The Lie of Hope
Hope is the essential fuel of life; it is what keeps us crawling. As humans, we are vessels of endless desire. A student craves high marks; a lover craves their partner; the poor crave wealth. We are constantly striving for something—anything—that might offer a sense of fulfillment. Desire is the ground upon which Hope is built. We believe the lie that 'once I achieve this, I will be happy.' But is it true? We struggle, compromise, and fight to obtain a car or a relationship. The pursuit makes us feel alive, yet when we finally grasp the object of our desire, the satisfaction is fleeting. Days or weeks pass, and a new emotion takes hold: boredom. The mind immediately begins seeking something else. As Schopenhauer noted, life is a pendulum swinging backward and forward between Pain (the suffering of wanting) and Boredom (the emptiness of having). True, lasting happiness is an impossibility; it is merely the fleeting moment when the pendulum swings across the center. It is st...