Creating hope where there is none?

Question

Some philosophies, like Buddhism, consider hopelessness a problem of courage and self-confidence. In the West, we consider the absence of hope as a symptom of depression.

Are you more aligned with Eastern or Western thinking on the topic of hopelessness?

Answer 1

Neither really. Hopelessness is a combination of a lot of things. Sometimes physical, sometimes environment, sometimes heriditary, sometimes forced on us by advertising and friends, and sometimes from a lack of courage and self-confidence.

Answer 2

Courage applies to things when there is a road to take. Self confidence becomes null if the road to take is the right road.
Hopelessness with respect to depression contends that there is no right road. no reason to go forward. It has nothing to do with the self image and everything to do with the direction. In western philosophy we are self directed. so the issue of choice is always paramount.
The choice to serve something larger than the individual is not always at the top of the list. thus depression from hopelessness is usually the manifestation within the self absorbed.
Oh yes...western.

Answer 3

Eastern, I believe the western mindset to be one of control. So letting the population believe that hopelessness can be cured by a pill we are kept from truly becoming the loving caring beings we can be.

Answer 4

first of all all my respect to all philosopher but i consider philosopher as some one who try to guide us how to think not to take them point of view and believe in it so i make my own philosophy and as i think that's the goal from the philosophy science in general.
so my philosophy in hope that you must create it when there is no hope i didn't read much of that but if its said by any philosopher so we have the same point of view.
hope inspire us or give us a reason to be alive all people who suicide they are common on loosing hope and there is a parallel line beside hope which is faith you have to be faithful in god who will give you hope to live that was my point of view
hope i helped here
take care

Answer 5

Within these parameters, Eastern. But I think it is unfair to say that that is how ALL western philosophy views it.. besides thats science not philosophy anyways........

Answer 6

Rather than an act of will, hope is more of an epiphany, a gift, a virtue that comes upon us as a revelation...