Facts vs Ideas

Joseph Epstein writes: "Facts are ugly,thorny things. Ideas are velvety and suave, and bring comfort by suggesting that our understanding of - and hence control over - the world is on the rise. Ideas can be immensely seductive. What a beatiful idea it is, for example, to bring democracy to Araby! And then arise the obdurate facts of rancorous tribalism to destroy the seduction."
But the ideas and goals remain.