A Quote to Think About

While reading the book Race Matters by Cornel West I came across a quote I really liked. The quote is as follows: "Without hope there can be no future, that without meaning there can be no struggle" (p.23). This quote really got me thinking about how many people in our country feel. In the book, West was referring to the struggle African American's undergo when trying to pull themselves up from an oppressed life. He was saying that if the individuals have no hope for a better future than there is no motivation for them to try. But I think this quote can be applied to a lot more than the African American population. This quote can ring true for every individual on the planet who has felt dispeared. It is sad because many people automatically place the blame on the individual for there position in life without taking in the circumstances surrounding it. For me it made me think of jobs and postions that have power. Individuals who have the position to influence others should be using that power to help create hope and show that there is another way. I could go on and on about this and the different ways we can apply it to life, but I am going to wrap it up there. Any thoughts on this quote or the ideas Ive presented?