--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Antislavery idealists might prefer to…" description: "\"“Antislavery idealists might prefer to live in some better world, which like all such places was too good to be true. The American nation in 1790, howe..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f3/joseph-j-ellis-13690_american-revolution_antislavery-idealists-might-prefer-to-li_1483338.jpg" --- # Antislavery idealists might prefer to live in some better… ![“Antislavery idealists might prefer to live in some better world, which like all such places was too good to be true. The American nation in 1790, however, was a real world, laden with legacies like slavery, and therefore too true to be good.” quote by Joseph J. Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f3/joseph-j-ellis-13690_american-revolution_antislavery-idealists-might-prefer-to-li_1483338.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f3/joseph-j-ellis-13690_american-revolution_antislavery-idealists-might-prefer-to-li_1483338.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f3/joseph-j-ellis-13690_american-revolution_antislavery-idealists-might-prefer-to-li_1483338.jpg) > ““Antislavery idealists might prefer to live in some better world, which like all such places was too good to be true. The American nation in 1790, however, was a real world, laden with legacies like slavery, and therefore too true to be good.”” [Joseph J. Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-j-ellis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Idealistic visions can blind us to harsh realities; reality is often imperfect. **In simple terms:** Idealism can ignore reality. Key Takeaway Balance idealism with pragmatic action. Themes idealism history reality Mood cautious analytical Type historical philosophical When to use this quote - policy making - educational curricula - social reform Key Concepts critical thinking ethical judgment Questions to Reflect On - How can we pursue better futures without denial? - What lessons does history teach about idealism? A Different Perspective Utopian thinking may neglect necessary compromises. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [American revolution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-revolution/) [Better world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/better-world/) [Real world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real-world/) [Slavery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slavery/) [Too good to be true](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/too-good-to-be-true/) ## Related quotes > [I don't think the people of the slave states will ever consider the subject of slavery in its true light till some other argument…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-brown/i-don-t-think-the-people-of-the-slave-states-will-ever-consider-the/) [John Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-brown/) > [I dont think the people of the slave states will ever consider the subject of slavery in its true light till some other argument…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-brown/i-dont-think-the-people-of-the-slave-states-will-ever-consider-the/) [John Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-brown/) > [I could never see myself doing the 9-to-5 thing; it just seemed like slavery to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-part/i-could-never-see-myself-doing-the-9-to-5-thing-it-just-seemed-like/) [John Part](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-part/) > [I excavate history. I look at lives buried under too much silence. Periods of time, like slavery, have to be revisited, reimagined, so we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yusef-komunyakaa/i-excavate-history-i-look-at-lives-buried-under-too-much-silence/) [Yusef Komunyakaa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yusef-komunyakaa/) > [When you think about the abolition of slavery for example, for the ruling class with the rich white people owning plantations and states, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/when-you-think-about-the-abolition-of-slavery-for-example-for-the/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [“We were made to dominate our environment. It was not intended that we should be buffeted about by accident or chance. Our greatest enemies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orison-swett-marden/we-were-made-to-dominate-our-environment-it-was-not-intended-that-we/) [Orison Swett Marden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orison-swett-marden/) > [The experience of the past lives little doubt that every economic system must sooner or later rely upon some form of the profit motive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-durant/the-experience-of-the-past-lives-little-doubt-that-every-economic/) [Will Durant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-durant/) > [“Bravery without sword is like slavery without lord.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-kripal/bravery-without-sword-is-like-slavery-without-lord/) Deepak Kripal > [“In American, the history of racism is taught like this: 'There was slavery and then there was Jim Crow and then there was Martin…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trevor-noah/in-american-the-history-of-racism-is-taught-like-this-there-was/) [Trevor Noah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trevor-noah/) > [“Rule 3: Just because someone is offended, doesn’t mean they’re right Ending Slavery: More important than the feelings of people who like slavery”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-emberton/rule-3-just-because-someone-is-offended-doesn-t-mean-they-re-right/) Oliver Emberton > [Claims like 'Slavery is wrong' are not fully common-sensical, so they must be at least partly theoretical.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-wilson/claims-like-slavery-is-wrong-are-not-fully-common-sensical-so-they/) [Catherine Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-wilson/) > [ The Aristocratic Institutions of England \[had\] acted much like the Slavery Institutions of America... \[in\] demoralis\[ing\] large classes outside their own special boundaries... \[in… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bright/the-aristocratic-institutions-of-england-had-acted-much-like-the/) [John Bright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bright/) > [I sit here before you trying to figure out how to pay a tax debt? If that's not like enough to slavery, I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauryn-hill/i-sit-here-before-you-trying-to-figure-out-how-to-pay-a-tax-debt-if/) [Lauryn Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauryn-hill/) > [“In Jefferson's mind great historical leaps forward were almost always the product of a purging, which freed societies from the accumulated debris of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-j-ellis/in-jefferson-s-mind-great-historical-leaps-forward-were-almost-always/) [Joseph J. Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-j-ellis/) > [“The first symptom of the trouble appeared when Madison studied Hamilton’s proposal for the funding of the domestic debt. On the one hand, Hamilton’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-j-ellis/the-first-symptom-of-the-trouble-appeared-when-madison-studied/) [Joseph J. Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-j-ellis/) ## More by Joseph J. Ellis > [“Perhaps, in that eerily instinctive way in which he always grasped the difference between the essential and the peripheral, he literally felt in his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-j-ellis/perhaps-in-that-eerily-instinctive-way-in-which-he-always-grasped-the/) [Joseph J. Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-j-ellis/) > [“Upon learning that Washington intended to reject the mantle of emperor, no less an authority than George III allegedly observed, “If he does that,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-j-ellis/upon-learning-that-washington-intended-to-reject-the-mantle-of/) [Joseph J. Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-j-ellis/) > [“The Adams presidency, in fact, might be the classic example of the historical truism that inherited circumstances define the parameters within which presidential leadership…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-j-ellis/the-adams-presidency-in-fact-might-be-the-classic-example-of-the/) [Joseph J. Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-j-ellis/) > [“p. 274 ...his trademark decision to surrender power as commander in chief and then president, was not...a sign that he had conquered his ambitions,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-j-ellis/p-274-his-trademark-decision-to-surrender-power-as-commander-in-chief/) [Joseph J. Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-j-ellis/) > [To my three sons, Peter, Scott, and Alexander who pulled me from the 18th Century and back into the present on a regular basis…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-j-ellis/to-my-three-sons-peter-scott-and-alexander-who-pulled-me-from-the/) [Joseph J. Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-j-ellis/) > [Lincoln once said that America was founded on a proposition that was written by Jefferson in 1776. We are really founded on an argument…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-j-ellis/lincoln-once-said-that-america-was-founded-on-a-proposition-that-was/) [Joseph J. Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-j-ellis/) > [“They recognized from the beginning that they were a rare match. There were so many topics they could talk about easily and just as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-j-ellis/they-recognized-from-the-beginning-that-they-were-a-rare-match-there/) [Joseph J. Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-j-ellis/) > [ \[quoting someone else\] the American constitution is a document designed by geniuses to be eventually interpreted by idiots ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-j-ellis/quoting-someone-else-the-american-constitution-is-a-document-designed/) [Joseph J. Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-j-ellis/) > [I believe I am an honorable man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-j-ellis/i-believe-i-am-an-honorable-man/) [Joseph J. Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-j-ellis/) > [“The first symptom of the trouble appeared when Madison studied Hamilton’s proposal for the funding of the domestic debt. On the one hand, Hamilton’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-j-ellis/the-first-symptom-of-the-trouble-appeared-when-madison-studied/) [Joseph J. Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-j-ellis/) > [“But if insecurity was the primal source of Hamilton's incredibly energy, one would have to conclude that providence had conspired to produce at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-j-ellis/but-if-insecurity-was-the-primal-source-of-hamilton-s-incredibly/) [Joseph J. Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-j-ellis/) > [“One of the petitioners, an infamous do-gooder of uncertain sanity named Warner Mifflin, had actually acknowledged that his antislavery vision came to him after…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-j-ellis/one-of-the-petitioners-an-infamous-do-gooder-of-uncertain-sanity/) [Joseph J. Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-j-ellis/) > [I would say readers can trust my work more than anyone else's.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-j-ellis/i-would-say-readers-can-trust-my-work-more-than-anyone-else-s/) [Joseph J. Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-j-ellis/) > [And the only thing to do with a sin is to confess, do penance and then, after some kind of decent interval, ask for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-j-ellis/and-the-only-thing-to-do-with-a-sin-is-to-confess-do-penance-and-then/) [Joseph J. Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-j-ellis/) > [“Burr had the dark and severe coloring of his Edwards ancestry, with black hair receding from the forehead and dark brown, almost black, eyes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-j-ellis/burr-had-the-dark-and-severe-coloring-of-his-edwards-ancestry-with/) [Joseph J. Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-j-ellis/) [Explore all 49 Joseph J. Ellis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-j-ellis/) ## More American revolution quotes > [I certainly don't think that the heirs of the American Revolution were a particularly noble class.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-w-brands/i-certainly-don-t-think-that-the-heirs-of-the-american-revolution/) [H. W. 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