Between, an Idealist or Realist, being which one do you prefer? Well, while you decide what you really are. Here is a read for you which basically lays down in black and white, what being an idealist is like from the author's point of view.
Over to the
Idealist Lately, all my friends have been sort of accusing me of being an idealist. I have not been enthusiastic enough in this regard to take the trouble of refuting their contentions, which has been taken as my approval. And I have started to sort of go with it. But frankly, I really do not understand the precise distinctions between the regimes of Idealism and Realism. So I decided to find out what these adjectives actually mean and took the obvious next step of searching them on the internet. According to wikipedia (pardon me for lack of any authoritative source here) idealism broadly suggests "the priority of ideals, principles, values, and goals over concrete realities. Idealists are understood to represent the world as it might or should be, rather than focusing on the world as it presently is." Also Realism, as my basic internet search tells me, refers to viewing things as they really are. While the former did not raise any further curiosities in my mind, it's the latter that has been messing around with my head. Personally, I appreciate the rejection of virtual sand castles which really are impractical. But how exactly do you see the world as it really is? And how do you bring upon that to influence your basic decision making skills?
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| Is idealist about beliving the world to be good or bringing your goodness into the world? |
I am no philosopher and my sincere apologies if my views are philosophically incorrect but as I have come to see realism as perceived by my fellow friends, it seems to me nothing more than a mere justification of being extremely self minded. If you are an idealist, you are a fool. Why? Because you still think honesty is noble. Because you still think all those value education trash that they teach you in school was not trash after all. Because you still long for a true friend and be one too. Because you still hope things can fall in place some day. I know these concepts are existent majorly in theory, with a few, very few practical exceptions. But does the spirit of realism teach you to disregard the exceptions completely and go on with the majority's authority, even if it can have an effect of changing you fundamentally? I really can not agree to this.
As mentioned before, I don't support the day dreamer's paradise and its version of a happy world full of values and ideals. I know the 'ought to' standards have hardly any limits and to let them govern your thinking solely does not make any sense. But can't we use the dreaded idealism to channelize the popular realism towards a less extremist and more bearable format, creating a perspective diverging for once from 'self' towards the other fellow beings? Can't we together make these concrete realities a bit more bearable, a bit more humane?
In the battle of realism and idealism, I still can't figure out which category I belong to. But if my perception of realism has even a bit of reality, then if I have to make a choice, I will any day be a happy idealist.
Check the next post for the Realist's side of the story!