Thoughts to Build On

(vip2019) #1

and hatreds directed toward the real or suspected cause
of their hopelessness.


Demonstrations are organized to "call atten-
tion" to past and present injustices and inequalities, to
warn of the groups' new awareness and resentment of
discrimination, and to express increasing hostility toward
the sources of their past and present hopeless conditions.


Finally, HOPE, emphasized by the emotionally-
inflamed assurances of their leaders, becomes the motiva-
tion to action... to demands backed hy threats and
enforced by every hostile means from non-violent civil
disturbance, disruption and disobedience... to riots,
arson, vandalism, looting, killing ... even to open rebellion
-depending upon the character of the group and its leaders.


Such is the power of HOPE to provide the
means of manipulating people-first, by dramatizing their
lack of hope, then gradually offering increasing hope, and
finally obtaining full control and motivation, even to the
most extreme action, by assuring the fulfillment of hope.


This is not to imply that the offering of hope
to the hopeless is bad-although some of the organized
disruptions and violent, anti-social methods are. Indeed,
having shown that the motivational power of hope unfor-
tunately can lead to ruthless extremes, I want to empha-
size that HOPE IS ONE OF THE GREATEST BENE-
FACTORS OF MANKIND.
Without HOPE ... of some kind ... for some-
thing ... somewhere ... sometime - I doubt that the hu-
man race could even continue to exist I Certainly, it would
not progress.
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