Pragmatic people versus dreamers

I feel that it is absolutely necessary for people to think of the long-term goals of a project. Sure, we have to have short-term objectives to set in place, but we must have a vision to look up to. Something we eventually aspire to accomplish, overcome or see happen in the future. Most people I know thus far in Trin and in Malaysia are pragmatic, thus making them see only the short term goals and achievements in life. They see the benefits of getting a 4.0 GPA in first-year, more than they see the benefits of getting a well-rounded, meaningful education from all four years in university. This is not an accusatory tone I'm implying; no rather this is purely based on my empirical observation of these sorts of people.

To a great extent, I think that these people are beneficial for society. They conform and do things the way they're told to. They rebel to a certain extent, but they do not deviate and step out of line. This is good, and helps propel society in the right path with citizens following the divine rules as seen in constitutions and charter of rights. For example, these people often walk on pedestrian crossings only when the white "man" light is turned on, they do not start crossing when there is an orange ticker counting down and they do not stray from the designated path. Don't get me wrong, this is good for society, and what is good for society is good for an individual too.

There has to be dreamers within society. Those who seek to achieve long term goals, those often unattainable points on the PPF and that distant presidency of schools. These people are often speak in big, lofty general terms with no concrete measures attached to them, somewhat resembling the philosophes who worked so hard in the eighteenth century to bring about a change that would overthrow the ancien regime. These people are harbingers of joy, often uplifting their pragmatic counterparts' moods and making them see that what they're working for is for the greater good.

But what happens when these dreamers develop a passion?

Chaos and anarchy occurs. They suddenly turn into fervent scientists intent on developing the newest cure to diabetes. They turn into intense historians intent on seeing the effects oranges had during the voyages of discovery. They turn into little Squealers intent on making known to every single animal on the farm that "all animals are equal, but some are more equal than others".

I just realized something three months into university life: I'm not a pragmatic person, I'm a dreamer.