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The Illusion of Hope: How Hope so Often Makes Fools of Us All
It’s time to stop affording hope the goodwill we all so often give it
Don’t Let Go
In his memoirs, titled ‘Do No Harm’, the eminent neurosurgeon and writer, Henry Marsh, recalls one of his more poignant patient encounters. After informing a family that their loved one had a bleak chance of survival, he notes watching the family from a distance cling onto any possibility of hope. It was such a scene that allowed him to come to the conclusion that…
“Life without hope is hopelessly difficult, but in the end, hope can so easily make fools of us all” — Henry Marsh
The message of hope is one that is universal to all of us. Many of us believe that hope provides us with a comforting hand and the alleviation of suffering. In the times that we have nothing, hope can allow us to keep picking ourselves up long enough to try again.
Throughout most of history, hope has been viewed through a favourable lens, an essential virtue woven into our existence. But are these beliefs well founded? or do we afford too much privilege to the term ‘hope’ in all its forms?
