idealism v. pragmatism

[Advocate]

Idealism and pragmatism are only contradictory when something is wrong.

[KLewchuk]

Idealism and pragmatism are only contradictory when something is wrong.

I might say that idealism and pragmatism are only contradictory when what is useful is untrue. I may believe that SpiderMan exits and find it useful when faced with a dilemma to ask myself, "What would SpiderMan do?". However, the usefulness of my belief in SpiderMan does not make the existence of SpiderMan true.

[Age]

ALL contradiction only exists when some thing is wrong.

If, so called, "idealism" and, so called, "pragmatism" are contradictory, then it is the version, or definition, of these things, which is just WRONG.

[Nick_A]

Idealism and pragmatism are only contradictory when something is wrong.

It would be the ideal if humanity as a whole were capable of respect for life. It may be the ideal but doesn't serve our pragmatic needs which is why there are so many abortions. Some praise young life as the ideal and others want to kill them for pragmatic reasons.

Ideals are one thing but pragmatic desires are another. What is wrong with hypocrisy? It is the norm.

[Systematic]

The problem with idealism and pragmatism is that some people are not idealists and some people are not pragmatic.