Article August 13, 1938 Issue

True Idealism

GEORGE NAY

The love of high ideals and the desire to live by them are common to many, although at times it may seem difficult to see this under the mask of hopelessness, discouragement, and faintheartedness. Much has been said of late of the need for higher ideals to motivate the efforts aiming to relieve humanity of the injustices and sufferings that seem to beset it on every hand, every land.

Usually, realism is thought of as the opposite of idealism, as being an attitude of thought more concerned with immediate advantages, with the expediencies of the present, than with any supposedly impracticable ideals.

In the human sense of things, wherein idealism is frequently thought of as impractical, and realism as materialistic or as largely bereft of high ideals, there would seem to be little that is satisfying. Much needless confusion has arisen out of these misconceptions, particularly among young people who, sooner or later, find themselves confronted with the opposing arguments of these two mental attitudes. This usually happens early in their careers, when they are most eagerly searching for the best means to bring their ideals to some practical realization.

Send a comment to the editors

We'd love to hear from you!

Easily submit your testimonies, articles, and poems online.

Submit

True Idealism

We'd love to hear from you!

Sign up for unlimited access