Hope | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Politics

Hope

Using Nicholas Kristof and Pandora's Box to understand the news in 2016

10
Hope
Yandle

A year and a half ago, writer and social activist Nicholas Kristof pulled my copy of his book A Path Appears out of my hands and began writing in it.

I waited until I was walking out of the room in which we had just been speaking (I was interviewing him for an article about a recent lecture he had given) to read his message to me.

"Kelly—Hope!" it said.

That's it.

Underneath, his name was sprawled in black sharpie.

"Kelly—Hope!"

I've struggled with the concept of hope my entire life. I have high expectations, I know I do. My gut feelings are strong, my emotional reactions even stronger. Difficulty accepting the most realistic outcomes in certain circumstances when I want so much more has defined a great deal of my life. I worry, I face disappointment, I'm constantly reminded to tone down my passion in order to effectively problem solve. But still, I hope harder than anyone else you'll ever meet.

And this man, this two-time-Pulitzer Prize-winning man, seemed to know that. And encouraged that tendency in me.

On Sunday, Nov. 13, Kristof wrote an op-ed piece for The New York Times entitled "Lies in the Guise of News in the Trump Era."

He feels "grim" about Trump's new president-elect status, he wrote. The piece belabored the role of the news agencies we consult on a daily basis played during the election of a man who has neither previous government experience nor a single compassionate bone in his body. Sometimes the mainstream media messed up their coverage of the presidential candidates, he admits. Sometimes they failed to publish information the working class (largely Trump voters) could understand.

There seems to be a disconnect between news coverage and the beliefs of many Americans. Because of technology and the sheer volume of people involved in events such as this major election, more information is moving than ever before. What the members of the media promulgate is easily mixed in with the “hyperpartisan” Facebook posts of your cousin’s best friend’s mother’s next door neighbor.

We’re not holding each other accountable for sharing factual information for the good of enhancing the people’s general knowledge and keeping them in the best position to perform their civic duties. Instead, we’re taking advantage of the gullibility of humans and spreading lies, even if our intentions are more for the purpose of persuading than they are to be malicious for the sake of being malicious. News is supposed to be a report of the truth, grounded in fact. There is no malicious intent in good journalism for the people. We're missing the point when we share information for a certain purpose and only read the opinionated accounts with which we agree.

Kristof complains that we (Republicans, Democrats, the reportedly unbiased journalists) are discrediting well researched statistics and placing our faith in false accounts of the pope endorsing Trump because that’s what’s in front of us and easily consumable. It appears as though we’ve lost faith in ourselves and our ability to sort through the dissemination of failures and successes of those we’ve elected to represent us to the rest of the planet. How can we run a democracy when we don’t know how and aren’t willing to make an effort to ground ourselves in reality and reject jadedness in the first place?

It's funny. It is. How someone like Kristof, who stressed the importance of hope to me 18 short months ago, when I needed it most, now feels so dejected himself. Of course, I know this is short-lived. Anyone who can travel as much as he does and see so many people struggle to even survive can withstand a term of confusion in a Western democracy. There are too many of us willing to hear one another’s ideas and help spread positivity for him to think that this is the year the world ends.

Last week, I heard a metaphor: 2016 is like Pandora's Box. We've opened a flurry of terror upon one another, expressed jealousy, hatred. We've experienced death and strife and sickness and turmoil. Hunger for power and passion have completely frenzied our rationalization.

But hope stayed in that box. A little squished, maybe. Dejected. It was stuck around, though.

So, in 2016, when no one can seem to get along or agree on what the truth is, I ask you to remember: Regardless of level of despair one might feel in reaction to the current state of the world, there is hope.

In the face of the lies we read between the pages and in the tweets, we have hope.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Adulting

18 Things I Want To Do Now That I'm 18

I'm technically an adult, so I'm legally required to live a little, right?

750
Happy Birthday Cake

For the entirety of my high school career, I was always seen as the goody-two-shoes. I never got in trouble with a teacher, I kept stellar grades, and when I wasn't doing extracurricular activities, I was at home studying. Even when I did go out, it was usually with a bunch of fellow band geeks. The night would end before 11:00 PM and the only controversial activity would be a fight based on who unfairly won a round of Apples-to-Apples when someone else clearly had a better card (I promise I'm not still holding a grudge).

Now that I'm officially an adult, I want to pursue some new things. I want to experience life in a way that I never allowed myself to do prior to entering college. These are the years that I'm supposed to embark on a journey of self-discovery, so what better way to do that than to create a bucket list?

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

10 Life Lessons from Christmas Classics

The holiday classics that shaped my life

470
10 Life Lessons from Christmas Classics
Flickr

The holiday season is full of stress, debt, and forced conversation. While we rush through the month of December, it's important to take a step back and enjoy the moments before they're gone. Most families love to watch Christmas movies, but these beloved films provide more than entertainment. Here are 10 life lessons that I've learned from the holiday classics we watch every year.

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

15 Mind-Bending Riddles

Hopefully they will make you laugh.

199492
 Ilistrated image of the planet and images of questions
StableDiffusion

I've been super busy lately with school work, studying, etc. Besides the fact that I do nothing but AP chemistry and AP economics, I constantly think of stupid questions that are almost impossible to answer. So, maybe you could answer them for me, and if not then we can both wonder what the answers to these 15 questions could be.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Most Epic Aurora Borealis Photos: October 2024

As if May wasn't enough, a truly spectacular Northern Lights show lit up the sky on Oct. 10, 2024

20458
stunning aurora borealis display over a forest of trees and lake
StableDiffusion

From sea to shining sea, the United States was uniquely positioned for an incredible Aurora Borealis display on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, going into Friday, Oct. 11.

It was the second time this year after an historic geomagnetic storm in May 2024. Those Northern Lights were visible in Europe and North America, just like this latest rendition.

Keep Reading...Show less
 silhouette of a woman on the beach at sunrise
StableDiffusion

Content warning: This article contains descriptions of suicide/suicidal thoughts.

When you are feeling down, please know that there are many reasons to keep living.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments