When Looks Are Deceiving

© 2004 Wendy Dager

We generally see celebrities at their best, glamorously walking the red carpet at an award ceremony, or animatedly doing the circuit of television interview shows to promote their latest films.

Sometimes, however, we are treated to tabloid photos of celebrities who aren’t wearing makeup, have unkempt hair, and are decidedly unbeautiful. These stills aren’t from their movies, but are candid shots of them pushing their kids in strollers, jogging in sweaty clothes around a park, or checking into a posh rehab facility for some addiction or other.

Is this really how we want to see them—warts and all? Or do we prefer to envision movie and TV stars as perfect pictures of health and beauty?

Celebrities, like flowers, aren’t always radiant blooms. Sometimes, they appear to us in their unadorned, natural states, which isn’t always pretty.

Sisyrinchium bellum has small blue flowers that bloom in spring, but die back the rest of the year.

Take, for example, the California native known as Sisyrinchium bellum, or Blue-eyed grass. It is a delicate grass-like perennial that performs well in dry areas. Yet, Blue-eyed grass dies back to the ground during summer months, meaning its beautiful bluish-purple flower is only visible three months of the year. The rest of the time, in dry California weather, Blue-eyed grass is brown.

In photographs, however, you will see Blue-eyed grass in full, opulent bloom. Is this image misleading in the same way our perception of celebrity beauty is misleading? Or is it just that we wish to see everything—and everyone—at their best?

When considering actors, it’s important to remember that they are people, too.

When considering seed mixes, it’s important to understand that there are generally periods of dormancy, which are never as attractive as when a plant is in bloom.

When you are contemplating using a plant for a job site, you will probably see a picture of it fully grown, with blooms, and as green as can be. While this isn’t meant to be a misrepresentation, you should remember that bloom time is a variable—just like a celebrity’s good hair day.

If you have any questions about a seeds’ bloom time or other statistics, you can consult the S&S Seeds Web site, http://www.ssseeds.com, or give us a call at (805) 684-0436. Because sometimes a picture alone isn’t worth 1000 words.

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