Is The Concept Of“False Hope” Real?
Hope is a wonderful and needed concept in an uncertain world. I have needed to cling on to such an idea many times in my life. But have you ever heard someone say something similar to the phrase, “ don’t give them false hope!”? As if the person who is trying to convey such a message is saying don’t give them something to look forward to, because it will probably not happen. To me, the idea of “False Hope” makes no sense. From my point of view, it comes across as an oxymoron. Contradicting itself within its own defining parameters. I feel those who say such things do not understand the true meaning of Hope.
Now, Hope does have varied, but similar meanings. We(as people of the English language), use it as both as a noun and a verb. For it comes as a feeling and stays as a result of us actively keeping it inside of us. It is Defined by Oxford Languages, as ….
Noun
- a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen.
- a person or thing to which a specified action or feeling is directed.
Verb
- want something to happen or be the case.
The word Hope is an old English word. The Etymology of the word is of Germanic origin. In the King James version of the Bible(which is in old English), Hope is from the Greek word Elpis which means expectation, trust, and confidence. Elpis being the name of the Greek Goddess, who was the personification of the word.
With understanding the definition of such a wonderful virtue, how can the concept of Hope be false? From my understanding, it cannot be.
Hope is a feeling. It is something that comes to you when you are in need of comfort. It is directly connected with your goals and with your dreams. You either have it, or you do not. There is no counterfeit for hope, because again, hope is a feeling that is kept alive by someones ability to actively use it. It is created by a desire and kept alive by acheiving goals of uncertain possibility. Hope is an acknowledgment of ignorance, while in the same instance, an aspiration for an unknown possibility becoming real and true.
Now can Hope be misplaced? Yes, it absolutely can. As wielders of Hope, we want to be able to place our hope in the truest of people, places, and things. What better way to achieve our goals than by putting our hope in things that are already connected to things that our true and real? Because at the end of the day, something true can only come from something true.
So if anybody that you know is using the term “False Hope” in attempt to add negativity and destroy the precious outlook on hopeful things, please have the nurturing mindset to step in. Giving back the hopes and dreams some people might want to take away to those who need solace.
Remember those words that our interconnected by the concept of Hope. Those being expectation, trust, and confidence. Everybody needs those things. I hope that noone would purposefully ever want to take those away from someone. For they give people the ability to overcome hardships and to progress with a sound mind.
If you're someone who is struggling with obtaining hope or keeping a hopeful heart, keep trying! Life is going to throw you curveballs no matter what. So having the ability to hope is just an added blessing of comfort for good things yet to come. If you ever need the hopeful spark to be relit, just remember all the physical representations in this wonderful world that our metaphors of the wonderful things yet to come. Examples being things such as….
- Daybreak; when the sun rises and breaks the walls of a dark night using the warmth of light.
- Spring; always comes after the dread of winter, but is always filled with love, rebirth, beauty, and new possibility.
- Butterflies; able to fly with ease after a strength testing escape from confinement.
So put your head up high and never forget that there are many glorious things to hope for. It will always be worth the wait. So hope on!
