Hope 2.0

Here in 2025, there's no shortage of big problems floating around. Newspapers make sure that you're fully aware of any existing or new problems (they capitalize on outrage and despair). You also have a bundle of your own local & individual problems!

If one looks around and thinks about the future, it's somewhat natural to be hopeless.

But when I examine that hopelessness, both in myself and in others, I am starting to wonder if my concept of hope requires some re-shaping. 

I suggest a model of hope that is discipline-based. Here's more:

One. What is the shape of hope that I had before?

• Hope is an internal response to external circumstances.
• Hope is built on what I can see, mostly -- hope is based on the extrapolation from the current circumstances to future ones.
• In my specific case, hope is a virtue that was imported from my old Christianity without being revised for my new mostly-rationalist humanist meaningness outlook.
• Hope is a campfire on the hill that can be extinguished if the wind blows hard enough.

The above definition of hope needs to be upgraded! Because it's not delivering the goods.

Two. What new shape is desirable for hope going forward?

• Hope is a chosen attitude to orient oneself toward positive action and lucky opportunity.
• Hope is an act of the will regardless of the external, present circumstances.
• Hope is entirely a human concept, without reference to heaven / God / whatever.
• Hope is a mechanically powered flashlight that only goes out if the user stops exerting effort.

Ok what does this new approach to hope mean?

At first, hope is gonna seem a lot harder suddenly. If there's not too much wind, a campfire on the hill will sustain itself and even grow without much effort on your part. But that shake-powered flashlight will be dim until you charge up the battery.

This upgraded hope is like running: it's gonna be difficult and painful and requires extreme discipline. A hope married to courage. Each day, I gotta decide: am I hopin' today? And I gotta say yes, even if it's difficult. (Just do it? Maybe you need to buy a new pair of training shoes? Whatever helps!!) With practice, hope 2.0 will become more natural.

The potential payoff is great: hope in the darkest, scariest circumstances is redeemed.

Whether this is encouraging or discouraging -- well that's up to you!