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August 11, 2003
Giving up on idealism.
Winston Churchill once said, "If you're 20 and conservative, you have no heart. If you're 40 and liberal, you have no head." I was reminded of this quote as I pondered why so many more young people are idealistic than old people. I know that fact is obvious, but the whys aren't as clear. It seems as though peoples idealism fades, or is forgotten as they get older. I always picture it as a pretty quick transition, but it may not be. Certainly the arrival of kids plays a HUGE role in it. But why?As I look at the consequences of my aforementioned crusade it becomes obvious to me. It is a lot more difficult to get ahead in this world without compromising idealism. I mean, you have to work. You have to go to work and get your work done. Constantly being plagued by nagging doubts of the fruitfulness of ones daily activities is NOT the way to get ahead. Plus, the more responsibilities you get, the harder it is to carry ones idealism around. You have a car payment, house payment, student loan payment. Gotta take care of the things you have. I can see how this path I'm on makes caring for all of those material things becomes more and more difficult.
So the question remains, what happens if you DON'T give it up, but continue to bolster ones idealism even as one gets older? I don't see a clear answer to this question, but I do see a few examples. Certainly there are examples of hippies I mentioned at the end of this entry who are deadbeats who don't contribute anything, but to their credit, managed to hold on to their ideals. Then there are those who managed to have idealistic jobs, like writing, or music. Finally, there are the wanderers. But more on them later.
Posted by wonko at August 11, 2003 01:53 PM
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Comments
And where are you today? A once die-hard idealist, with a birthdate of 8/11, your write up caught my eye. Over the last few months I find myself saying aloud - my idealism, it's fading. How do I stop it from fading? I have two children and all the payments mentioned above - but I don't want to teach my children that we should be slaves to money - so we can have things. But, I do want them to know and understand the concept of money and that we pay for the things we need. Well, perhaps merely asking the question is a start.
Posted by: Rachel Lively at March 15, 2004 06:14 PM
I think the reason that our idealism fades is that as we grow older, we begin to realize that all of the commericalized imaginary success and opportunity that is fed to us via the media as we emerge into this world fades. We see the world and our place in it for what it really is. We also realize that we are just another human to come and go on this earth, who will have no trace of existence but a gravestone a hundred years from now. You see that your whole life has been laid out for you even before you.
I guess that really came out pessimistic, but I think it is somewhat near to the truth of things. Sometimes I wonder if those who are pulling the strings are beginning to realize that there is a suttle stirring in the social structure. Sometimes I think that maybe every new "creature comfort" was somehow designed by that dark tribunal quietly keeping the masses subdued to endow us with more responsibility and to help keep our minds off of the most obvious question we should all be asking. Why does any of this matter?
Does it really matter that we go to work and recieve a paycheck, so that we can return that money back into the inflated economy by purchasing some planned-obselescence product, likely on credit? The alternative to this cycle is that we could go back to living rural farm lives, raise families, spend quality time with our children and neighbors, and I think, enjoy a much more fulfilling life. But hey, who am I kidding, I'm just your average joe, just as hoplessly addicted to idealistic capitalism.
Posted by: liberatinggreed at March 27, 2004 03:32 PM
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