Mode of Hope
In times of ecological collapse, political repression, and growing uncertainty, hope is often mistaken for optimism. Yet resilience may lie elsewhere: not in denying crisis, but in facing it collectively.
As Rosa Luxemburg wrote in a letter from prison: “Such is life and one must take it as it is, courageously, undaunted and with a smile – despite it all.” (1917). This understanding of hope does not promise a better future. Instead, it embraces uncertainty and responds through solidarity, mutual support, and collective action.
Hope, then, is not a feeling but a practice. It emerges through shared vulnerability, care, and the creation of relational forms of safety that allow us to remain connected and capable — despite it all.
Luxemburg, Rosa (1917): Brief an Sonia (Sophie) Liebknecht, Breslau, Mitte Dezember 1917