Maria Popova
I sometimes head off down the rabbit holes of hope - searching and trying to understand what hope is all about. How we conceive of it, what it is based on, and what it means for us.
I came across these thoughts in one of those rambling searches and found that they made me want to think about them more, and so here I am, as I turn to pondering Life this week (Art last week; Books next week!).
I am not sure her words get to the essence of hope itself; but I think they really help shape your thinking by placing hope alongside things, which then clarify those things, and thereby enable you to understand hope a bit more as an agent or a modifier. Its a bit like when you look at a bright light in a dark sky you can't really see it (because of the rods and cones in your eyes) but if you look a little bit to the side, you can see the light. Hmmm.
The more I read these words, the less sure I am that I am describing things well! If you don't add hope to the mix your critical thinking is just cynical. Add hope and it is critical thinking? This part of the quote gives you a sense I think of the leavening action of action of hope.
The second part helps describe hope itself a bit I think. If you don't bring some thoughtful and critical thinking to the table; then just having hope is being naive. So does she suggest that hope isn itself is naive?
Perhaps hope without thoughtfulness and purpose is not going to achieve anything; and thinking critically about something isn't necessarily going to lead you anywhere without hope. I may have just tied myself up in some more knots, but I still enjoy these words.
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