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Is hope realistic?

What is the secular justification for hope, in the face of existential angst?

skado 9 Oct 28
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2

According to Marvin it's totally hopeless

9

[thehumanist.com]

The middle-aged woman in a dark red sweater looked withdrawn and forlorn. I had been answering questions from the audience after presenting a talk called “Humanism As a Source of Inspiration and Meaning.” She raised her forearm just slightly to indicate she had a question. Her question—and my inability to satisfy her with an answer—haunted me for weeks.

“What about hope?” she’d asked.

Undaunted by the aura of hopelessness in her tone, I answered brightly: “The humanist worldview is filled with hope. We may be made of matter, but we decide what matters. It is through meaningful human action that a blank computer screen can become a poem, that slavery can become freedom. We can help others, alleviate suffering, and experience beauty. Humanism is not just the rejection of an idea. Humanism is an affirmation. It is a positive, clear-eyed response to our one world. It is saying ‘yes’, not saying ‘no.'”

“I don’t see how that helps me have hope,” she said, monotone. I went into high gear, and tried a different answer.

“Humanism is about possibilities. Without some grand supernatural plan or destiny, the future is open. Possibility means the door for hope and change and goodness is open. Possibilities can lead to progress, in the world and in our individual lives. It is a positive psychological message. We have choices in how to shape our lives. We can live with caring and compassion. We can invest ourselves in worthy goals. We don’t need anything supernatural for that. The fact that we can try to change ourselves, other people, and the world—and make it a better place through reason and compassion—is a fundamental wonder of being human, and can be celebrated. It is a cause for hope, and wisdom.”

“Okay,” she said. She was polite but unconvinced.

I don’t know what personal trauma, life events, or innate characteristics made the questioner long for hope, but clearly she’s not alone in seeking to satisfy this deep human need. Religion, in part, peddles hope. Hope also wins elections and sells products. The question is—for someone who is currently without hope—are the kinds of secular answers I proffered going to be enough on a personal, emotional, and psychological level?

I realize now that philosophical concepts may be too abstract for some who feel despondent. She needed a personal answer. What about hope for her? Humanism has a solid foundation. We have secular dreams of a better tomorrow, and a track record of positive social change. But do we have answers on a personal level? Do we have a fulfilling substitute for “God loves you” or, for the bereaved, “don’t worry, you’ll meet again someday in heaven”?

So let’s admit straight out: humanism is not about hope. It’s about facing the world as it actually exists and making the best of it. It’s about looking this real world in the eye and, using imagination and initiative, building castles in the sand, not castles in the sky. It’s about finding goodness within the spectrum of what’s real and what’s possible. And in facing such truths, humanists don’t look outside nature for salvation; they don’t seek change through wish fulfillment. This perspective is not a limitation. It’s a motivator. It’s the ground for positive action and results.

There are other approaches as well. A naturalistic, scientific worldview has led to medical marvels such as surgical anesthesia and life-saving antibiotics. In the same manner, properly used psychoactive medications can be thought of in a positive light as one tool among many to help relieve mental suffering and stress, find inner calm and happiness, and help individuals and their families to enjoy better lives.

Reflecting about the woman who asked, “What about hope?” I realize now that what she needed most was not just ideas, but love, broadly understood. She needed to feel loved by a person, family, or community. Conversely, she might find meaning in providing unconditional love to a person, pet, or worthy goal.

Ideas are the groundwork of the humanist lifestance, and are valued. But I now feel that the best response would have been to ask the woman to meet me for coffee afterwards, and then listen to her. To care. To show by action that there is the possibility of finding a person or a community that listens, supports, and tries to help with appropriate suggestions. A community that strives to provide encouragement—not with fairy tales, but with a whole realm of positive, real-world, personal human responses. That is the humanist way.

Well said! No need for ME to put in my two cents! I think your last paragraph nailed it. The idea about:

"But I now feel that the best response would have been to ask the woman to meet me for coffee afterwards, and then listen to her. To care...."

Beautifully written. 💕

well said

This answer is going into my "inspirations" file!

9

Hope is what kept me from using one of then-hubby's numerous hunting guns on my head after my stroke at age 38.....

I'm glad you're still here.
😀

I'm also glad you're still here!!!

Me three....

Don't even think about it! I've had two strokes, five concussions, two heart attacks, in a coma for four days.
I'm not slowing down. I'm utilizing every day I have left. I'm not broken, I'm well used.

8

The very question is hopeful.
But irrelevant.
Hope is NECESSARY. Without it we can forget about the "pursuit of happiness!"
Hope is the future.
Without the future we are morose and despondent.
Is hope realistic?
Beside the point.
Hope is real.
So ignore all the grouches who say it isn't. They're wrong.

@OwlInASack Who is to say exactly what IS realistic and what it is not?
I'm kind of playing the 'Devil's Advocate Role' here btw.
Is not 'realstic' merely based upon the perception/s of the individual and could it not said that Hope be based upon those self-same perceptions?

@OwlInASack And, "IF we ALL knew what tomorrow had in store for us, we'd never get out of bed in the morning," BUT still we do and mostly in 'hope' that tomorrow WILL be a better day than yesterday was, is that not correct in some way?

@OwlInASack I think that you may need to stop thinking and living with the " What Ifs" and start thinking of the "What cans" instead.
We, Aussies, have a saying, " Don't worry Mate, It'll be alright in the long run."

@OwlInASack " An issue IS only an Issue should and If one wishes to make it so." -William Anthony, 2019.

@OwlInASack Yes, those are 'issues' and no debate about that from me, they are sad, unfortunate to say the least, BUT, were we not merely discussing 'personal problems' though?

@OwlInASack This is why I'm an agnostic neo-deist, and not an atheist. For atheists, hope isn't "realistic" because there is no future, beyond this life. Ergo, they are morose and despondent and a lot of other negative things, almost by definition.
I couldn't live like that. I don't think organisms on this planet are inherently depressed and despairing. I don't see it elsewhere in nature, so I don't see why it should be that way for us.
So, to answer the question directly (even if it IS irrelevant), I do think hope is realistic. If you don't, I feel sorry for you.

@OwlInASack Well then you have done great things in your life and for that I congratulate you.

@OwlInASack Fine. I don't want get into a p*ssing contest with yet another atheist. Glad you're optimistic despite your rational mind.
Good luck.

@OwlInASack I wasn't, most fortunately, brought up in the R.C. world of guilt and shame BUT was brought up by a Dad who was a very social conscious Atheist.
From him I learned that to do what ever you possible can for others IS the greatest achievement in life you can strive for though you may never receive acclaim for your efforts from those around you your true reward is knowing that you actually did something to help others and thereby helped yourself as well.
And that IS one the reasons why I still work as a Child/Youth in Crisis Counsellor to this day and STILL do it on a Pro Bono/Gratis basis and am on 'call' basically 24/7 only allowing myself 2 mornings per fortnight 'off' to do the essential things such as grocery shopping, etc.

8

As a lifelong optimist, hope is important.

This is your life, not a rehearsal. Don't give up.

6

In the Greek myth of Pandora, Hope was one of the curses which got released when she opened the box (originally it was a sealed jar). The idea of hoping for the impossible seemed like a curse from an ancient Greek point of view.

However, virtually all progress and advances in civilization also sprang out of hope, and often was the result of success against massive odds.

Hope is more like a two edged sword. Knowledge and education helps sharpen each persons individual sword. However, the sword can always cut both ways and it is much easier to destroy something than it is to build something. Humans are a lot like crabs. If a crab starts to climb out of the crab bucket all the other crabs will try to grab on and drag the crab back in. So, most crab dont' get out, but once in a great while one does. The one that does is like the fulfilled hope.

6

I hope it is...

6

Hope without action is a soul killer! If you want positive results then you have to do something more than just hope. I hoped for 15 years that my marriage would get better. Only after I left did I realize just how fucked up my life had become. But once I took action everything got much better.
Again, hope without action slowly kills you.

I had a similar experience. Couldn't agree with you more.

6

Existential angst and hope don't really go together, do they? I have much hope but I don't just go around hoping.. I go out and do something to justify my hope in things...

6

Hope so, not being sarcastic

bobwjr Level 10 Oct 28, 2019
6

I do not suffer from existential angst, and I generally am a very hopeful individual.
I'm always hoping for the best and preparing for the worst.

You betcha girl!

that seems like a good way to be.... I think I am just preparing for and expecting the worst personally XD

@demifeministgal Gotta do what ya gotta do.

5

I sure hope so.

Deb57 Level 8 Oct 28, 2019
5

During my early travels between idealism and cynicism a few decades ago, I whizzed past realism so quickly that I didn’t get a good look at it. However, as I gained confidence and power I was able to see it more clearly. I now try to spend most of my time there.

5

If existential angst is the belief that there is no meaning in one's life, then I am still left with the question as to what "meaning" is. That is, what is the meaning of meaning?

I am convinced that there isn't any metaphysical basis for questions such as "who am I, why am I here, and what is the meaning of life." But I am left unbothered by it. I think that there is an ultimate choice one makes: whether to live or die, voluntarily for the moment, that is. Even if the choice itself may be an arbitrary one, having made the choice to live, I create my own artificial meaning. And all the hopes and despairs that come with that choice.

Artificial meaning. Sounds yummy.

@skado And less filling.

5

A given series of events has more than one possible outcome. I have a preference as to which outcome will be realized. That is hope.

4

Hope for what? What is causing the existential angst? Hope for happiness? Sure, why not? Hope to find hidden purpose for life. Not so much. That's more somthing that you decide.

4

There is no justification for hopeful optimism, or for pessimism .... plan for your objectives and how you will achieve them ... the plan may have to evolve, but the overall objective remains ... unless you decide to change it.

When I'm doing an artwork I never have a formal, set plan for how it will turn out, instead, like most things in my life these days, I simply let IT evolve and add a wee dash of hope that it will be acceptable to both myself and those who view it.
Fret and worry, in my opinion, only serve to give one headaches and an upset stomach, best to avoid them at all costs.

@Triphid old adage - fail to plan - plan to fail
but as judging art is a personal assessment normal riles - or any rules - are irrelevamt

@ShadowAmicus Well, to be 199% honest, I've never suffered a failure by not planning an artwork out in the first place.

4

As my Dad used to say...

Hope in one hand and shit in the other and see which one fills up quicker!

And... As I have reminded employees at times when I have asked when something will be done and they say, "I hope to have it done soon!"

Hope is not a strategy!

Lol, that would work UNLESS you are very badly constipated.

4

I don't think that hope strictly needs a religious justification. It is simply a burning desire for something to transpire in a specific way. I will say that the natural skepticism attached to secular-humanist thinking certainly does temper and to some degree curb hope, but it doesn't, and in my opinion rightfully so, extinguish hope entirely. It's just that now we raise our hope from our understanding of probability, random chance, and the natural workings of the universe, rather than from the childish belief in an essentially magical being that is capable of anything and everything and is intimately connected with every facet of our lives.

4

Hope is wanting something to happen or be true, while understanding that it may not happen or be true.
I hope I pass my test, but I understand it's possible for me to not do well on my test.
I hope my spouse is loyal, while I don't have a reason to think they are not, it is possible for them to cheat.
Hope isn't a mystical concept, it is a rational understanding of the possible outcomes.

4

Hope is realistic. At work today I kept on hoping it was 3 o'clock. Finally it was. 🙂

4

i don't see a religious justification for hope. i wouldn't go to a heaven where i couldn't be in charge of the music and the menu! but secularly, justification is subtle, and arguable, but there is always living on in the memories of those who knew us, doing as much good as possible whether anonymously or not, and hoping that king was right that the arc of history bends toward justice.

g

@Allamanda lol that too!

g

4

This question is pure filler material, worth significantly less than the bits that bring it to the page. For as long as you're alive, seek out things that make you feel content, and do so while harming no one. That's really the point of this whole shebang, yanno.

4

Why do we , as atheists . agnostics . waste so much of our time discussing religion ?

First of all, why not discuss religion? Like it or not, religion affects us all. There are laws being passed based on religion. Wars are fought over religion. People die for religion. The more we know the better prepared we are. However, this thread is not about religion, it is about hope which is not exclusive to religion. We all hope for better tomorrow, for our dreams to come true. Without hope there is little reason to get out of bed in the morning. Without hope people die.

@HippieChick58 Do talk about religion, because if you don't talk about it, those who do talk about it will know how to rule you.

For the same reason talk about politics and sexuality, or those who do talk about them will be more skilled than you.

4

Hope for the short term might be rational. Eventually everybody dies. Humanity will go extinct. Earth will be consumed by a red giant Sun. Entropy will reach maximum and the Universe will be "heat dead".

Please post your evidence of that.

@yvilletom Evidence of which? All of these are Astrophysics 101.

4

It was what remained in Pandora’s box when all else was gone.

Clever blokes those Greeks!

Thanks and a thumb up. Your posting that saved me the effort of doing so.

@yvilletom You are very welcome! 🤓

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