Krista Tippett — Hope Portal, Episode 1

This podcast episode explores the nature of hope, contrasting it with despair and other related concepts like optimism and wishful thinking. The host, Krista Tippett, argues that hope is not the absence of despair but a choice, a practice, and a muscle that can be strengthened. She defines "muscular hope" as a realistic yet persistent engagement with the world's complexities, coupled with a refusal to accept the status quo. The episode proposes a course or experiment involving journaling prompts and reflections on personal experiences with hope, aiming to cultivate this "muscular hope" in listeners through the teachings of several individuals described as "live human signposts." The host emphasizes the importance of community and the inherent joy found in a life lived with hope.