Comments on: What good is hope? http://barbarawklaser.mysterynovelist.com/2006/05/27/what-good-is-hope/ musings, thoughts, and writings of Barbara W. Klaser Sat, 21 Jan 2012 23:02:54 -0500 hourly 1 By: Barbara http://barbarawklaser.mysterynovelist.com/2006/05/27/what-good-is-hope/comment-page-1/#comment-3054 Barbara Tue, 30 May 2006 20:17:31 +0000 http://barbarawklaser.mysterynovelist.com/?p=272#comment-3054 Realistic, action-oriented hope and actions that aren't thwarted are good things. I think we do need hope. We just need to ensure we don't stretch it beyond its usefulness. You're right, Cas. Without hope there are a lot of things I've done that I would never have begun. So I wonder in a way if the author defines hope differently than I do. But I haven't read his whole book. Maybe there's a deeper explanation of what he means in there somewhere. The fact that he wrote an entire book around this makes me think his meaning must be more complex than I've attempted to make it. Realistic, action-oriented hope and actions that aren’t thwarted are good things.

I think we do need hope. We just need to ensure we don’t stretch it beyond its usefulness.

You’re right, Cas. Without hope there are a lot of things I’ve done that I would never have begun. So I wonder in a way if the author defines hope differently than I do. But I haven’t read his whole book. Maybe there’s a deeper explanation of what he means in there somewhere. The fact that he wrote an entire book around this makes me think his meaning must be more complex than I’ve attempted to make it.

]]> By: cas http://barbarawklaser.mysterynovelist.com/2006/05/27/what-good-is-hope/comment-page-1/#comment-3051 cas Tue, 30 May 2006 18:51:35 +0000 http://barbarawklaser.mysterynovelist.com/?p=272#comment-3051 Without hope, how hard would you try? Without hope, how hard would you try?

]]> By: Ken http://barbarawklaser.mysterynovelist.com/2006/05/27/what-good-is-hope/comment-page-1/#comment-3049 Ken Mon, 29 May 2006 20:06:17 +0000 http://barbarawklaser.mysterynovelist.com/?p=272#comment-3049 Hope may not be worth squat, but what about actions that are thwarted? When so, even they become meaningless with respect to <em>intended</em> goals. In a thwarting environment, hope is the only achievable goal of peaceful survivors. The idea reminds of <em>What Dreams May Come</em>. Without hope, and in an action-thwarting environment, then one ends up wallowing in mud. Hope may not be worth squat, but what about actions that are thwarted? When so, even they become meaningless with respect to intended goals. In a thwarting environment, hope is the only achievable goal of peaceful survivors.

The idea reminds of What Dreams May Come. Without hope, and in an action-thwarting environment, then one ends up wallowing in mud.

]]> By: Eric Mayer http://barbarawklaser.mysterynovelist.com/2006/05/27/what-good-is-hope/comment-page-1/#comment-3044 Eric Mayer Sun, 28 May 2006 01:15:55 +0000 http://barbarawklaser.mysterynovelist.com/?p=272#comment-3044 I think unrealistic hope and baseless optimism can be damaging. I'm a rather gloomy person, perhaps, but I try to be realistic about things. I think unrealistic hope and baseless optimism can be damaging. I’m a rather gloomy person, perhaps, but I try to be realistic about things.

]]>