Idealism and Growing Up?

MadamDarkmatter · Wed Feb 01, 2012 8:50 am

It's commonly said that in order to grow up, to mature, you must throw away your idealism. This may be a misinterpretation on my part but through discussing books like The Catcher in the Rye, it seems common enough. My question is, wouldn't it be possible to retain both? Isn't idealism and a strongheaded perserverence the place where the courage and will to pursue social change comes from? Is wanting social changes therefore immature?

Granted, I am young, my perspective doesn't come from firsthand experience. I'm genuinely curious

Robert Tulip · Wed Feb 01, 2012 3:00 pm

Idealism is closely associated with left wing politics. It is sometimes said that if you are not left wing at twenty you have no heart, but if you are still left wing at fifty you have no brain. I think what that illustrates is that young people do not understand the immense difficulty of achieving changes that look simple to them, whereas older people understand through experience that things exist the way they do for reasons, and that simple change often has unforeseen effects. It all makes people gradually become more conservative.

Another factor here is that children are naive and innocent and trusting, until their protected idealistic dreams are bruised by reality.

Religion can be a way of retaining ideals within a realistic framework. For example, the ideals of peace, hope, joy and love are celebrated in the four weeks of Advent in the lead up to Christmas. You do not have to take a non-realist view to see that these ideals are good.

President Camacho · Wed Feb 01, 2012 3:16 pm

I've heard that expression too and I'd like to attribute it to both timidity and bad thinking.

I think as people grow older, men get more accustomed to their yoke and women get more scared and seek safety. I see this as a fact of life.

You see, laws were long ago written that stealing was wrong. When they were... did people take issue with that? Shouldn't the strong have what they want? It's justice... Natural Justice - the justice of the Gods.

During ancient Greece, piracy was seen as evil but not as shameful as being a merchant. Being a strong pirate, taking what was yours was your RIGHT because you were stronger. People had a hard time understanding that stealing, in itself, despite the advantages it gave you and despite you were given by the Gods a power to do so, was wrong.... see?

Don't be afraid to seek the ideal as you shouldn't be afraid to seek cleanliness or any other virtue. Lead the way. You'll have millions planting knives in your back in order to pull you down but you are the one who has ended slavery and you are the one who has ended child prostitution. Keep up the good fight my friend. All those who oppose you serve 'evil'.

I only advocate this with those in your same position or lower. Those in a more powerful position than you - these rules do not apply today and I do not recommend using moral behavior to deal with them.

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