Better world Quote by J. Michael Straczynski
““Creation is built upon the promise of hope, that things will get better, that tomorrow will be better than the day before. But it's not true. Cities collapse. Populations expand. Environments decay. People get ruder. You can't go to a movie without getting in a fight with the guy in the third row who won't shut up. Filthy streets. Drive-by shootings. Irradiated corn. Permissible amounts of rat-droppings per hot dog. Bomb blasts, and body counts. Terror in the streets, on camera, in your living room. Aids and Ebola and Hepatitis B and you can't touch anyone because you're afraid you'll catch something besides love and nothing tastes as good anymore and Christopher Reeve is [dead] and love is statistically false. Pocket nukes and subway anthrax. You grow up frustrated, you live confused, you age frightened, you die alone. Safe terrain moves from your city to your block to your yard to your home to your living room to the bedroom and all you want is to be allowed to live without somebody breaking in to steal your tv and shove an ice-pick in your ear. That sound like a better world to you? That sound to you like a promise kept?””
About This Quote
Source Essay: “The Promise of Hope” (online publication, 2015)
Hope promises improvement, yet reality shows decay, conflict, and fear, questioning whether optimism can survive in a chaotic world.
In simple terms: Hope clashes with harsh modern life.
Recognize hope’s limits and seek realistic solutions.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- personal reflection
- social commentary
Key Concepts
Practical Applications
- public health
- environmental crisis
- urban violence
Questions to Reflect On
- What can individuals do to counteract societal breakdown?
- How do we balance hope with realistic expectations?
Hope may be naïve without action.