Idealists become so because an Idea arises in their minds and possesses them. The only lasting ideal is the Spiritual ideal, an ideal that emerges in man from the Spirit in him. Most ideals are social. The generation that is in their 70s or 80s is sorry that people are becoming unidealistic. Surely there is a large element of truth in it. It is easy to forget that our children and grandchildren are following the ideals of their times, their society, as we, who are in our old age, followed the ideals of our time. The forties and fifties demanded sacrifice, demanded that one should be patriotic, simple, austere, and pure. Even integrity was espoused by the youth of the day as the fashion of the hour. Barring exceptions, the general run of humanity is social and follows the social ideal. Even purity in public life, to many, can become an ideal of the society.
Others follow the ways of their families and believe they are idealists in doing so. Some come under the spell of a leader or a teacher or a dominant friend. In these nondescript areas the permutations and combination are very many, each providing a hilarious outcome. There was a college teacher whose wife was crippled. He was devoted to his wife and served her with true dedication. This factual situation in life spurred his otherwise inactive imagination. Thus he came to see the real emotional need of a handicapped person. In him what appeared as a virtue of necessity, became an ideal. He was inspired by what he underwent and felt that if a young man needs an ideal, it is the ideal of choosing a handicapped girl and marrying her so that all his life he can be serving her with devotion.
A boy in his class was fired by his enthusiasm and insisted to his family that he marry a handicapped girl. It was too much for the family. As it was an affectionate family, they could not go against his wishes. They submitted to it. Just then an alliance came. The girl was extremely handsome. The boy agreed to see the girl to oblige others. On seeing the girl, he expanded in youthful admiration, agreed to it, and married her. His deep devotion and dedication to his teacher's ideal was, to say the least, forgotten and vanished into thin air.