Illegal Settlements

Kerry is full of Quixotism

Quixotism

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Quixotism (/kwɪkˈsɒtɪzəm/ or /kiːˈhoʊtɪzəm/) is impracticality in pursuit of ideals, especially those ideals manifested by rash, lofty and romantic ideas or extravagantly chivalrous action.^[1] It also serves to describe an idealism without regard to practicality. An impulsive person or act might be regarded as quixotic.

Quixotism is usually related to "over-idealism", meaning an idealism that doesn't take consequence or absurdity into account. It is also related to naïve romanticism and to utopianism.

Origin[edit]

Quixotism as a term or a quality appeared after the publication of El ingenioso hidalgo don Quijote de la Mancha in 1605. Don Quixote, the hero of this novel, written by Spanish author Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, dreams up a romantic ideal world which he believes to be real, and acts on this idealism, which most famously leads him into imaginary fights with windmills that he regards as giants, leading to the related metaphor of "tilting at windmills."

Already in the 17th century the term Quixote was used to describe a person who does not distinguish between reality and imagination. The poet John Cleveland wrote in 1644, in his book The character of a London diurnall:

"The Quixotes of this Age fight with the Wind-mills of their owne Heads"^[2]

The word Quixotism is mentioned, for the first time, in Pulpit Popery, True Popery (1688):

"All the Heroical Fictions of Ecclesiastical Quixotism"

The United States hopes to complete a "framework" accord in coming weeks and will then try to negotiate a final peace deal by the end of 2014, a US official said this week.

US Secretary of State John Kerry at the Munich Security Conference in Germany Photo: REUTERS

US Secretary of State John Kerry said on Saturday that he remains hopeful that the Obama administration's effort to broker a peace deal between Israelis and Palestinians can succeed.

The United States hopes to complete a "framework" accord in coming weeks and will then try to negotiate a final peace deal by the end of 2014, a US official said this week, according to a participant in a briefing with American Jewish leaders.

"I am hopeful and we will keep working on it," Kerry, who despite widespread skepticism is leading the US effort to push the two sides toward a deal, said during remarks at the Munich security conference.

"I believe in the possibility or I wouldn't pursue this," he said. "I don't think we're being quixotic ... We're working hard because the consequences of failure are unacceptable."

US envoy Martin Indyk said the framework would address core issues in the conflict, including borders, security, refugees and Jewish settlements, a participant in the briefing said.

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's coalition, which includes pro-settler parties, has already shown signs of strain over talks on Palestinian statehood.