Idealism Quotes

It has generally been assumed that of two opposing systems of philosophy, e.g., realism and idealism, one only can be true and one must be false; and so philosophers have been hopelessly divided on the question, which is the true one.

Americans admire a people who can scratch a desert and produce a garden. The Israelis have shown qualities that Americans identify with: guts, patriotism, idealism, a passion for freedom. I have seen it. I know. I believe that.

The sublimated idealism of the Enlightenment, the spirit of the League of Nations and of the United Nations Charter have not proved strong enough to control the aggressive dynamism of nationalism.

We must rekindle the fire of idealism in our society.

No period of history has ever been great or ever can be that does not act on some sort of high, idealistic motives, and idealism in our time has been shoved aside, and we are paying the penalty for it.

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

It is the style of idealism to console itself for the loss of something old with the ability to gape at something new.

I've always wanted to play Don Quixote in some way. It's a great role. I think the idealism of the man shows that hope that we have in the human breast to achieve something.

In the revolt against idealism, the ambiguities of the word experience have been perceived, with the result that realists have more and more avoided the word.

Words without actions are the assassins of idealism.

If a young person has any idealism at all, it's strongest about the time he finishes college.

Idealism is like a castle in the air if it is not based on a solid foundation of social and political realism.

What you have now is a Hollywood that is pure poison. Hollywood was a central place in the history of art in the 20th century: it was human idealism preserved. And then, like any great place, it collapsed, and it collapsed into the most awful machinery in the world.

For we, too, have our ideals, even if we differ from those who have tried to establish a monopoly of idealism.

If you want to accomplish something in the world, idealism is not enough - you need to choose a method that works to achieve the goal.

But it is well to remember that we are dealing with nations every one of which has a direct individual interest to serve, and there is grave danger in an unshared idealism.

By concentrating on what is good in people, by appealing to their idealism and their sense of justice, and by asking them to put their faith in the future, socialists put themselves at a severe disadvantage.

It is instructive, for instance, to trace the computer industry's decline in vision, idealism, creativity, romance and sheer fun as it becomes more and more important and prosperous.

Any idealism is a proper subject for art.

The other aspect of idealism is the one which gives us our notion of the absolute Self. To it the first is only preparatory. This second aspect is the one which from Kant, until the present time, has formed the deeper problem of thought.

Every form of addiction is bad, no matter whether the narcotic be alcohol or morphine or idealism.

At present, our country needs women's idealism and determination, perhaps more in politics than anywhere else.

You see, idealism detached from action is just a dream. But idealism allied with pragmatism, with rolling up your sleeves and making the world bend a bit, is very exciting. It's very real. It's very strong.

Joining the Liberal Party was a no-brainer for me... And when you are a young man, you don't get a calculator out saying, 'Am I going to get to power?' You get propelled forward by idealism.

Idealistic reformers are dangerous because their idealism has no roots in love, but is simply a hysterical and unbalanced rage for order amidst their own chaos.

Idealism is fine, but as it approaches reality, the costs become prohibitive.

Over the past decade... while many businesses have pursued what I call 'business as usual,' I have been part of a different, smaller business movement, one that tried to put idealism back on the agenda.

Idealism is the despot of thought, just as politics is the despot of will.

The natural idealism of youth is an idealism, alas, for which we do not always provide as many outlets as we should.

Perhaps women have always been in closer contact with reality than men: it would seem to be the just recompense for being deprived of idealism.