youthful idealism
Untested faith ahead
Youthful idealism is the tendency of young people to hold optimistic beliefs about how the world could or should be, often accompanied by passionate conviction that meaningful change is possible.
The phrase typically carries a note of wistfulness or condescension when used by older speakers, implying that such idealism fades with experience.
Her youthful idealism led her to believe she could reform the whole system.
Someone accused of youthful idealism may be seen as naive, but also as admirably uncynical.
- hopeDesire for good outcomes
- wide-eyed wonderInnocent, open astonishment
- justiceFair treatment under law
- activismDirect effort for reform
- adolescenceTeenage developmental stage
impracticality · protest · passion · equality · optimism · artistic expression · altruism · naivety · imagination · courage · moral integrity · sincerity · solidarity · utopian visions · reform · coming-of-age · enthusiasm · freedom
- youthchild, adolescents, kid, coming-of-age, teenagers
- adolescencepuberty, teenager, coming-of-age, growing up, teen
youthful idealismcynicism
Distrust of human sincerity
pessimism · jadedness · disillusionment · nihilism · defeatism
youthful idealismpragmatism
Practical problem-solving philosophy
realpolitik · moral compromise · expedience · Machiavellianism · selling out
youth, youthful, youthfully, youthfulness, younger, youngest, youngster, youngling, ideal