The Exaggeration of Mankind

The Exaggeration of Mankind

     The world, unfortunately, is full of exaggeration. I am not speaking of statements that are meant to create surprise or comments such as, “Man, this purse weighs a ton.” This statement may be teaching a lesson or making a point. I am speaking more of what I call deliberate exaggeration; things that people do or the way they act that, to me, are excessive and maybe even ridiculous. For example, facial makeup exaggerates features that someone may want but does not have. It exaggerates the faces that God gave us.  Another example was the recent race for the Presidency. Candidates exaggerated aspects of their opponent’s political or business record and even their personal lives. Of course, the exaggerations were meant to stimulate doubt about the ability to govern the nation.

    Exaggeration seems to be more prevalent among celebrity artists. I am not knocking the gift a celebrity may have and his or her desire to share that gift with others. And he or she should be compensated for their performances and works of art but, for Pete’s sake, let’s establish a reasonable pay scale. To be fair, however, the television, theatre, and movie industries do add to the insanity by making outrageous money deals. And, of course, the media does a great deal in exaggerating the public and private lives of celebrities to the point of ad nausea.

    Of course, exaggeration is not confined to that of humans. It is prevalent in the manipulation of both animals and plants. Have you ever noticed how livestock or companion animals are dolled up for exhibition shows to emphasize traits (longer body and deeper chest, etc.) that are not there or fully there? Do we really know how much money is spent on genetic, pharmaceutical, and pesticide research to make the largest, greatest producing, and most attractive plants and animals?

     Now, some may say Jesus Christ exaggerated when he said, “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to get into heaven (Matthew 19:24).” For the purposes of this paper, Jesus did exaggerate; but consider he was teaching a simple lesson (and, besides, my feelings are that God can do anything). Why can’t today’s world be kept simple?

      I think Bill Cosby said it all. He told the story of how mankind created the washing machine to make clothes washing easier. He added that God created the rabbit to run fast as a means of escaping predators. The washing machine can wash permanent press clothes in 10 minutes. The rabbit can run 25 mph. One day, the washing machine, for some unknown reason, stopped working; the rabbit is still running.