The 4 Stages of idealism

(Moby - When it is cold I'd like to die)

Recently, after giving it a lot of thought, I have thought of a concept concerning idealism. I'd like to share it here. The song is just pretty.

The 4 Stages of Idealism
And the 3 falls that separate them

I believe there are 4 stages of idealism, each seperating them with a certain outcome of a fall. These falls are not a sure-thing, and not all idealists might experience all three or even 1. It is more or less the life's course of an ideal.

It starts with a rough ideal, pure and unadulterated. And ideal one fights for without questions, with the conviction that the world unites behind it. And so comes the first fall;

The first fall is when an idealist realizes his ideal isn't shared by the rest of society, or perhaps not even a small part of society. It can choose to give in, drop the ideal and join in with the society which does not have ideals. Or it chooses to fight for it regardless, and become stronger because of it. 

Than the second stage of idealism is a person that 'fights' for its ideals, fights for what he believe is. Is considering itself to be the example of change it wants to see in the world. 

Then the second fall comes. When the idealist realizes he or she him/herself cannot conform to their own ideal. That it is imperfect and cannot ever completely be the example it has set itself out to be. It can than choose to give up, and disregard its ideals as unrealistic, and join those without ideals. Or it can except that it is imperfect, and that it must strive to improve itself, and realize people will require time, and perhaps help, to ever conform to the ideal. But it chooses to work for it, regardless of its own imperfections.

Then the third stage of idealism comes. Where one encourages people not to be perfect, but strive to improve, on a wide scale. Reaching out to many, having patience, working, building, constructing a better world. Striving to be the best one can be. And over time, the ideal will seem attainable to a certain extend.

Then comes the third and final fall. The third and final fall is when the idealist, irrespective of its efforts and being the best it can be. Despite being honest to oneself and the people around, giving all that it could give. It discovers that the ideal isn't only not shared, but not valued. It wonders if the effort is worth it if something will not be given any value, nor from the journey to the result. The idealist than has 4 final options;
- It understands that life is meaningless and with the loss of ideals, refrain from participation in society (in whatever terrible way it might choose).
- It becomes angry at the world, and sees it no longer as a playground but rather a cesspool of laziness and stupidity and respond likewise. (in whatever terrible way it might choose)
- It becomes a realist/numb, and no longer cares for ideals, but yet chooses to fight for them, and supports others as it despises loneliness.

- Some strange superposition of the above three.

The fourth stage of idealism is the outcome of the third fall. It is more the creation of 1 idealism. The idealism about idealism. The final idealism one will ever hold, whatever it might be. Having gone through all 3 falls, I would have honestly no idea what such an idealism would look like or is explainable at all...

The thing is, we all have ideals. We all fight for some conviction, or opinion that is worth our time. And if you are self critical, and expand your mindset over a large enough crowd, you will always fall. I don't think it is bad, it makes you stronger and a better person. Or well, it makes you worse.

And at this point I don't know if there is a right or a wrong. I'd just wish all idealists good luck on their journeys.