How to face dark times while we work for a better world

I remember when I first heard the word ‘hope’ configured as a tool for change makers. It was 1999 and I was ending my time in the Australian student movement. Some organisers that I really looked up to were now working in the union movement.

As they learnt to build unions there was a particular framework they were taught, called “Anger, Hope, Action.” It was a conversational tool that could encourage someone to become active in their union. The conversation would start with anger — anger at a specific injustices they experienced. This would be met with hope — a solution — a way to remedy injustice. Through conversation these two powerful ideas would then connect in a call to action.

Twenty years later I equal parts love and don’t love that framework.

Like in ‘Anger, Hope, Action’, I have frequently externalised hope — hope as striving. Striving for the tantalising better place, where all our problems could be fixed. Hope was victory. It was about — stopping the war in Iraq, ending the abuse of refugees, getting someone elected, ending inequality or stopping climate change.

But battle after battle, and with too many losses to count- measuring my striving against the objective of victory left me wanting.