Idealism vs Realism

Dear Diary,

Scenario 1 : Oh! I should be optimistic! I will for sure get a 2400 on the SAT :-)

Scenario 2:  Measuring the level of difficulty of the SAT along with a few practice tests, I can predict my score at about 1900

Note the jolly impression from the first scenario and the rationale impression of the second. 

I do not want to discuss which perspective is better since both have their advantages and negatives; however, I do want to discuss my conversation I had today. I also do not wish to use this as a platform to disperse my ideas among my nonexistent audience.

A friend and I were talking about some weird provocative concept that I have no recollection of, and he said "girls should not have to live in fear". Well um duh I though to myself. They 'should not have to', but unfortunately in modern society they HAVE TO--almost asinine to not. The reason why many girls choose not to walk down the streets of Harlem at 2:00 A.M. is out of fear from the stories they hear on the news--a very smart choice indeed. This fear is the power precluding people from a potential misfortune.

This rebuttal had my friend respond with the idea of a Utopian Society. He said that we, as a people, should try and eliminate those that causes fear and strive to create a perfect society where one does not live in fear. 

This sequence of events portrayed my friend as a complete idealist. He hopes for the best of our society; I, too hope for the best, but with more of a realistic approach. A realistic mentality is not better than idealistic an idealistic one--they are different. As I mentioned, they each have their respective qualities some good some bad.

If I were to label myself I would probably categorize myself as a realist. Although I despise labels, I usually think things through rationally before ensuing and taking action. I know I am not getting a 2400 on the SAT when I am getting a 2100 on practice tests; I know things are not always going to work in my favor in life, but I do know I will not let those gaps indefinitely stop me. I suppose that idea in itself is idealistic. Well a coalition of two great approaches is plausible too! As I said, I do not like labels; they leave no room for middle ground--balance.