Rousseau's Perfectionism

Jean-Jacques Rousseau's perception of himself was presented in the Confessions. This autobiography presents a revolutionary new way to view one's self and his relationship with the rest of the world. Rousseau describes himself as having different emotions and personality traits at different parts of his life. He appears to be extremely fickle, but is essentially hiding one of his most self-destructive personality traits, perfectionism. This can be seen through his relationship with the world, women, …

…is constant. No one acts the same every day. No one is always on the top of his or her game. That is being human. Until that is accepted, no one will ever be able to accept who they are, what they are, and most importantly, what type of world they live in. 1) Mack, Maynard, et al, ed. The Norton Anthology of World Masterpieces, Volume II, New York: W. W. Norton and Co., 1985. p 670-678.