[rowingineden]

I'm curious, how many of you are actually idealistic/optimistic at your core? I know that I am actually pretty cynical about, say, human nature, which is why I tend to take an approach to life which seems idealistic to other people - I'm trying to change things!

 

[Raichan]

I'm still exhaustingly a constant paradox. I am both idealist and realist at the core. I can be very dark and I can be very bright.

 

[Raichan]

I think (this is just my personal view) pain contributes further to reliance on imaginative ideals. It's not just misunderstood escapism, we acknowledge that as our strengths lie in that realm, we're able to derive certain truths that will help us become stronger equipped to deal with pain in reality and to avoid or overcome life shattering mistakes.

Though escaping into the world of idealism can be good therapy on its own

 

[Azure Bass]

I voted the first four. I have two thought processes going on most of the time: my head and heart. a two track mind. I usually do hope for the best, but expect the worst. Because of that, I can lanace out my own feelings pretty well unless it's defaulted by what others are adding to the equation, due to empathy. I know it probably sounds like a Libra scale to the max, but it's me.

I think (this is just my personal view) pain contributes further to reliance on imaginative ideals. It's not just misunderstood escapism, we acknowledge that as our strengths lie in that realm, we're able to derive certain truths that will help us become stronger equipped to deal with pain in reality and to avoid or overcome life shattering mistakes.

Though escaping into the world of idealism can be good therapy on its own

Like a private garden where we can think freely without any reigns to hold us back, right Izzie? :laughing:

 

[Hammerhand]

I gave up on trying to change :tongue:. People are people

 

[fantasista]

I used to be very idealistic and, as you put it, very optimistic about human nature. This started to change when I was around 17/18 and my life went halfway to hell, my parents split up, I despised everything about high school, and everything about myself. I'm trying to get back to where I was before (healthier, the way I see it), but it's easier said than done.

 

[under skies]

Hope for the best and prepare for the worst.

I think I am somewhere between realism and idealism.

 

[hood]

I'm really optimistic to other people, but it's cause it's like I'm protecting a secret that would kill them if they knew, I don't know can't really explain it...

 

[The odd one out]

Nice question
I was actually challenged by this question today when i let a lady from across the street use my phone, when she spoke to me she sounded injured or at least really upset, she was sobbing. i let her in so she could use my phone, i asked her what she needed it for and said it was personal.
She was fine and infact a smack head & needed the phone to call her dealer, she was tripping out. My dad looked at me kind of disapointed like but i felt really sorry for her.
A few moments later she came back to my house but let herself in, literally opened up the door to my house! I felt like really violated, i showed this woman compassion that she wasnt getting anywhere else and she abused it
My dad yelled at her and told her not to come here again else he'd call the police, and i STILL felt sorry for her, but guilty for letting my dad down, i've never felt so conflicted. >< :sad:

 

[The odd one out]

Empathy is a funny thing, i get it so bad sometimes that sometimes i want to get involved in peoples lives just so i know they'd be alright, i know i cant do that but its sad seeing someone suffer and not having the power to do somethin about it. anyone had that feeling?

 

[bobdaduck]

Expect the best, prepare for the worst.

 

[Halcy0n]

I used to be very idealistic and, as you put it, very optimistic about human nature. This started to change when I was around 17/18 and my life went halfway to hell, my parents split up, I despised everything about high school, and everything about myself. I'm trying to get back to where I was before (healthier, the way I see it), but it's easier said than done.

I've been through it. It's possible. :happy:

Good luck!

 

[rbt]

Hope for the best, expect the worst. That's pretty much me at the start of things, but then I get pulled into the situation too far and think everything is going to go better than I could ever dream. At this point I am promptly shown otherwise.

 

[Pachacutie]

"Behind every cynic is a disappointed idealist."

I would like to answer this, but I can check nearly all of these things.
Especially the first two. They can coincide, I guess.

 

[susurration]

Cynicism is a filter of reality and not always correct in judgment. I would consider myself somewhat of a misanthropist, but I hold no vendetta against humanity. I see it for all it's ails and I accept it, and if I want anything changed, then it's up to me to do something about it, rather than sit and be negative about it. Afterall, you could very well put yourself in an environment that countered your cynicism, and what then?

I take life as it comes. I prefer to take unnecessary value judgments out of the equation when it comes to how I judge reality. I don't like to hold onto ideas and have them "become me". I prefer to continually challenge them and critique their origin.
I highly doubt any person is wholly negative or wholly positive. That black and white view of the world is ultimately misguided.

I do think infps' with a largely positive upbringing go through a period of a "loss of innocence" where through experience or information, the positive and innocent veil finally comes off and the full weight of existence dawns on them. That probably entrenches itself the minute the infp engages in full time work, or goes off to live on their own. The infp can either adapt to this new paradigm, or they become bitter by it (probably because their expectations for life were never met).
I see no reason to be bitter, when I compare what the past has been like (where there were less opportunities for entrepreneurship etc) and see visions of the future, look at the options, asses how much hard work i'm willing to do, looking outside of the box and seeing the possibilities. I see a reason to be prepared for external work and internal shifts, not to be bitter. If I want anything in this life, I have to work for it. I aint entitled to squat; I'm not entitled to happiness, love, security etc. None of that is a given. I'm not going to blame anyone for that. That is the reality of life, and I will "receive" what I am willing to work for and for what chance (the situation out of my control) provides.

Life is just a roll of the dice. Taking responsibility and acknowledging what you cannot control, is freedom. Not seeing it in a certain way as a defense mechanism.

 

[SenhorFrio]

i am idealististic but not optimistic.Humanity has so much potential yet thus far the majority of it was wasted it away on pointless counter productive things. there is hope for us yet

 

[Paradigm]

I usually do hope for the best, but expect the worst.

Yes, exactly! I find a lot of people don't get this even after explaining it more than once. Why wouldn't it be possible to be idealistic and something else (pessimistic, cynical, realistic, etc)? Just because one is idealistic doesn't mean one actually expects the idealistic scenario to happen.

Me, I'm what I refer to as a cynical idealist (Cynicism is actually a school of philosophy I relate to, in addition to the more modern definition of cynic). Like Azure, I definitely want the best to happen and even daydream about it. But I often expect everything to go to hell. I give people/situations the benefit of the doubt even if I don't trust them (yet). But rest assured, I often have a back-up plan and that, my friends, is what I will break out if everything screws up.

 

[JerseyDevil]

It highly depends on the situation. I'm an idealist in what I think people can aspire to be, but a realist when it comes to the most likely situation.

Like today, someone I follow on Twitter said 'Why are we asking what America needs? Shouldn't we ask what humanity needs? Countries are such an antiquated idea.'

And while I'm with him on the idea that one day I think a possible outcome at some point for humanity is that we unite as a race as far as government goes, realistically the world is simply not ready for that yet. Even then, it might not be a glorious idea: 1 massive government is easy to corrupt if you are a corporation with deep pockets, and they could turn into puppets for the wealthy very easily if capitalism is still around. Just look at every governmental system that has ever had some kind of mercantile system in the history of the world to see that.

I don't see why the majority of the world hasn't come together yet to at least solve poverty and hunger though. I mean seriously the one major thing we need to start spending on is growing enough for everyone and then making sure it gets to anyone who needs it. I know we can't build towns and stuff for people, but would it really be that hard to run irrigation pipelines around Africa and give them seeds and topsoil? We have the science at this point to grow mega-amounts of food in terrible conditions thanks to science. If they can manage to eat and sell some of the extra for profit to pay back on the investment then good deal. If not, let them grow some cotton and make some textiles or something so that everyone has clothes too. I know times are tough but I'm pretty sure if the majority of the world started getting behind helping people not starve to death then we can find a way to do it.

Instead we spend billions on like 1 fucking stealth bomber plane. It really makes me just feel embarrassed for humanity sometimes when I consider how many people believe we're so amazingly advanced and God's perfect little creatures.

Quite frankly, the majority of Americans need to stop being concerned about cocaine shoved up Paris Hilton's snatch and start paying attention to what matters. Then I think we will start to attain stuff that would otherwise be considered idealistic but should be considered realistic.

 

[Sily]

On a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being most you can be:

Optimistic - 10
Idealism - 9.855
Happiness - 9.5310
(.469 subtracted for current gassy pains, from too well-done burger for dinner)
Cynic - 1.3
Wonder w/The world - 9.2084
Happy I'm still alive - 10
Looking forward to another day - 10

 

[Darkestblue]

I'm pretty optimistic. Ask Franni.