--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Ideals are like an image of reality at a…" description: "\"“Ideals are like an image of reality at a given time from a given reality. Just like no photograph of a person can truly describe him, no ideal can rep..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/577/awdhesh-singh-13704_describe_ideals-are-like-an-image-of-reality-at-a_3057696.jpg" --- # Ideals are like an image of reality at a given time from a… ![“Ideals are like an image of reality at a given time from a given reality. Just like no photograph of a person can truly describe him, no ideal can represent reality as it is.” quote by Awdhesh Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/577/awdhesh-singh-13704_describe_ideals-are-like-an-image-of-reality-at-a_3057696.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/577/awdhesh-singh-13704_describe_ideals-are-like-an-image-of-reality-at-a_3057696.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/577/awdhesh-singh-13704_describe_ideals-are-like-an-image-of-reality-at-a_3057696.jpg) > ““Ideals are like an image of reality at a given time from a given reality. Just like no photograph of a person can truly describe him, no ideal can represent reality as it is.”” [Awdhesh Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/awdhesh-singh/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote likens ideals to photographs: both are limited representations that cannot capture the full complexity of reality. **In simple terms:** Ideals are imperfect snapshots, not complete truths. Key Takeaway Treat ideals as guides, not absolute truths. Themes philosophy perception truth representation Mood contemplative inquisitive Type philosophical critical When to use this quote - decision making - policy formation - personal belief - art criticism Key Concepts epistemology idealism relativism Questions to Reflect On - When do ideals become obstacles? - How can we balance ideals with reality? A Different Perspective Ideals may become rigid, stifling flexibility and adaptation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Describe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/describe/) [Ideal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideal/) [Ideal Represent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideal-represent-5114993/) [Idealism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idealism/) [Ideals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideals/) [Ideals Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideals-like-550714/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/image/) [Photograph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/photograph/) [Reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reality/) [Represent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/represent/) [Represent Reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/represent-reality-874834/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [Ideals are like the stars - you can't touch them with your hands, but by following them you reach your destination.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-s-monson/ideals-are-like-the-stars-you-can-t-touch-them-with-your-hands-but-by/) [Thomas S. Monson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-s-monson/) > [idealism, that gaudy coloring matter of passion, fades when it is brought beneath the trenchant white light of knowledge. Ideals, like mountains, are best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-glasgow/idealism-that-gaudy-coloring-matter-of-passion-fades-when-it-is/) [Ellen Glasgow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-glasgow/) > [Ideals are like stars; you will not succeed in touching them with your hands. But like the seafaring man on the desert of waters,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-schurz/ideals-are-like-stars-you-will-not-succeed-in-touching-them-with-your-2/) [Carl Schurz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-schurz/) > ["Ideals are like stars," Carl Schurz wrote. "You will not succeed in touching them with your hands. But like seafarers on the desert of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-d-chittister/ideals-are-like-stars-carl-schurz-wrote-you-will-not-succeed-in/) [Joan D. Chittister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-d-chittister/) > [Our ideals, like pictures, are made from lights and shadows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-joubert/our-ideals-like-pictures-are-made-from-lights-and-shadows/) [Joseph Joubert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-joubert/) > [“Ideals are like stars; you will not succeed in touching them with your hands, but like the sea fearing man on the desert of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-schurz/ideals-are-like-stars-you-will-not-succeed-in-touching-them-with-your/) [Carl Schurz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-schurz/) > [Ideals are like the stars: we never reach them, but like the mariners of the sea, we chart our course by them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-schurz/ideals-are-like-the-stars-we-never-reach-them-but-like-the-mariners/) [Carl Schurz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-schurz/) > [Ideals are like tuning forks: sound them often to bring your life up to standard pitch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-d-gordon/ideals-are-like-tuning-forks-sound-them-often-to-bring-your-life-up/) [S. D Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-d-gordon/) > [“The only thing that comes close to defining me correctly is my love.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamand-kojouri/the-only-thing-that-comes-close-to-defining-me-correctly-is-my-love/) [Kamand Kojouri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamand-kojouri/) > [I don't think you can describe your ideal girl. A big part of that is just meeting someone and really clicking with them and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aziz-ansari/i-don-t-think-you-can-describe-your-ideal-girl-a-big-part-of-that-is/) [Aziz Ansari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aziz-ansari/) > [The painter who strives to represent reality must transcend his own perception. He must ignore or override the very mechanismsin his mInd that create…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-blakemore/the-painter-who-strives-to-represent-reality-must-transcend-his-own/) [Colin Blakemore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-blakemore/) > [I think everybody starts out by seeing a few works of art and wanting to do something like them. You want to understand what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerhard-richter/i-think-everybody-starts-out-by-seeing-a-few-works-of-art-and-wanting/) [Gerhard Richter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerhard-richter/) > [Physics should represent a reality in time and space, free from spooky action at a distance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-isaacson/physics-should-represent-a-reality-in-time-and-space-free-from-spooky/) [Walter Isaacson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-isaacson/) > [For me, it's always difficult when a historical film claims to depict or represent a reality that none of us can know, that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-haneke/for-me-it-s-always-difficult-when-a-historical-film-claims-to-depict/) [Michael Haneke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-haneke/) > [I like to blow up this notion that all we have to do as writers and artists is represent reality, which is presumably solid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aleksandar-hemon/i-like-to-blow-up-this-notion-that-all-we-have-to-do-as-writers-and/) [Aleksandar Hemon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aleksandar-hemon/) ## More by Awdhesh Singh > [“The mystery of the world is revealed only to the person who can look upon the material world with his physical eyes and simultaneously…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/awdhesh-singh/the-mystery-of-the-world-is-revealed-only-to-the-person-who-can-look/) [Awdhesh Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/awdhesh-singh/) > [“The knowledge of the Spirit is the true secret of creativity, leadership and happiness. It is spiritual intelligence that makes an ordinary person a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/awdhesh-singh/the-knowledge-of-the-spirit-is-the-true-secret-of-creativity/) [Awdhesh Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/awdhesh-singh/) > [“When we suffer for a greater cause, we are transformed into a superior human being.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/awdhesh-singh/when-we-suffer-for-a-greater-cause-we-are-transformed-into-a-superior/) [Awdhesh Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/awdhesh-singh/) > [“Morality means sacrificing your personal interest for the interest of the group and being immoral means keeping the interest of the self above the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/awdhesh-singh/morality-means-sacrificing-your-personal-interest-for-the-interest-of/) [Awdhesh Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/awdhesh-singh/) > [“Our intellect is like a judge who decides the ‘right’ course of action. There is no dearth of information or knowledge in the world,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/awdhesh-singh/our-intellect-is-like-a-judge-who-decides-the-right-course-of-action/) [Awdhesh Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/awdhesh-singh/) > [“The incremental value of wealth declines as we become richer. Yet people keep on accumulating it. They think that more is better. Hence, when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/awdhesh-singh/the-incremental-value-of-wealth-declines-as-we-become-richer-yet/) [Awdhesh Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/awdhesh-singh/) > [“We must remember that pain is just the other side of joy. If you avoid all possibilities to pain, you also block all avenues…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/awdhesh-singh/we-must-remember-that-pain-is-just-the-other-side-of-joy-if-you-avoid/) [Awdhesh Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/awdhesh-singh/) > [“If you wish to succeed as a leader, you should be capable of transforming the souls of people, which control their intellect, mind and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/awdhesh-singh/if-you-wish-to-succeed-as-a-leader-you-should-be-capable-of/) [Awdhesh Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/awdhesh-singh/) > [“All great leaders are known to have faith. They first develop faith in themselves, which means they connect their body, mind and intellect with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/awdhesh-singh/all-great-leaders-are-known-to-have-faith-they-first-develop-faith-in/) [Awdhesh Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/awdhesh-singh/) > [“If you fail to sow good thoughts in your mind, the weeds of evil thoughts will take root there and eventually they will take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/awdhesh-singh/if-you-fail-to-sow-good-thoughts-in-your-mind-the-weeds-of-evil/) [Awdhesh Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/awdhesh-singh/) > [“Love can be simply stated to be the desire of the human being to integrate oneself with other selves in such a way that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/awdhesh-singh/love-can-be-simply-stated-to-be-the-desire-of-the-human-being-to/) [Awdhesh Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/awdhesh-singh/) > [“People in the modern world are the most bored generation. They keep refreshing their Facebook, Instagram and Twitter pages to see if something interesting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/awdhesh-singh/people-in-the-modern-world-are-the-most-bored-generation-they-keep/) [Awdhesh Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/awdhesh-singh/) > [“You are transformed and purified through the sufferings, chosen voluntarily, for achieving a greater purpose in life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/awdhesh-singh/you-are-transformed-and-purified-through-the-sufferings-chosen/) [Awdhesh Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/awdhesh-singh/) > [“The good news is that just like pleasure can become pain with repeated use, we can also transform painful activities into pleasant ones with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/awdhesh-singh/the-good-news-is-that-just-like-pleasure-can-become-pain-with/) [Awdhesh Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/awdhesh-singh/) > [“Every faith has logic even though people after developing faith forget the logic behind the faith. There is a strong logic behind the creation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/awdhesh-singh/every-faith-has-logic-even-though-people-after-developing-faith/) [Awdhesh Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/awdhesh-singh/) [Explore all 49 Awdhesh Singh quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/awdhesh-singh/) ## More Describe quotes > [Amongst the financial Twitterati, the term 'muppets' has come to describe any client used and abused by some financial predator. I've adopted the term…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-ritholtz/amongst-the-financial-twitterati-the-term-muppets-has-come-to/) [Barry Ritholtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-ritholtz/) > [There is a comfort zone of knowing where things are going and having characters in place, but the action gets more and more dramatic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-b-jenkins/there-is-a-comfort-zone-of-knowing-where-things-are-going-and-having/) [Jerry B. Jenkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-b-jenkins/) > [I'd happily describe myself as a TV presenter now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-riley/i-d-happily-describe-myself-as-a-tv-presenter-now/) [Rachel Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-riley/) > [Without sounding overly sentimental about the process, I'd say trying to describe how you tend to conceive of a book is like describing how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jess-walter/without-sounding-overly-sentimental-about-the-process-i-d-say-trying/) [Jess Walter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jess-walter/) > [The work of deciding cases goes on every day in hundreds of courts throughout the land. Any judge, one might suppose, would find it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-n-cardozo/the-work-of-deciding-cases-goes-on-every-day-in-hundreds-of-courts/) [Benjamin N. Cardozo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-n-cardozo/) > [Everyone's gonna have their opinion, everyone's gonna have their favorite bands. The best way I can describe it is music is like food, either…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-anselmo/everyone-s-gonna-have-their-opinion-everyone-s-gonna-have-their/) [Phil Anselmo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-anselmo/) > [If I had to describe myself in one word its annoying...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasmine/if-i-had-to-describe-myself-in-one-word-its-annoying/) [Jasmine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasmine/) > [If people ask me to describe my look, I always say: 'Quite classic with an edge.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carine-roitfeld/if-people-ask-me-to-describe-my-look-i-always-say-quite-classic-with/) [Carine Roitfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carine-roitfeld/) > [How could this world be so unlike the world that I believed I was living in? I can't describe it. Do I not want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-safran-foer/how-could-this-world-be-so-unlike-the-world-that-i-believed-i-was/) [Jonathan Safran Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-safran-foer/) > [Most filmmakers' entire body of knowledge is of other movies. When they describe things, they describe them in relation to other movies. That's why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-malkovich/most-filmmakers-entire-body-of-knowledge-is-of-other-movies-when-they/) [John Malkovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-malkovich/) > ['Brand-Dropping' is the term that the Kluger Agency coined to describe discreetly advertising by product mentioning in song, and we feel we can make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-kluger/brand-dropping-is-the-term-that-the-kluger-agency-coined-to-describe/) [Adam Kluger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-kluger/) > [Would I describe myself as new Labour? I'm Labour, organised Labour. I think labels have a limited use and that's where you really get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-o-grady/would-i-describe-myself-as-new-labour-i-m-labour-organised-labour-i/) [Frances O'Grady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-o-grady/) > [I wouldn't want to even try to begin to describe our customer, as I think she likes a certain amount of anonymity. I try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phoebe-philo/i-wouldn-t-want-to-even-try-to-begin-to-describe-our-customer-as-i/) [Phoebe Philo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phoebe-philo/) > [I would describe our concerts as pretty intense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzuka-nakamoto/i-would-describe-our-concerts-as-pretty-intense/) [Suzuka Nakamoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzuka-nakamoto/) > [I'm never aiming to make a movie like someone else's movie, but in order to describe a movie to someone else who hasn't seen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-zombie/i-m-never-aiming-to-make-a-movie-like-someone-else-s-movie-but-in/) [Rob Zombie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-zombie/) [Browse all 258 Describe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/describe/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Ideals are like an image of reality at a given time from a given reality. Just like no photograph of a person can truly describe him, no ideal can represent reality as it is.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Awdhesh Singh" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/awdhesh-singh/ideals-are-like-an-image-of-reality-at-a-given-time-from-a-given/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Describe" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/awdhesh-singh/ideals-are-like-an-image-of-reality-at-a-given-time-from-a-given/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/577/awdhesh-singh-13704_describe_ideals-are-like-an-image-of-reality-at-a_3057696.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/577/awdhesh-singh-13704_describe_ideals-are-like-an-image-of-reality-at-a_3057696.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/577/awdhesh-singh-13704_describe_ideals-are-like-an-image-of-reality-at-a_3057696.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Ideals are like an image of reality at a given time from a given reality. Just like no photograph of a…” — Awdhesh Singh", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Awdhesh Singh", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/awdhesh-singh/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Ideals are like an image of...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/awdhesh-singh/ideals-are-like-an-image-of-reality-at-a-given-time-from-a-given/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/awdhesh-singh/ideals-are-like-an-image-of-reality-at-a-given-time-from-a-given/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```