful.  This fallacy can lead to procrastination and low self-esteem.

 

Perfectionism can be a good thing in some instances, such as when you’re trying to get into medical school or law school. A perfectionist person believes they have to be perfect at everything.

This is not true because even a perfect person can fail at something they are trying to do. For example, a student may think that if they study for their exam and get an A+, then they will pass the exam.

A perfectionist spends a lot of time and energy trying to achieve perfection but is never satisfied with the results. This is called the “perfectionist fallacy” because it’s impossible for anyone to be perfect.

Perfectionist Fallacy Examples

Perfectionist example in Philosophy

Examples of Perfectionist Fallacy in Philosophy:

The perfect is the enemy of the good.  Perfectionists are often paralyzed by their inability to find a “perfect” solution and end up doing nothing at all.

It’s impossible to be 100% certain about anything, so it doesn’t make sense for perfectionists to spend time worrying about what could go wrong.

Other examples of perfectionist fallacy:

•  The idea that if something is not perfect, it’s not worth doing.
• The idea that if you’re not the best at something, then you shouldn’t do it.
• The belief that there is an objectively correct answer to a question

Perfectionist Fallacy Real-Life Examples

Perfectionist Fallacy in Real Life:

If someone is a perfectionist, they believe that nothing can be done without it being perfect. This means that if the person does not do something perfectly, they will never do anything.

A common example of this is when someone wants to start an exercise routine but won’t because they don’t want to start off with bad form and make it worse than what it already was.

Perfectionist Fallacy Examples in Media

Examples of Perfectionist Fallacy in Media: 

The media often portrays unrealistic standards of beauty and perfection. Celebrities are photoshopped to look flawless, but they’re not perfect in real life.

In the movie “The Devil Wears Prada,” Miranda Priestly is portrayed as a ruthless boss who’s always angry about something.

Perfectionist Fallacy Examples in Advertising

Perfectionist Fallacy in Advertising: 

A company advertises its product as “perfect.” The quality of the product is not perfect, but the advertisement makes it seem like it is.

This can lead to false expectations for consumers.

• A company advertises its product as the best on the market, even though it is not.
•  The company makes false claims about its products to make them seem better than they are.
• The company has a high price point and does not offer any discounts or deals.

Perfectionist Fallacy in Politics

Examples of Perfectionist Fallacy in Politics:

The perfect example of the perfectionist fallacy in politics is when a politician will say, “If I’m elected to office, I’ll do everything possible to make sure that this problem gets solved.”.

This statement implies that there are no other factors at play and that the problem can be solved with one person’s effort.

In reality, many problems have complex solutions and require multiple people working together for an extended period of time to fix them.

Perfectionist Fallacy examples in Movies

Examples of Perfectionist Fallacy in Movies:

• An example of perfectionist fallacy in movies is when a director or producer spends an excessive amount of time editing the final cut because they think it has to be perfect.
•  Another example would be not releasing a movie to theaters until they are satisfied with the final product.
• A third example might be waiting for all the reviews before deciding whether or not to release a film.

Perfectionist Fallacy Examples in Literature

Examples of Perfectionist Fallacy in Literature:

The protagonist in the novel “The Catcher in the Rye” is a good example of a perfectionist fallacy because he cannot seem to accept that his life isn’t perfect and has to find something wrong with everything.

In “The Great Gatsby,” Jay Gatsby’s quest for wealth and power is driven by his desire for perfectionism.

Perfectionist Fallacy Examples in News

Examples of Perfectionist Fallacy in News:

The perfect example of the perfectionist fallacy is when someone spends hours looking for a parking spot that they can’t find.

This is because people who are perfectionists tend to overestimate their abilities and underestimate how long it will take them to complete a task.

When this person finally finds the parking spot, they may feel like they wasted time or didn’t do enough to get there.

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