Hope without Optimism (Page-Barbour Lectures)

Eagleton presents a hope that is at odds with the happiness ideology of the self help world. Optimism, he says, evades morality by refusing to acknowledge the reality of suffering and resides in the ego. The book presents an analysis of literature and the nuanced views of hope such works contain, while working to derive a sustainable view of hope that isnt rooted in naivety or cheeriness.

Do yourself a favor and battle through the first couple of chapters. It's no easy read but borders on the profound.

Eagleton is always a pleasure to read. Every optimist on earth should read this book. I'd love for him to write a book on pessimism.

Hope and optimism are often conflated, or viewed on a scale where optimism is a more constant, dispositional form of hope. Eagleton draws on literature, philosophy, and theology to point towards a better way. The second chapter 'what is hope?' might helpfully be supplemented by reading Aquinas' account of hope as a virtue, or Pieper's reading of Aquinas.1. The Banality of Optimism'An optimist is rather someone who is bullish about life simply because he is an optimist. He anticipates congenial conclusions because this is the way it is with him. As such, he fails to take the point that one must have reasons to be happy. Unlike hope, then, professional optimism is not a virtue, any more than having freckles or flat feet is a virtue. It is not a disposition one attains through deep reflection or disciplined study. It is simply a quirk of temperament. "Always look on the bright side of life" has about as much rational force as "always part your hair in the middle", or "always tip your hat obsequiously to an Irish wolfhound". (2)'Authentic hope, by contrast, needs to be underpinned by reasons.' (3)2. What is Hope?'Like any virtue, it is an acquired way of thinking, feeling and acting in a specific way. It must belong to a form of life rather than simply being a one-off event.' (57)'The hopeful must be able to peer into the abyss of potential disaster, which the optimist is generally reluctant to do. They must be able to give reasons for their hopefulness (a general faith in humanity, for example), whereas the temperamental optimist feels no need to justify his upbeat nature, and indeed is incapable of doing so rationally.' (58)3. The Philosopher of Hope (Ernst Bloch)Good summary and critique of Bloch's atheistic metaphysical hope, which neglects empirical reality and so fails to take sufficient account of difficulty.Bloch: 'The substance-formations of the world are full of the tendency of the Not Yet towards the All' (95)'The whole of material reality, Bloch believes, is pervaded by an inherent purposiveness or tendency to perfection. How he knows that it is hard to say.' (98)4. Hope against HopeJonathan Lear, King Lear, KierkegaardDespair does not negate hope but precedes it.'The optimist cannot despair, but neither can he know genuine hope, since he disavows the conditions that make it essential.' (136)

Always a charmer with words, and a bit OTT with Hope, quoting from scores of others. The complexity of definition was somewhat lost in complexity. But he digs deeply and I can'treally complain.

Excellent book. Illustrates clearly the differences between faith, hope and belief.

Eagleton continues to write interesting and intellectually engaging material.

Als Geschenk

Required reading for our ridiculous times.

Indeed it does what it says.... Terry proves not to be an optimist but honestly enquires after what else hope may be albeit with his cap set against apologists for the status quo as also the vague utopianism of Bloch. Nonetheless it is a serious though not grim search for the real possibility and parameters of Hope. At times he speaks of Marx' imperfections while advocating Aquinas so anyone familiar with previous works may find a few surprises but all in all it recommends itself to those at least open to, a left of centre treatment of the subject. There's also some good stuff about Shakespeare, particularly Lear and the status if tragedy as a condition of real Hope.

Tragic and beautiful!