Ibrahim Moussaoui 01/07/2013

Hope
I believe that hope is present among the people of the world; however, it continuously ignites and then diminishes in an alternating fashion, easily influenced by the latest occurrences, the economic status of a region, and by the changing moods and attitudes of people. But before people can have hope for a brighter future or for an end to misery or misfortune, they need something else first; they need to actually be concerned about the issue and care about the outcome, even if it wont directly benefit them personally. And before someone can care about a problem, they have to know about it and be informed of the various elements that make it complex or difficult to address. Many people simply dont know and dont care, thus rendering them incapable of having hope for progress or prosperity. Since these two prerequisites are commonly absent among people, this stresses the importance of awareness and knowledge. We must open our eyes and our hearts to the injustices being committed around the world, even if it may be uncomfortable or unsettling to do so. For some of us, being exposed to misery and hardship will make us feel guilty for the situation of those who suffer, and perhaps even responsible in some way if the institutions or establishments that we support are the instigators or oppressors. But what if we are responsible? Perhaps we accidently do support exploitation and other perils, or we are inclined to because of convenience, or we do it at some level of suppressed consciousness. It seems as if hope diminishes at times of hardship because it is easy to be bogged down emotionally by all the negativity circulating. Naturally, our state of mind is elevated when we are living in prosperity and happiness, and it declines when times are tough. But contrary to our tendencies the most vital time to have hope is during difficulty because that enduring flame of hope will be the determining factor of whether we can take grasp of our situation and display adversity. Our hope is often sparked or strengthened by an inspiring event or a story of an ordinary individual who does something extraordinary. Being moved by the bold and selfless actions of others is a great reason to seek inspiration and ultimately be the glimmer of hope and source of inspiration for others. In this way, a ripple effect will be generated. Personally, I have hope Im an optimistic person. I think it is foolish and narrowminded to not be hopeful. However, my hope fluctuates. Sometimes I am energized and eager to be part of change and recognize that there is hope for humanity; I am adamant that people can join together in support of noble causes such as eliminating world hunger and exploitation of workers, ending wars, and preventing oppression. But when I consider the reality and the current level of awareness and lack of widespread mobilization, I tell myself that there is no chance I could even get people off of their couches and that it is difficult enough to merely assemble a dozen people for a meeting, let alone change the world. Despite the doses of negativity, I am driven by my hope and will at least make a sincere effort to recruit the assistance of my fellow peers, friends, and community members. The miraculous and revolutionary aspect of this endeavor is that if a group of likeminded, driven, ambitious, and hopeful individuals join forces, the collective potential is immense and can captivate an entire society. I absolutely agree with the author of A Peoples History, Howard Zinn, in his view that the potential is always present. However, many people fail to realize the potential they possess

Ibrahim Moussaoui 01/07/2013

as one individual, and the collective potential residing within the masses. The mentality of most is that the wealth and power of the elite cannot be overcome because their resources would simply dwarf our efforts and crush our defiance. In reality, the wealthy and powerful are entirely dependent on exploiting and manipulating the masses. So if we dont allow ourselves to be used in such a manner, then we are surely capable of tipping the scale the other way. Howard Zinn reminds us that although such a feat is difficult to accomplish, it has been done successfully in the past. So if it is in fact possible to take advantage of our situation and overcome tyranny, oppression, and injustice, then it is our responsibility to be hopeful and maintain a desire to create change. People dont seem overly concerned with the problems that have plagued our nation and the globe; they dont seem to care, because if they did care it would be a natural response to express their discontent and do something about it, right? But deep in the hearts of almost every person, are feelings of compassion, concern, and a desire to help. The essential component for tapping into this underlying emotion is to portray an issue or problem in a way that is appealing to our hearts and ignites the revitalization of our spirits without pressuring us in a way that we feel offended, uncomfortable, or guilty, because many people can become flustered and thus incapable of contributing their efforts. Captivating the masses and prompting awareness and action can be effectively achieved by inspirational videos, awareness events, and thought provoking seminars and campaigns. A prime example of how one video can captivate the globe is the recent Kony2012 movement. It caught our attention and created a lasting buzz. We saw that thousands of other people are actually doing something about an issue that matters, and many of us were inspired. Many of those who do have hope and desire to help in some way become overwhelmed by the complexities of the problems and are crippled because they dont know what they should do to help. And after all, we are busy people we have to go to work, study, go shopping, do chores, and take care of ourselves and our family. While it is understandable that not everyone one of us can dedicate our lives to solving the problems of the world, we have a duty to support our global family. Our everyday lives and the things that occupy our time are no excuse for remaining idle and in a state of stagnation, passively observing events unfold and people suffering from injustice and oppression on the television screen. We have to grasp onto our hope and do something about it its our responsibility.