The Perfect Man?

I wasn't going to do it, but I did. I wasn't going to waste my hard-earned moolah on it. But there were posters everywhere, catching my eye when I'd walk through the Times Square subway station. They stared down on me from huge billboards in Times Square. I brought it into my home on the cover of my favorite magazine. Those lame shows like Access Hollywood and Entertainment Tonight were practically having countdowns. Even the respected morning shows got on the bandwagon. It all amounted to the hype and anticipation being more exciting than the real thing (this is a theory I hold to be true for many things, as the events leading up to something are almost always more fun than the actual thing; I think it's because there's no disappointment involved in the anticipating, only in the actual experiencing).

What I'm talking about of course is Twilight. But I don't want to talk about my disappointment with the film, the silly dialog and the sophomoric acting. My main disappointment is that the young girls who the book and film are geared towards find Edward to be so perfect. When I happen to see one of those insipid entertainment shows, they invariably go to the crowd of girls waiting for the book, movie, whatever, and they just go on, usually with a lot of squeals, about how perfect he is. Really? Is Edward our standard of perfect?

For me I'd much prefer someone who has flaws and is real. Because what's perfect for me is not perfect for someone else. Perfect is only relative. Perfect people don't exist, but people who are perfect for someone do exist, in all their flaws, neuroses and imperfections. I certainly know that Edward isn't perfect for me, just as I wouldn't be a perfect fit for Edward; and he certainly wouldn't be a perfect fit for Jessica.

I just wish girls at that young age would be more preoccupied with studying, learning, traveling, laughing, being independent and free thinkers, than being concerned about finding their "perfect" Edward. Become their own person first so they'll know what's perfect for them, instead of what someone has created as perfect.

Disclaimer: I am not a Twilight hater. I read the book and loved it, and loved Edward (well, most of the time). I just hope the young girls who read it can see it as fiction and know that the real world, and real relationships, are much more complex, hard, satisfying, crazy, joyful, and beautiful.