Human being - a creature that aspires to perfection

(Seen in“What will be the last revolution”, YouTube, 08:37 Leon Wieseltier)

An important early 16th century jewish thinker in Prague said in a sermont on the subject of frivolity:

The human being may be defined as a creature that aspires to perfection. But if the definition of this creature is the aspiration to perfection, then in such a creature perfection itself must be regarded as a shortcoming and a flaw.