Being a Realist or an Idealist? Is That Really the Question?

            Perhaps, one of humanity’s greatest challenges and ideological divergences is whether to be positive when facing hardships or accepting our bad luck and simply despair. Such a dilemma is constantly presented in Voltaire’s satire Candide, where Doctor Pangloss, referred to as a “great philosopher” relentlessly argues everything happens for the best and since something already is it is so for the best of all possible reasons. In our world Pangloss would be called an idealist, a person who refuses to see the evil in the world and expects good to eventually overcome it. However, in their eyes idealists argue they just apply reason into events ensuring that their philosophy is in fact real by identifying the noble things in the most depressing situations. On the other hand, it is said there are realists, which are those who “see” and “interpret” events or things as they truly are even in the most morose of situations. Idealists may be defined as being more subjective when making evaluations, whereas realists keep an objective position when doing so. One may see the benefits of each doctrine by seeing the first would keep a joyful manner in all circumstances, while the latter would understand the situation in a more exact manner. In the book, Candide the main character, has experienced great tragedies and has begun to doubt the idea that “all is for the best in the best of all possible worlds”, a maxim diligently passed by his mentor Pangloss. Yet, his mentor faced substantial trouble by acquiring an STD and then being hanged for preaching his philosophy. Additionally, Candide has being flogged mercilessly twice and suffered months of extreme poverty. Many reasons why to judge the nature of our world and whether to believe in the noble ideals of good outcomes no matter what or facing reality as it is.

             Nonetheless, regardless of the ideals one embraces or follows one must keep the goal of succeeding and moving forward intact when facing difficult times. We many times due to despair or moral conflicts deviate from the present task and therefore worsen the situation by actually doing nothing about. In most difficult situations in life it is not those who ponder what good comes out of the situation or those who reflect on how bad the situation is who emerge out of it triumphantly. It is those who have a determined mentally to keep going no matter what happens who overcome bad times. It is those who are devoted to make the best out the situation whatever the odds against him who eventually thrive. I believe this is the theme Voltaire is trying to transmit as Candide struggles to keep living in a world that only seems to bring calamities.