Inevitably, the world will end and we will all die. Maybe in that order, maybe not. How do you feel about that? What can you do about it?
Despair is something that everyone feels at one time or another, consciously or not, occasionally or almost consistently. Despair is a feeling of hopelessness and helplessness in the face of inevitable pain. If this is a bad thing -- and general framing says it is -- can it be made a good thing? Let's look at the idea that despair is an adaptation to stop further damage one in the face of pain - the way a joint swells up to immobilize a joint when the ligaments are sprained. Let's look at the depressed heros that come out in the end, and stupid optimists who trudge on regardless. Rather than trying to anesthetize the pain with feel-good pep-talks and other bromides, perhaps despair is a prompt for us to do the emotional work required to move through life differently; to focus on what is most important for us and the world.
