Wednesday, December 21, 2016

Idealist?

I've been often told by my partner that I am idealistic. No, not in the way of "I know the best" or "Holier than thou" creepy kind but in a way that masks the reality and practicality of life.

Being idealistic is not "real world" is the argument. And I always disagree. Of course; one needs to be aware of the situation, of the limitations of real world and act accordingly. But I would also argue that dismissing idealistic thoughts is looking for an excuse to not try the best. Of course; trying to do one's best is not an easy task. Not to be mistaken; its not that people are intentionally giving in. Its only natural that the path we tend to follow is of least resistance; of accepting limits easily and thus deciding to be "realistic" could result in mediocre results.

Coming to my thought process; I often envisage a world as it should be than the world it is now. BUT; I think I am doing just fine as long as I am not in a dreamy world having lost all reality. I would like to use my emotive state to make things better, to make people around me feel better. My state I believe would turn into actions that would encourage people. However; if any of my beliefs are an hindrance; than I have a problem that should be fixed.

I don't think there is a single one of us that looks at our own life, our situations and society at large and not think "I wish this was not what it is" or "I wish this was better". Idealism can co-exist with realism and cynicism. As an attitude; idealism could instigate to pursue the best path rather than the most accessible easier path. But if its substituted with realism; basing policy on what is "appropriate" or "accurate" or what people "should" do instead of what it is or what people do; it can have bad consequences - the "holier than thou" phenomenon I mentioned earlier.

On the flip side; there are these rich emotional and passionate convictions that I share with very few people. My core values and my principles are things that I wouldn't stop believing in how much ever I am tested, beaten and battered. I would just be grateful for all the good things.

Amidst mounds of negativity and horror around you; when life knocks you down as soon as you are up with no respite; hopefulness gets you through your worst and helps moves forward to the best. You can either be bitter about it or try your best to see if there are alternatives. Seeing the world the way it is and still hoping for the best is nothing short of a gift. To see that silver lining in the cloud, to see a helping hand in that chaos, to see a pathway of compassion and understanding is a blessing. Seeing imperfection in perfection and accepting flaws and limitations while striving to be better allows one to find that inner self control, a conviction that defines the strength. Seeing humanity in everyone and seeking the best for others, believing that others' dreams and hopes can be enriched with your presence and to be able to love unconditionally, to be more accepting and forgiving is hope. And to be hopeful is a great strength that can take you a long way. 

6 comments:

  1. I agree 100% but then it's often difficult to practice some of these things consistently everyday. Some days just take you off in the storm and you don't even realize how did you land up where you are. But then, if you know how to get yourself back up and be an "idealist" once again, that can definitely get you keep going.
    At the end of the day, you should be able to see yourself in the mirror and respect yourself for what you made out of you today or maybe over a period of time. Not everyone has a conscious!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Supriya,

      Bang on! Its not easy to refrain from judging, stereotyping and such. At the end of the day; if you felt happy about not hurting anyone else - thats more than enough.

      Delete
  2. Somehow being idealistic has negative connotations but I too believe that having strong ideals guide us in seeing what best we can do instead of giving in and settling for the least-resistance path. It should not mean not being practical but striving for the better even though being aware of the flaws and limitations.

    It acts as a canvas against which we can weigh the reality and that's why we need to maintain a balance between being practical and having strong ideals. We tend to get disillusioned when our ideals differ too much from reality.

    Last para sums it up so well and so nicely written. Hope is a weapon. Survival is victory.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ajay,

      Welcome to B Log.

      Thank you; agree with your views. We do need to check whats practical and real; and as long as we are aware of the flaws and limits; and we can work through it; its good, isnt it?

      Delete
  3. One of the biggest disadvantage (if I can call it that) of being idealist is the disappointment one may feel in numerous occasions. I saw that happening and it sometimes can get very emotional for the family. But I guess, that is an extreme. To have ideals is the base for a strong character, which we need in every walk of life. I loved how you summed everything up in the last para.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Rajlakshmi,

      Ha; you brought up THE fact. It does hurt when we get disappointed. More often; we dont get what we expected because of our idealistic ways and that does hurt.

      Delete

I'd love to know what you thought :-) Please shoot!