Perfection: The Most Dangerous Kind of Madness

Certain aspects of these groups may have been harmless. Noyes' mutual criticism may have proved helpful to members at times. It is used in psychiatry today in the form of group therapy. The racial unity among Jones' disciples was certainly unsurpassed for the times. The group unity, solidarity, and loyalty achieved by these men says much about the people's ability to work for the common good. Jones did start with some very high ideals and genuinely good efforts. One wonders how could a cooperative system that holds such promise in the proper hands, go so wrong. After looking at the psychological and personal background's and authoritarian ideologies of these leaders, one no longer has to wonder why their congregations self-destructed. One only wonders how so many people could become so blinded to the dangers. Why were so many willing to suffer social stigma or follow to the death men who were obviously disturbed? One answer may be that in the case of Noyes, Jones and Howell, people idolized them. In every commentary about them the phrases are similar. Their word was the Word of God to those who followed them. Hendlin has another answer that seems to be born out in what happened with these communal groups.

"If we can't find our own perfect nature, we seek it in someone else who claims to have found it . . . Seekers fall in love with . . . the image of the perfect. Once they have idealized the leader as perfect, they will psychologically do whatever is necessary to keep him there. But at some point their efforts usually come tumbling down. From perfection, there is nowhere else to go but down -- falling into the everyday world of the imperfect and taking disillusioned disciples with him.

"Rather than see this happen, devoted followers will often ignore abuses of authority . . . inherent contradictions in the group belief system or personal idiosyncrasies of the teacher, minister. . . . [They will] refuse to listen to outsiders who tell them something is wrong, just as they fail to heed their own inner voice that warns them something needs to be questioned." (Hendlin, Steven J. When Good Enough is Never Enough: Escaping the Perfection Trap. New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1992. p. 114 -116)

Our society has taught us to look at perfection as a virtue, so much so that we are now in "pursuit of perfection" rather than of excellence. We fail to see the many "negative and unacknowledged consequences" of this pursuit. People such as Noyes, Jones and Howell are troubled people looking for an ideal. They are equipped with a magnetism that draws others, perhaps less troubled, who are also looking for an ideal. Society has taught them that "practice makes perfect" and many people believe that to be an actuality.

The tragedies at Jonestown and Waco were far more serious than any at Oneida. If such events are to be avoided, we must learn to recognize the perfectionist catalyst. There is a fine line between excellence and perfection. Crossing that line can cause social disruption, psychological and emotional trauma and, in cases such as Jonestown and Waco, death. Seeking a more excellent society is more realistic than longing for a perfect world. Everyone would be well advised to fully understand the difference. "Perfection does not exist; to understand it is the triumph of human intelligence; to expect to possess it is the most dangerous kind of madness." (Tryon Edwards, D.D., et al, The New Dictionary of Thoughts:A Cyclopedia of Quotations. (N.Y.: Standard Book Company, 1955, p. 458. This quote is by Alfred de Musset.)