--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you assume that there is no hope, you…" description: "\"If you assume that there is no hope, you guarantee that there will be no hope. If you assume that there is an instinct for freedom, that there are oppo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/701/noam-chomsky-42_assuming_if-you-assume-that-there-is-no-hope-you_1517104.jpg" --- # If you assume that there is no hope, you guarantee that… ![“If you assume that there is no hope, you guarantee that there will be no hope. If you assume that there is an instinct for freedom, that there are opportunities to change things, then there is a possibility that you can contribute to making a better world.” quote by Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/701/noam-chomsky-42_assuming_if-you-assume-that-there-is-no-hope-you_1517104.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/701/noam-chomsky-42_assuming_if-you-assume-that-there-is-no-hope-you_1517104.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/701/noam-chomsky-42_assuming_if-you-assume-that-there-is-no-hope-you_1517104.jpg) > “If you assume that there is no hope, you guarantee that there will be no hope. If you assume that there is an instinct for freedom, that there are opportunities to change things, then there is a possibility that you can contribute to making a better world.” [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Assuming hopelessness guarantees none; believing in freedom opens possibilities for positive change. **In simple terms:** Hope and freedom enable change. Key Takeaway Cultivate hope and freedom. Themes hope freedom agency Mood thoughtful encouraging Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - activism - policy reform - community building Key Concepts optimism social change personal responsibility Questions to Reflect On - What hopes drive your actions? - How can freedom be expanded responsibly? A Different Perspective Overconfidence can ignore real constraints. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Better world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/better-world/) [Courage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courage/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hope/) [Instinct](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/instinct/) [No hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/no-hope/) [Opportunity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opportunity/) [Possibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/possibility/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [If you assume there is no hope, you guarantee there will be no hope.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/if-you-assume-there-is-no-hope-you-guarantee-there-will-be-no-hope/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Optimism is a strategy for making a better future. Because unless you believe that the future can be better, it’s unlikely you will step…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/optimism-is-a-strategy-for-making-a-better-future-because-unless-you-2/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [“One choice is to assume the worst, and then you can be guaranteed that it'll happen. The other is to assume that there's some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/one-choice-is-to-assume-the-worst-and-then-you-can-be-guaranteed-that/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [“Hope. Such a simple word, to hold so much. I like it,” she added. “I think it’s appropriate. There is never a guarantee, where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-sagara/hope-such-a-simple-word-to-hold-so-much-i-like-it-she-added-i-think/) [Michelle Sagara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-sagara/) > [“There is no such thing as "false hope." Hope is not in itself a guarantee of good outcome or a cure. Hope is merely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-j-castillo/there-is-no-such-thing-as-false-hope-hope-is-not-in-itself-a/) Richard J. Castillo > [The very purpose of our life is happiness, which is sustained by hope. We have no guarantee about the future, but we exist in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/the-very-purpose-of-our-life-is-happiness-which-is-sustained-by-hope/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [“There is never a guarantee, where hope is concerned; hope touches the edge of dream, but it is not a simple dream. It wants…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-sagara/there-is-never-a-guarantee-where-hope-is-concerned-hope-touches-the/) [Michelle Sagara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-sagara/) > [When we foster an economy without hope, we guarantee that a segment of our population will be destined to know homelessness on a permanent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-speier/when-we-foster-an-economy-without-hope-we-guarantee-that-a-segment-of/) [Jackie Speier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-speier/) > [Assume you have no hope. If you have no hope, you have nothing. If you have nothing, there is nothing holding you back. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/assume-you-have-no-hope-if-you-have-no-hope-you-have-nothing-if-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“In winter you wake up in this city, especially on Sundays, to the chiming of its innumerable bells, as though behind your gauze curtains…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-brodsky/in-winter-you-wake-up-in-this-city-especially-on-sundays-to-the/) [Joseph Brodsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-brodsky/) > [Whatsoever you are waiting for, you are waiting in vain. It is not going to happen, and what is going to happen has nothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/whatsoever-you-are-waiting-for-you-are-waiting-in-vain-it-is-not/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [The tragedy in his life already existed. To love an atmospheric spirit. That was the real sorrow. Hopelessness itself. Nowhere on the printed page,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/the-tragedy-in-his-life-already-existed-to-love-an-atmospheric-spirit/) [Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) > [We have no hope and yet we live in longing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dante-alighieri/we-have-no-hope-and-yet-we-live-in-longing/) [Dante Alighieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dante-alighieri/) > [Nothing to me is more distasteful than that entire complacency and satisfaction which beam in the countenances of a new married couple; in that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/nothing-to-me-is-more-distasteful-than-that-entire-complacency-and/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [Outside of Paris, there is no hope for the cultured.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moliere/outside-of-paris-there-is-no-hope-for-the-cultured/) [Moliere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moliere/) ## More by Noam Chomsky > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [If you believe in democracy, why shouldn't you know what the government is doing?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/if-you-believe-in-democracy-why-shouldn-t-you-know-what-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [It’s a shameful moment for U.S. media when it insists on being subservient to the grotesque propaganda agencies of a violent, aggressive state.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/it-s-a-shameful-moment-for-u-s-media-when-it-insists-on-being/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [There are questions as to whether it should even exist. Who should corporations be responsive to, the management of a corporation? Theoretically they are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/there-are-questions-as-to-whether-it-should-even-exist-who-should/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Governments regard their own citizens as their main enemy, and they have to be - protect themselves. That's why you have state secret laws.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/governments-regard-their-own-citizens-as-their-main-enemy-and-they/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [I don't join the New Atheists. So, for example, I wouldn't have the arrogance to lecture some mother who hopes to see her dying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/i-don-t-join-the-new-atheists-so-for-example-i-wouldn-t-have-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [The first thing you ought to do is verify what I present. Just because I say it doesn't make it true. So check it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-first-thing-you-ought-to-do-is-verify-what-i-present-just-because/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [ I wrote an article about the marine landing \[in Haiti\] right away, but barely mentioned the oil, because my article would come out two… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/i-wrote-an-article-about-the-marine-landing-in-haiti-right-away-but/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [American society is now remarkably atomized. Political organizations have collapsed. In fact, it seems like even bowling leagues are collapsing. The left has a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/american-society-is-now-remarkably-atomized-political-organizations/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Discovery is the ability to be puzzled by simple things. Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/discovery-is-the-ability-to-be-puzzled-by-simple-things-noam-chomsky/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [There's an interesting book about that called The Third Reich and the Ivory Tower, written by Stephen H. Norwood. It has a long discussion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/there-s-an-interesting-book-about-that-called-the-third-reich-and-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [This is class war on an international scale, and power is in the hands of those who control the international economic system.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/this-is-class-war-on-an-international-scale-and-power-is-in-the-hands/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [There are big, extremely irrational parts of the society, and they have now been mobilized politically by the Republican establishment, hoping that these people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/there-are-big-extremely-irrational-parts-of-the-society-and-they-have/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [There's plenty to criticize about the mass media, but they are the source of regular information about a wide range of topics. You can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/there-s-plenty-to-criticize-about-the-mass-media-but-they-are-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [The 50,000 Korean mercenaries we had in Vietnam were professional killers and just massacred people outright. And the American army did plenty of that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-50-000-korean-mercenaries-we-had-in-vietnam-were-professional/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) [Explore all 2,129 Noam Chomsky quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) ## More Assuming quotes > [Some books are not read in the right way because they have skipped a stage of opinion, assume a crystallization of information in society…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/some-books-are-not-read-in-the-right-way-because-they-have-skipped-a/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [Our young Marines of today are courageous, willing to make sacrifices, and are marvelous team players. I am confident our Corps, and indeed our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-t-conway/our-young-marines-of-today-are-courageous-willing-to-make-sacrifices/) James T. Conway > [Everyone assumes writers spend their time lounging around, writing and occasionally striking a pose whilst having a think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-sheridan/everyone-assumes-writers-spend-their-time-lounging-around-writing-and/) [Sara Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-sheridan/) > [Islam never differentiates between men and women as regards political rights and puts them on an equal footing. However, even if a woman is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yusuf-al-qaradawi/islam-never-differentiates-between-men-and-women-as-regards-political/) [Yusuf al-Qaradawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yusuf-al-qaradawi/) > [Whatever your conscious mind assumes and believes to be true, your subconscious mind will accept and bring to pass. Believe in good fortune, divine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-murphy/whatever-your-conscious-mind-assumes-and-believes-to-be-true-your/) [Joseph Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-murphy/) > [Assuming normal winter weather, we currently anticipate the coal markets to remain difficult through 2015; while we always strive to operate a full capacity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-craft/assuming-normal-winter-weather-we-currently-anticipate-the-coal/) [Joe Craft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-craft/) > [A state of mind is something that one assumes. It cannot be purchased, it must be created.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/a-state-of-mind-is-something-that-one-assumes-it-cannot-be-purchased/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [One must believe that every living thing whatsoever must change insensibly in its organization and in its form... One must therefore never expect to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-baptiste-lamarck/one-must-believe-that-every-living-thing-whatsoever-must-change/) [Jean-Baptiste Lamarck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-baptiste-lamarck/) > [I think the biggest problem working with me would be that I'm an only child, and so I have an internal dialogue that goes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maynard-james-keenan/i-think-the-biggest-problem-working-with-me-would-be-that-i-m-an-only/) [Maynard James Keenan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maynard-james-keenan/) > [It is worth noticing that those who assume an imposing demeanor and seek to pass themselves off for something beyond what they are, are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-whately/it-is-worth-noticing-that-those-who-assume-an-imposing-demeanor-and/) [Richard Whately](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-whately/) > [People just assume that if you're famous, you're in Hollywood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-fox/people-just-assume-that-if-you-re-famous-you-re-in-hollywood/) [Megan Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-fox/) > [The behavior of any bureaucratic organization can best be understood by assuming that it is controlled by a secret cabal of its enemies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-conquest/the-behavior-of-any-bureaucratic-organization-can-best-be-understood/) [Robert Conquest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-conquest/) > [Humans suffer from self-centred notions as to the nature of life. 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Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) Browse all 2,452 Assuming quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If you assume that there is no hope, you guarantee that there will be no hope. 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