Hope matters.

Hope is essential to our survival, as noted by Viktor Frankl.

People are often quick to squash hope because it provides agency.

Without hope, people are more likely to resign themselves and succumb to the will of those who subtly attempt to suppress it.

In today’s world, with growing global tensions, unrest, blame, and friction, alongside personal challenges such as comparison, feelings of inadequacy, and stress, it is easy to lose hope.

Delusion can be dangerous, but we need to believe in a better future for ourselves, one that is achievable.

Such belief is not only a guiding force; hope sustains us in survival and empowers us to thrive.

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Many contemporary social, political, and economic pressures — fear-based rhetoric, marginalisation, restrictive policies, and systemic inequalities — have the effect of reducing people’s agency and hope. Psychological research shows that diminished hope increases passivity and compliance.

Philosophical and political theory shows that structures of power often benefit from this dynamic

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• Learned helplessness (Seligman, 1975):

  
  

  -Repeated exposure to uncontrollable negative events can make people passive and demotivated.

  
  

  -When people perceive they have no control over outcomes, hope decreases and susceptibility to influence increases.

  
  

  -Fear, economic pressure, and marginalisation all contribute to this reduction in hope.

• Agency and autonomy:

  
  

  -Self-determination theory (Deci & Ryan, 1985) shows that autonomy, competence, and relatedness are essential for motivation and psychological well-being.

  
  

  -Anything that undermines autonomy, whether policy, social oppression, or fear, can reduce hope and resilience.

  
  

• Impact of fear and scarcity:

  
  

  -Psychological research shows that chronic stress, fear, and insecurity (like housing crises or threats to bodily autonomy) narrow thinking, reduce perceived agency, and can increase obedience or conformity.

  
  

  -This supports the stance that systemic pressures can indirectly suppress hope.