我是一个理想主义者
I Am An Idealist and Proud to be One


每日一语：

An idealist is an optimist who thinks tomorrow is better than today and makes sure he is going to do something to make it happen. --- Kai Chen

一个理想主义者是一个乐观的认为明天会更好的人。 他也会用他的行动去使这一理想实现。 --- 陈凯

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Dear Visitors:

I have been accused and attacked for being many things -- iconoclast, anti-Chinese, anti-traditionalist (Chinese tradition), too harsh on others, non-realistic, and too Idealistic to be practical.

I think that I am all that and more. But among these accusations, I am very proud to be an Idealist.

What is a person's state of being without having an ideal, without the notion of "what things should be"? Besides a walking dead, a being of only flesh and blood without soul and mind, I can't think of any other way to describe such beings.

I have seen quite a few people whose highest ideal is to be liked by everyone, to be popular, to have power to be "a man above men" - a Confucian ideal notion. I have absolutely no interest in that and I feel only repugnance toward that notion of ideal man. My "ideal man" is only manifested upon an individual human being -- what he or she should be like: He is dignified, free, intelligent, courageous, integrited and optimistic... He has no interest and ambition in Power and he only seeks truth, freedom and true happiness. I try to model myself after that ideal man -- the ideal man that exists only in abstraction, yet he exists after all. We have seen many great men who are not without sins and faults, but nonetheless because of their pursuit of the ideals they have become great men.

We may not always match up with the ideal we hold, but that is not to say the ideal itself is worthless. As a matter of fact, human progress comes exactly because of their tireless pursuit of the notion of "ideal man". I often said that reality exists only in abstraction, and in an intangible form of expression through tangible actions. Our flesh and blood is only real in a physical world. But if we believe that it is the only form of reality, we reduce ourselves to mere animals. The true existence for a human being is in his abstract form of reality, in his mind, spirit and soul. This existence distinguishes us from all other animals. It is this true existence that gives meaning to a person's life. And through all of my life, I am only after this true form of human existence.

If this notion of human existence is called idealistic, then I am just that and I am all for that. Yet I am also aware the fact that in order to reach that ideal state of being, I must base my action on what things are in present form of reality. I must recognize the current human condition in order to formulate actions to realize my ideals. But never confuse this recognition with the ideal itself for it is the ideal that gives me a compass for direction.

I hope through what I write and communicate with you on my forum, you have a better understanding of who I am and where I come from, and you have a better understanding of why I do what I do. So enjoy me and enjoy your true existence in your ideals.

Best. Kai Chen 陈凯