See my latest SPILL IT! essay titled “Is Hope Hopeless?” “Hope” (noun) is a desire for something to happen, a wish for things to get better, or a dream or aspiration. Hope is also a feeling of optimism — trust, reliance — that what is desired will happen. “Hope” (verb) is to have that positive, expectant feeling. The virtues and futility of hope have been debated since ancient times. Today, faced with seemingly insurmountable problems, dystopian hopelessness is on the rise. Is this despair justified? Can it even be healthy? Or does hopelessness endanger individual well-being and pose a threat to society? Read the essay and choose your side. [Note: I wrote the essay several months ago, before the invasion of Ukraine and the recent Supreme Court decision. My position on hope hasn’t changed, but it’s hard to maintain these days!]
