WHICH IS BETTER: IDEALISM OR MATERIALISM?

A pleasant morning to one and all!

The great debate between two philosophies: Idealism vs. Materialism has emerged since
then. It is a never ending battle that up to now had never been solved or reconciled. It is like
having a debate on egg-chicken scheme or cycle that has tickled and stressed the minds of many
from Plato, Hegel, Berkeley and many more. It also rooted the debate between God vs. Science.
Which is which? Who wins the battle of what philosophy is better than the other?
In the debate between idealism and materialism, the ultimate question is - mind over
matter or matter over mind? Materialism, a philosophy based on the idea that everything around
us is made up of matter or is totally dependent on matter for survival, is in direct conflict with
idealism, a philosophy which proclaims that reality is actually nothing but our ideas, our
consciousness and our mind. Hence, I had included in this report on what philosophy I affirm
and that I believed to be better and what I oppose.
Idealism and Materialism Philosophies Defined
According to the idealism philosophy, coined by Plato, reality is nothing but what our
mind tells us it is. In order to understand the society or the world around us, our consciousness or
the spiritual forces are the most essential factors. Whatever we think is the reality, is actually
what our mind has made us believe it is. Likewise, idealism is a system that emphasizes the pre-
eminent importance of mind, soul, or spirit.
According to the materialism philosophy, the reality is what we see or observe in the
material things around us. In order to understand the world around us, materialism philosophy
advocates that we need to study and look at the environmental, physical, economical and
historical factors. According to materialists, human consciousness does not exist. Our brain is
just flesh in which lots of electrical activity takes place and it is due to these electrical impulses
that we are able to understand ourselves and everything else.
Why Affirm Idealism?
Idealism is a philosophical theory that stresses the importance of mental activity. In
perception philosophy, it is the opposite of realism, which is the belief that experience is
primarily based on the physical universe. In the philosophy of mind, idealism is the opposite of
materialism, or the belief that reality is solely based on the material world. Idealism puts more
emphasis on consciousness and ideas; therefore, one key aspect of idealism is the will, or "mind
over matter."
Furthermore, idealists are understood to represent the world as it might or should be,
unlike materialists, who focus on the world as it presently is and accept it as it is: a mere
mediocrity. In the arts, similarly, idealism affirms imagination and attempts to realize a mental
conception of beauty, a standard of perfection, in opposition to aesthetic naturalism and realism.
According to Stetson of eHow.com, there are many different advantages of idealism. He
had enumerated four (4) advantages on his article such as:
Idealism causes people to set higher goals for themselves. Because idealists emphasize
perception, they allow themselves to conquer their minds by use of their wills. Even if
outward circumstances dictate that they cannot do something, they may still attempt to
complete seemingly impossible tasks. Setting goals allows people to constantly improve
their lives and their work; they won't simply settle for the mundane, but they will
continuously strive to excel in what they do.
Idealism has many social advantages. A society is nothing more than a large group of
individual minds; if everybody has high ideals and standards, the society as a whole will
increase. If individuals are content with where they are, society will not show
technological, social and economic growth. Because certain people have a "vision" for
their society, they are able to take roles of leadership that allow them to encourage the
culture to reach these ideals.
Although it may sound esoteric and ethereal, idealism also causes people to achieve
transcendence. Minds centered on outer things will be preoccupied with the basic
necessities of life and daily living. On the other hand, minds centered on inner things will
think more about future circumstances, the evolution of themselves and their own deaths.
By thinking about the deeper things in life, idealists gain a three-dimensional outlook on
life. This transcendent view is superior, because it focuses on the over-arching issues that
are much larger than daily tasks and duties.
Idealism allows people to be more optimistic. The theory puts an incredibly high
emphasis on perception; therefore, an idealist can choose to look at his or her life
circumstances with an optimistic lens. Events and occurrences can be looked at positively
or negatively. Idealism allows people to choose which way they want to look at any given
issue. It also enables people to look at issues from both sides to gain a more thorough
understanding.
Why Oppose Materialism?
Isnt it absurd to see the world as it is just like what materialists do, that we can do
nothing to improve its situation? We see war, starving people, poverty, prostitution,
discrimination, injustice and a myriad of social problems in our society today. The philosophy of
materialism that accepts the world as it is will just dont give a damn to offer solutions in the
above mentioned social problems. For an idealist, life is about something abstract such as "love"
or "peace". For a materialist it is about success, getting "things".
Furthermore, materialist value more their material wealth and possessions rather than
spiritual or intellectual things. They didnt set higher standards that they just live on this world
and will die without a purpose. How pathetic this kind of belief is. Work and work and be
merry, motto of a materialist, one of the saddest maxim in life, like a person paddling its canoe
without its destination.
Idealism is more forgiving than materialism, considering materialism involves a love of
things that inevitably break down. That means you never really find perfection. Idealism, on the
other hand, allows you to see what's important in life.
In the end, I'd rather die with a thousand memories than a thousand dollars. Money
doesn't do much for you when death is on your doorstep, but memories can keep you company
forever.
A Final Word for Idealists People Like Me
I therefore conclude that, materialism philosophy only emphasizes the importance of
worldly possessions and physical beauty, proclaiming that they are the most important things in
life. A materialistic person is the one who seeks wealth, is superficial, selfish and status
conscious, wants to look good all the time, is manipulative, works for his own benefit and always
wants things to go his way. On the other hand an idealist is one who always strives for
perfection. He believes that everything and everyone should be "ideal" i.e. perfect and flawless.
Idealists also seek intellectual and moral development, rather than gaining material wealth.
Materialists want everything now and look for instant gratification while idealists strive to work
towards a perfect future.
Moreover, idealism, gives us hope, and hope helps keep love alive; Love gives a basis for
ethics and just society. A faith in idealism might prompt one towards spiritual practices; these
practices might then lead to enlightenment and personal proof that indeed idealism is truth. I
hope that materialists will at least keep an open mind on the issue.