Were you more idealistic when you were younger?
By The Horse
@TheHorse (238305)
Walnut Creek, California
October 20, 2015 12:02pm CST
You've probably heard the expression: "A cynic is a disillusioned idealist," or something like that. I haven't sunk into total cynicism, but I sure am more of a cynic now than when I was younger.
I was quite idealistic in my younger years and thought I could "save the world" for poor kids, both through research (I was originally trained as a researcher) and through working with troubled families directly. I've had some successes, but when I step back, the overall picture looks the same, or maybe worse (here in the United States anyway).
The poor get poorer. Many don't really try to better themselves.The rich get richer. Some pay lip service to helping the poor, but I question their sincerity.
Grr.
Were you more idealistic when you were younger?
12 people like this
13 responses
@GardenGerty (169448)
• United States
20 Oct 15
I was more idealistic, but did not know even where to begin to help others. Now I just help those who come my way as I am able. I believe that everyone, even the nicest, have a bottom line that will make them turn on you. I believe that poverty is so often generational and you have to turn the tides of the generations and get someone to go against the tide to make any progress.
5 people like this
@TheHorse (238305)
• Walnut Creek, California
20 Oct 15
I most enjoy working with kids one-on-one (or in small groups) to help them see different ways of viewing the world. I try to make being industrious and curious a basic part of who they are. Gardening (shown) is one of the tools I use.
3 people like this
@arthurchappell (44941)
• Preston, England
21 Oct 15
If anything I am getting more idealistic as I was politically naïve when younger but I meet a lot of good people with radical passionate commitment to making a difference nowadays.
@arthurchappell (44941)
• Preston, England
21 Oct 15
@TheHorse I do think we can make a difference without violence if we snap people out of their apathy
@TheHorse (238305)
• Walnut Creek, California
23 Oct 15
@arthurchappell I try. I encounter a lot of people who are either disillusioned idealists or who simply don't give a darn.
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61463)
• United States
21 Oct 15
I would say rather that I was more naive, life has taken care of that for me. I used to trust in the goodness and honesty of people and I still want to but I often see things that make me doubt that.
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61463)
• United States
21 Oct 15
@TheHorse So many people just seem to be so self centered and are rude and inconsiderate, I hope it is just ignorance not malice.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (238305)
• Walnut Creek, California
21 Oct 15
@BelleStarr It seems to me that people who have their act together, and are doing what they love, are also kind to others. That makes me think that there are a lot of frustrated, unsatisfied people out there today. Self-centered describes many Bay Area people well, but it may be epidemic everywhere.
@jstory07 (148730)
• Roseburg, Oregon
21 Oct 15
I used to tell my mom if I thought some kid my age was going with out and we would help them.
@owstalaga (4825)
• Philippines
29 Oct 15
Ugh, I am still idealistic now, but maybe more on the jaded side or something. Whatever. I guess it depends on my mood but I still feel I am too idealistic or serious to a fault. 
Yes I have heard of that saying back in college. Definitely true.
Yes I have heard of that saying back in college. Definitely true.
@salonga (27775)
• Philippines
21 Oct 15
Yes, I used to be idealistic until I realize that there are things in this life that is so hard to achieve the way I want them to be.
@1hopefulman (45111)
• Canada
24 Oct 15
I think that I was always realistic. I think my realism is growing all the time. As I see the world getting worse then my faith that God will soon intervene is getting stronger. The Bible tells us that things will get worse and worse just before God intervenes. So I see things getting worse and I hope to soon see a change for the better as God has promised. Faith is not a possession of all people!
@TheHorse (238305)
• Walnut Creek, California
24 Oct 15
But I wonder if each generation sees the world as getting worse. I remember chuckling when I read War and Peace. The grown-ups (in 1800 or so) were saying "The young people are so disrespectful these days," or something lie that. They sounded like my parent then, and me now.
@TheHorse (238305)
• Walnut Creek, California
20 Oct 15
What's that other expression? "If you're not Liberal when you're younger, you have no heart. If you're not Conservative when you're older, you have no brain." Maybe it's not quite THAT bad, but I understand the statement better now than I did in my youth.
@crazyhorseladycx (39503)
• United States
20 Oct 15
yes sir, my dad called me'n 'disillusioned dreamer'. i still possess this, e'en in my latter years. i've still hopes fer humanity. which tends to lead to great frustration'n my part.
@TheHorse (238305)
• Walnut Creek, California
20 Oct 15
Yep. I never want to give up hope. But some simple stuff frustrates me and makes me say "fall of Western Civilization" in my head. Here in the Bay Area there is one jazz and one classical music radio station on the FM dial. Both had to go public.
1 person likes this
@Freelanzer (10782)
• Canada
21 Oct 15
I am still an idealist today and still like to believe that the world can be saved.
