Hope Quote by Ali Smith
““It's a question of how we regard our situations, how we look and see where we are, and how we choose, if we can, when we are seeing undeceivedly, not to despair and, at the same time, how best to act. Hope is exactly that, that's all it is, a mater of how we deal with the negative acts towards human beings by other human beings in the world, remembering that they and we are all human, that nothing human is alien to us, the foul and the fair, and that most important of all we're here for a mere blink of the eyes, that's all.””
About This Quote
Source Interview: The Guardian, “Ali Smith on hope and humanity”, 2021
Hope involves seeing reality clearly, refusing despair, and choosing compassionate action despite others’ negativity.
In simple terms: Hope is clear seeing, no despair, compassionate action.
Key Takeaway
Choose compassionate action despite hardship.
Themes
hope
humanity
resilience
compassion
ethics
Mood
reflective
determined
empathetic
Type
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- personal crises
- social injustice
- interpersonal conflict
- community building
Key Concepts
existentialism
moral philosophy
psychology
Questions to Reflect On
- How can you act compassionately when faced with cruelty?
- What does “nothing human is alien” mean for you?
A Different Perspective
Hope may feel insufficient when systemic oppression persists.
![“Men in plural […] can experience meaningfulness only because they can talk with and make sense to each other and themselves.” quote by Hannah Arendt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/31f/hannah-arendt-610_make-sense_men-in-plural-can-experience-meaningfuln_248332.jpg)
