Hoping against Hope

Hope, like any emotion is double edged sword, too much of it and you are doomed into inaction, inertia . Take egs ,of Jews who were exterminated in Germany during world war 2, their genocide had all to be blamed on human emotion of hope. Long before Jews were killed, Germany passed series of laws which banished Jews from practising their chosen profession like medicine, law, owning and running business; in short they were thrown out off the mainstream of society. Now, take eg of Peter who was a Jew, practising medicine in Germany during the time these racist laws were passed. He thought Ok, I will not treat patients and will conform to law so that me and my family is saved (Hope). Then after some time Germany passed law that all Jews will be transferred to Ghettos (specified areas where Jews can live). Peter again thought of self preservation, he said ok, I will loose my property and wealth but me and my family can live together and survive. Then during world war 2 Germans said that men, women and children will be separated and sent to different labour camps, again Peter thought ok, if we follow this then there is hope that me and my family will survive even though we may be separated.

Guess, what happened to Peter and his family, they were thrown into gas chamber and killed. Had Peter, thought differently, and said at the time of passing of laws when he was banished from practising as a Doctor that this is a slippery slope. One thing will lead to another and another and then thought of raising voice or arms he may still have died but at least there was positive hope (thats the paradox) that 6 million Jews would not have died in Holocaust and may be world history would have been different.

So Hope, like any other human emotion like fear, love, ambivalence, hatred, anger, jealousy is double edged. Right quantity of all emotions are required, emotions are like salt in food, if you add salt in right proportion you enjoy food and add too much salt it ruins food. Same goes with emotion, they are fleeting but add spice to life.