What's your view on the concept of 'hopelessness'?

The title of this thread may sound like a ridiculous question to many. How can one just wipe out a word from the dictionary? I used to think that too until I started deeply debating with woo woos. Let me explain the problem as I see it.

Full Definition of HOPELESS

1
a : having no expectation of good or success : despairing
b : not susceptible to remedy or cure
c : incapable of redemption or improvement
2
a : giving no ground for hope : desperate
b : incapable of solution, management, or accomplishment : impossible
— hope·less·ness noun
www.merriam-webster.com...

Why would people deny that such a thing exists? The reason is, sometimes it can't exist within their worldview. In my experience, it's the people that claim “You Create Your Own Reality” that will not even allow the concept of hopelessness to be considered as having any truth or validity to it. It's because they give themselves the possibility of changing any situation, condition, or anything else in their experience. If they admit that hopelessness is a real, true thing then they have to question their entire belief system.

These people would actually claim that unsuspecting people living in a building that's about to get hit with a nuclear weapon are not in a hopeless situation. It does not matter to them that the situation meets the definition of hopeless and it does not matter to them that the situation is truly hopeless. In my experience, these people deny anything that the rest of us would call objective truth anytime it would bring their sacred cow belief, “You Create Your Own Reality” into question.

I think these people are making a fundamental mistake. Let's go back to where the “You Create Your Own Reality” phrase originated:

Seth is the internationally acclaimed spiritual teacher who spoke through the author Jane Roberts while she was in trance, and coined the phrase “You Create Your Own Reality.” Seth’s empowering message literally launched the New Age movement.
sethlearningcenter.org...

The ironic thing is, I agree with Seth's view on this issue. The way that Seth explained the concept is like this:

For any given person there is a spectrum of "probable realities" that could come as a result of any given choice. The spectrum could range from an awful "probable reality" to a wonderful "probable reality" but you can only get a result from among the possibilities that could possibly occur. The possibilities are not unlimited, they are limited. For instance, you may be able to have a great relationship with your neighbor or a terrible relationship with them, depending on your actions and your attitude. But, either way, the same person is your neighbor. Also, the number of "probable realities" available to unsuspecting people living in a building that's about to get hit with a nuclear weapon are very limited. And, no matter what they do or think or imagine their situation is hopeless. That is a realistic view of the world in my opinion. Also, it can be proven in reality both in terms of one's life experience and in terms of science such as quantum physics.

It seems to me that the basic problem with most people that believe in the “You Create Your Own Reality" concept is that they're totally unrealistic about their belief as I described above. To make it worse, those who claim that the phrase “You Create Your Own Reality” means that one can change anything and everything about reality can't prove any of it.

The feeling of hopelessness is feeling of loneliness, until you can feel unity, thrn you feel safe and loved.

I have always been of the thought of bringing it forward... if you do good to others and share positive energies they can only be passed on to the next and the next. hopelessness is sadly wrought in zealotry.

a reply to: Profusion

Hopelessness is not a genuine state that anyone, no matter how decrepit, no matter how embattled, no matter how screwed by life, exists in. It is however a state of mind that comes about understandably at times of great stress and worry for some, and for others it comes about because of a neurological problem which results in neurotic over analysis of pretty much everything, coupled with despair over the state of their lives, the lives of others, the lives of meerkats, possums, honey badgers, and even microbial lifeforms hell bent on our destruction.

In short, some people have every reason to interact with that emotion, and some people have no reason what so ever to feel hopeless. But hopelessness as a state of affairs is only applicable to the human condition, once the defibrillators have failed, the doctors have been unsuccessful, when the last pitiful beat has issued from the deceased, and until they breathe no more. Every single second that a person continues to live, is a reason for hope, a reason to keep fighting whatever threatens them, a reason to keep breathing and moving forward.

a reply to: Profusion

My view of Hopelessness, or the feeling of being desperate, is as real as feeling of love, fear, hate etc. As long as you feel it than surely it's real or you wouldn't have been able to have felt that emotion.

On the topic of "you create your own reality" having no proof, is like saying this people did not create that "peaceful" reality they preferred. No, we are not talking about a peaceful world we live in, but at an individual level or reality if you will, you can surely create that reality you wish to experience because you can.

And that individual effort, in and of itself can touch as many than you can be rest assured that you have done your part to create that reality you prefer.




Peace

There is no such thing as hopeless. The hopeless are just a mistreated society. They do not want to die when faced with it in reality though. It's an interesting thing to have to deal with.

I suppose I an one of those people that you mentioned who don't entertain the concept of hopelessness. All of us have negative thoughts at times, but I believe that no energy should be given to the negative. If I have a negative thought my goal is to minimize it and move on.

There is no value in accepting negativity into your consciousness in my opinion. I never understood people that would defeat themselves before even trying something by using a negative phrase such as 'I can't' or 'it won't work' etc.

Hopelessness is a state of mind that if it exists is more likely depression or other psychological problem than actual reality.

I'm a little confused. Are you asking for our view on hopelessness or our view on the “You Create Your Own Reality" concept? Either way, I'll answer both.

1. On "Hopelessness"

In my religion, the Devil's original name was Iblis, which means "despair/hopelessness". I believe the path of despair is literally the original path of the Devil, as it is the bane of living. When people truly give up all hope, they seem to die inside & become shells of their former selves. I have little patience for people who give up on life so easily because as long as we're alive, there's always hope.

Instead, I prefer to be crazily opportunistic & ambitious. Failures are simply setbacks and learning experiences. "Doom & gloom" types seem to honestly hate my constantly opportunistic takes on bad things. That is, until real disasters strike. Then I always end up becoming a de facto leader because I refuse to give up in life or death situations. (too bad they only listen to me when shtf, grrrr! if you just listened before, stuff wouldn't hit the fan in the 1st place!)

I think it's because deep down, even hopeless people want to have something to believe in. But most have been beaten down so much that they're afraid to get back up.

2. As for “You Create Your Own Reality":

I believe this wholeheartedly. I've watched poor become rich, rich become poor; athletic become crippled and crippled regain their mobility. Fat can become fit and fit can become fat. I've traveled "a lot" & met people who dwarfed my own travels. This world is incredibly vast, our bodies are incredibly adaptable, and our minds are capable of more than we'll ever understand.

Most people place mental restraints & mental shackles on what they can do. That's the real problem with the "create your own reality" concept. Most people aren't creative, aren't willing to step outside of their comfort zones, and aren't willing to risk failure. So most would rather sit around & complain than get up and try something they could've actually succeeded at.

You can't bring someone back from the dead. You can't change the past, so yeah, I think hopelessness is a very real state. As far as the "You create your own reality crowd." You can always tell they had fairly decent childhood. They are the same ones who always pat themselves on the back when someone gives them a hand up or when they get lucky.

There are a couple people on this thread (not all) that would totally mentally snap if they ever had anything seriously bad happen to them. Sadly, I have seen it happen to people of this belief and mindset.

a reply to: Profusion

Apparently hope floats, but sayings aside there is generally always something more you can do in just about any situation. The trick lies in seeing the different possibilities and then implementing actions that are conducive to the desired result or outcome.

hopelessness is this frigging reality. There is no Hope here. It's not real, you can pretend it's real to make yourself feel better, you can even make a webpage and convince the sheep this place is real and therefore hopeless... but the reality is, it's all a pile of bleep bleep bleep. There i said it. Dwell in it, swim in it if you like. But that IS the reality. NOTHING here is REAL. Get over it, wake up, and Chill for gawds sake because it's not getting better it 's getting more RANK than it's ever been.

a reply to: awareness10

So uh, can I have all of your possessions? You won't miss them anyway since they're not real.

Don't worry. I'll give them to the needy and/or the homeless. I'm sure those people would appreciate them, even though they're not real, of course.

a reply to: Profusion

A life-long friend of mine has been given a handful of months to live. He's into number four after being told six months was an outside time-frame. Gotta say he's looking great and feels better than he's ever done.

You see, the irony is that some people feel hopeless in life and don't enjoy the experience of living. They don't look at the future with hope and optimism; they flinch at the idea that the experience still has so long left to run. This has been his view for 20 years and he's relieved he doesn't have to continue.

His worst case scenario (right now) would be remission.

The way we are is often down to how we were raised in our first couple of years of infancy. We might find that we have a variety of disorders, predispositions and frailties by the time we're adults and have a role in 'creating your own reality.' In that way, what can we 'create' when our mental operating systems are glitchy and forever coming up with numbers using a broken calculator.

originally posted by: enlightenedservant
a reply to: awareness10

So uh, can I have all of your possessions? You won't miss them anyway since they're not real.

Don't worry. I'll give them to the needy and/or the homeless. I'm sure those people would appreciate them, even though they're not real, of course.

Why ask for them. Just create the reality where they are yours.

My opinion of hopelessness is the same as my view of any other emotional state: while I harbor compassion and empathy for anyone experiencing it, what they feel, how they feel it, and what they do about it is ultimately not for me to dictate or judge.

I have been in situations and states where the most harmful and destructive thing I could be told was, "You're choosing to feel that way. If only you'd choose not to, you'd be alright." That's not for me, or anyone else to say. No matter what one has experienced in their own lives, no matter how analogous, similar, or even seemingly identical that experience that was overcome or how it was overcome might seem to what someone else is enduring, it is not the same experience.

Every individual truly is different and their subjective experience of a similar state of mind or precitament is their own, uniquely, and predicated on myriad internal factors, both subtle and overt, that unless you're inside someone's brain you cannot fully appreciate.

For that reason, I will never tell someone what to feel, what to think, or what to do. I can lament certain courses of action or thought. I can disagree with someone. I can express my own position which differs from theirs. I can offer sincere advice. But their own emotions and understanding thereof are their own purview, and not mine to judge.

Peace.

originally posted by: OccamsRazor04

originally posted by: enlightenedservant
a reply to: awareness10

So uh, can I have all of your possessions? You won't miss them anyway since they're not real.

Don't worry. I'll give them to the needy and/or the homeless. I'm sure those people would appreciate them, even though they're not real, of course.

Why ask for them. Just create the reality where they are yours.

Even though that would be possible through theft or other forms of chicanery, I willingly choose not to create that kind of reality. I'd rather the person give them away of their our accord, especially since they apparently don't think they're real anyway.

If you feel hopeless , try not to worry about it and if you want to worry about it worry about it. Cheer up there's nothing to fear.

a reply to: enlightenedservant

Sure ok, i didnt think you were a girly boy but hell if you want my dresses and my makeup their all yours lol.

If not then you can give them away but somehow i doubt you'd actually have the capacity to do that seeing as you're in another country anyways. I'm sure you're a young buck who thinks he's got the entire world figgured out.
Guess what? You Don't. Seriously Kid, you have no idea what the fark will happen in the next 3 yrs.

a reply to: Kandinsky

This is interesting, I saw a 24 year old girl that was also terminally ill, while I never knew her, personally, her views about her own mortality were not of a hopeless young women with only a short time to live but the words of the most enlightened being I have ever heard and brought tears to my eyes, in her opinion death is just something that we can not avoid so spending your time fighting and feeling hopeless is wasting the littler time you have left with those that loves you.

I see hopelessness as something that can have many meanings depending the circumstances.

a reply to: marg6043

I completely agree...if we can even have the words to accurately discuss such ineffable concepts.

Hopelessness is probably something profoundly personal to each of us. At the same time, being humans, people cannot help projecting their own notions of helplessness onto others who might just be feeling fine.

I can imagine people projecting onto your 24 year old female. 'Poor thing, she's in denial' or 'It really hasn't hit her yet.' Sometimes people know exactly how they feel without anyone else needing to 'reinterpret' for them and tell what they should be feeling.

If we agree that life is a way to accrue experiences that contribute to a greater whole, then our own lives are mere episodes in something full of hope.