Quotes About Idealism

for Communists, "the future is more real than the present." The belief in this "reality" is why radicals discount the apparent freedoms and material benefits of the actual world they live in. Their eyes are fixed on a revolutionary future that is perfect and just.

How can we satisfy ourselves without going on in infinitum? And, after all, what satisfaction is there in that infinite progression? Let us remember the story of the Indian philosopher and his elephant. It was never more applicable than to the present subject. If the material world rests upon a similar ideal world, this ideal world must rest upon some other; and so on, without end. It were better, therefore, never to look beyond the present material world.

Anyone too undisciplined, too self-righteous or too self-centered to live in the world as it is has a tendency to idealize a world which ought to be. But no matter what political or religious direction such idealists choose, their visions always share one telling characteristic: in their utopias, heavens or brave new worlds, their greatest personal weakness suddenly appears to be a strength.

Work for something because it is good, not just because it stands a chance to succeed.

That glorious vision of doing good is so often the sanguine mirage of so many good minds.

For every idealistic peacemaker willing to renounce his self-defence in favour of a weapons-free world, there is at least one warmaker anxious to exploit the other's good intentions.

Children are certainly too good to be true.

God save us from idealists! They dream of a world without injustice, and what crime won't they commit to get it! I swear, Mirella, I'll settle for a world with good manners.

One of the great things about young people is that they do question, that they do care deeply about justice, and they they have open minds.

Whether a revolution succeeds or fails people of great hearts will always be sacrificed to it.

Ideas are great arrows, but there has to be a bow. And politics is the bow of idealism.

I still believe that peace and plenty and happiness can be worked out some way. I am a fool.

Novels teach the youthful mind to sigh after happiness that never existed.

Happy are those who choose, those who accept being chosen, the handsome heroes, the handsome saints, the perfect escapists.

Don't become cynical. Don't give up hope. Don't believe that everything is judged only by expediency. There is idealism in this world. There is human brotherhood.

I remember being young in the 1960s. We had a great sense of the future, a great big hope. This is what is missing in the youth today. This being able to dream and to change the world.

Mix idealism with realism and add hard work. This will often bring much more than you could ever hope for.

The happy ending is our national belief.

People will say I'm an idealist. I hope so.

I say let's be idealists. "Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not yet see" (Hebrews 11:1).

Anything that hinted at corruption always filled him with a wild hope

Idealizing life is surely quite unrealistic, however, it is much better than living in constant despair.

Inside every cynical person, there is a disappointed idealist.

We need a politician who hates politics.