I think hope as a verb is by definition: instilling expectation in an uncertain situation, expectation that the desired outcome may still be realised. Hope may be a non entity; meaning as long as the situation is in a state of uncertainty then hope may remain. We can allow this to be the discourse for the moment and ask whether or not hope is an entity, a force of some sort. Thus far my understanding of hope is that it is a component of desire and needs to be acted on in order to be satisfied. I am filled with great dishearten at this acknowledgement, since it was my deepest desire, a desire beyond my realm of control, that hope be a driving force in itself.
I have found out from many of the movies I have been watching that hope is an essential ingredient in any person’s life. It is however easier to instil our hope in another persons ambitions especially in a situation where they have a high chance of achieving their goals. This is because when they succeed we rejoice in having made the right choice. Somehow it validates us. Unfortunately this is escapist by nature and as many of us know, escapism only delays the moments of strife. Reality beckons and we must all face our own challenges with or without help from others. Our problems need to be and must be addressed.
So why talk about escapism instead of sticking to the topic of hope? From the Olympic Games, to any sporting event, to even the stories be it autobiographies, of perseverance; the handicapped realising their dreams or the oppressed people’s struggle and how they have overcome the oppression; an individual’s journey as they champion a cause; all these have a component of hope in them. In a champion our hope is instilled; in there we find resonance for we and the champion both have goals, and if they can have goals as we have goals then they must be human and somehow we must also be champions. But how is that not escapism?
This for me explains how the very rich and the very poor in any country can co-exist. The spectators are usually the people trying to succeed, to achieve, to get ahead. On the other hand, the facilitators are those already ahead, selling hope and aspiration. I cringe at the thought of it. However, even more sinister is my aspiration to be one of them, the super-rich, a member of the hope-selling club.
In an attempt to drive it home I will ask: why do we need to put our hopes in others and not ourselves, why do we need champions? In my opinion they rob us of the sheer pleasure of raw organic success. One may say that they protect us from the pain of failure and acrid depression. I say this is only a temporary fix and to me it sums up to escapism. Here I am trying to convince myself that having hope in my own abilities is my first step to achieving anything I want to in my life tough though it may be.
On the side of the champions I will say that an individual shouldn’t have to rely on their own hope to prosper, hope from friends and a wider community of supporters can carry a person far into the realms of glory.