The Plight Of Idealism
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The Plight Of Idealism

Valuable lessons on the power of idealism from "Mr. Smith"

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The Plight Of Idealism
torrent butler

There is one lens through which we primarily view the world today and that is through cynicism. In every aspect of life--from culture to politics to business--we are always looking for the con, asking about the catch, and endlessly snooping around for a scandal. Any time we are confronted with someone that makes a play for honesty we accuse them of either being manipulative or naive. Any time a would-be hero rises up we almost fall over ourselves to tear them down.

Now, there are beneficial aspects to being skeptical in life. Asking questions about what is told to you is a healthy exercise in becoming a free thinker and forming a unique sense of self. However, cynicism like all things can be taken too far especially when it is used to look down upon its polar opposite, idealism.

Idealism has a difficult spot in modern life. The more of the world we are able to see thanks to technology, the more of its imperfections are relayed back to us with perfect clarity. Every time things seem to shift from the doom and gloom of cynicism, it returns with a vengeance. There are few areas where this is more true than in politics. Idealism appeared to be gaining ground with the election of Obama, his message of hope and change struck resonance with people--coupled with the fact that he would be the first black president--many people believed things were finally starting to look up in this country. Then came the backlash and the years of obstructionism and hope began to dim. With the recent Democratic campaign for president that early idealism began to be revived amongst many voters. The sudden and meteoric success of Bernie Sanders ignited the feelings of optimism for many. Even the candidacy of Hillary Clinton managed to get people enthused as they dreamed of shattered glass ceilings. On election day many woke up as idealists filled with faith in their country and hope for the future and went to bed bitter cynics cursing the world and themselves for believing it could be made better.

In the face of such a harsh belittlement of idealism many have given up on it entirely believing the old cynics refrain that idealism is just a polite term for extreme naivety. I am here to say that such a quick dismissal is childish and that there is a great power in idealism. One of the clearest examples of how to use its power is in the film "Mr Smith Goes To Washington."

The Frank Capra classic tells the story of how an idealistic, but naive scoutmaster, Jefferson Smith, becomes a US Senator on the machinations of a political machine that want a trusting yes-man to prove their plans of political graft. However the political powers that be underestimate the power of Mr. Smiths idealism and his plans for a national improvement project clash with their own corrupt machinations. Afraid hat their scream will be uncovered they give Mr. Smith a choice play the game and keep his head down or be destroyed. The idealist in him leads him to refuse their offer and for his defiance he is denounced by his colleague, a man who was formerly a good friend to his father, and hauled before a committee that politically crucifies him. After a long night of soul searching Mr. smith returns undaunted to the senate to plead his case by performing a filibuster and making his case directly to the people. Mr. Smith makes his case but under heavy resistance from the machine, which creates a virtual media blackout of his pleadings and delivers only carefully edited statements, and the other senators believing that he is a rouge element threatening the sanctity of their august body attempt to drive him into complete exhaustion. After 23 hours of nonstop talking Mr. Smith collapses from exhaustion and appears to be beaten until his pleadings and subsequent collapse triggers a crisis of conscious in his colleague who denounced him. With the confession, Mr. Smiths name is cleared and, though he is battered, he is victorious.

The movie illustrates two vital points about idealism. First is that many of the foes we face today have always been opposing us. There have always been fears of political corruption and wealthy interests using public money to line their pockets. Although at least the corrupt leaders of back then had the decency to try to put on an air of respectability and decorum while they made their brazen adepts at theft. The political tools of today have been reduced to little more than half formed, emotionally stunted adolescents posing as adults while they act out a Randian wet dream on the national stage. We shouldn't get discouraged when reactionary forces gain the upper hand, they've done it before and each time they have we have beaten them down again. This time will be no different.

The second point is that Idealism and naivety are not interchangeable. In the film Mr. Smith starts off as both idealistic and naive but even after learning the truth about what is going on around him and, despite the tremendous personal and professional blows heaped upon him by the establishment, he remains unwavering in his devotion to his principles. In fact upon learning the true depths of his naivety he takes it upon himself to learn. He strives to discover how the system he's found himself in the middle of works and when he finds himself stymied by that system, he uses some of its most potent weapons against itself. Frankly its a lesson that bears worth repeating, no matter how daunting the system before us may seem we have the power to learn to use it for our cause.

No matter how crushing and hurtful recent events may seem, we cannot give up our ideals. We've come too far and sacrificed too much to give them up and say its hopeless, we've beaten worse odds than we are up against now. What the election has done is shake off the naivety, we are now sadder but wiser. We need to remember what we are fighting for is not just some youthful phase or modern fad but the latest part of a centuries long struggle, the liberal struggle. Everything from the Enlightenment to Black Lives Matter is a part of the great liberal cannon of ideas. America has always been at its greatest when its adhered most closely to its ideals, when we've elected the visionaries to power, and believed most strongly in the dreamers to shape our future. We are facing a dark time now but it is not a call to abound our most cherished ideals but to recommit ourselves more firmly to them.

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This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
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