"The idealist walks on tiptoe, the materialist on his heels"

Malcolm De Chazal draws a vivid contrast through the imagery of walking, highlighting two fundamental approaches to life and reality. The idealist, described as walking on tiptoe, embodies aspiration, caution, and elevation. Walking on tiptoe requires a lightness, almost as if striving to transcend the ordinary plane. It evokes a sense of reaching upwards, delicacy, and perhaps a longing to touch something beyond immediate physical reality. The idealist tends to hover above the everyday, guided by visions, dreams, and often, a dissatisfaction with what simply “is.” The gait on tiptoe becomes a metaphor for treading carefully, guided by hope or faith, always at the edge of the possible.

On the other hand, the materialist moves on his heels. The heel-strike when walking suggests a grounded, even heavy-footed approach. The materialist is rooted, practical, and observant of the tangible. This stance reflects certainty, confidence in the world as it appears, and often a dismissal of the unseen or unprovable. To walk on the heels is to assert one’s weight, make an imprint, and align closely with the harsh, unvarnished reality of existence. The materialist is less likely to be swayed by ideals; instead, content with, and perhaps limited to, what can be grasped, used, or measured.

Through this evocative physical metaphor, Chazal suggests that the difference lies partly in one’s relationship with the world and one’s own hopes. The idealist barely touches earth, propelled by visions; the materialist plants each step firmly, resisting flights of fancy. Each has its virtues and traps: too much tiptoeing courts impracticality, while too much heaviness risks dullness. Together, the image challenges readers to reflect on their own stance: do they step gingerly in pursuit of ideals, or stride confidently upon the ground of material reality?