THere is nothing one can do to wake the world up from apathy. And it's painful realization for somebody who wanted to "save the world" once, when I was very young.
I think a lot of people have gone through that realization. The ones who actually had thoughts of saving the world anyway. I think you wake up to the fact that by and large, the world doesn't want saving really. That was the toughest blow to my idealism.
The people who have tried to change the world... King, Ghandi, etc... the best they could do was change the opportunities available. If you look realistically even they couldn't change the world... just open up new possibilities. What people did with those opportunities was beyond their power.

I'm not sure how to respond to your position on admiring people of questionable morals. What group of people are you talking about? Whose moral values are the criteria based on? Is there some universal morality you have in mind?

I can't imagine laughing at an idealist. I've been criticized for being a realist and pragmatist by people who consider themselves idealists. Isn't that just as bad?Voting for the lesser of evils is all you have to work with usually. If you can't change something then the next best thing is to try to influence it. Maybe you can change it later.To keep believing even though "words of hope" and idealism etc have become bumper sticker slogans is a victory of sorts. You can save your soul at least.What for? That's for each of us to decide. Not to become a permanent and willing part of what you want to change is reason enough to me.