Perfection of Imperfection

The Perfection of Imperfection



Leland calls the qualities of the Beat generation artists an “aesthetic of imperfection” and a “license of living in the present” In essence, a symbiotic relationship.

The earlier Beat generation viewed their past as something never to be revisited or to conform to the so called perfection of the past. However, the future was just as useless to them as was the past. It was “trivial and exhausting”. You don’t know what it holds, so don’t waste your time.

The present is the only place to exist. The only place that has the ‘no holds bar’ mentality. The present was “unreasonable, and celebrated as the jagged moment of experience until reason catches up.” (Leland)

This Beat generation wanted to experience life at the same time as there peers, not from the rose colored glasses of the past, or the blindness of the future. Their audience is what mattered; their feelings and beliefs at that particular time is what drove them.

As Kerouac put it, “wild, undisciplined, pure, coming in from under, crazier the better, releasing unspeakable visions of the individual.” Unfortunately, living in this generation, these artists did not fair well, and met early deaths.

The next generation of the Beat artists, also lived in the present. However, they viewed their past as over and done with, it can’t change so move on and who cares about the future because its not here yet, they’ll deal with it when it becomes their present.

Being ‘hip’ is being ‘imperfect, uncombed and unpolished.” (Leland) For this generation, mistakes were OK and viewed as totally expected and acceptable. Everyone makes mistakes, they are forgiven. Tomorrow is a day in the future, so don’t worry about it.

Both of these generations lived in the present, they never looked in the past and didn’t care about the future. They may have had different reasons, but if it wasn’t for the first Beat group, the second would not have existed as did.

Yes, there would have been change, but it would not have been the same. Then again, maybe it would have been better. Maybe, instead of living only in the present and striving to stand out and be whomever you feel like being, no matter at what cost, some artists would still be alive. Maybe we would not have the infamous and dreaded ‘27 Club’ or the child stars that have met an early demise.

Being ‘hip’ does not make one stupid or unaccountable for their actions. If we do not look toward the future, then the present can be wasted.