Explore the essence of hope and its transformative power through personal reflections and insights from Dr. Kurt Thompson's work. Discover how memorizing Emily Dickinson's poem on hope can shift perspectives during tough times. The vital role of community in nurturing hope is highlighted through Shane's inspiring story post-incarceration. Delve into the importance of meaningful connections and presence in fostering durable hope, while also learning about the upcoming Connections Conference that promises dynamic speakers and community engagement.
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insights INSIGHT
Hope Formation
Hope is not something we conjure up or receive passively; it is actively formed.
We form hope through practices like memorizing meaningful texts or engaging in persevering work in response to suffering.
insights INSIGHT
Hopelessness and Hope
Expressing hopelessness is itself an act of hope, as it involves communication and seeking connection.
Focusing on the present moment and the act of communicating, rather than abstract anxieties, can foster hope.
insights INSIGHT
Modern anxieties
Despite societal progress, humans still struggle with anxiety and sacrifice to different "gods," like the anxiety of helicopter parenting.
Forming hope as a follower of Jesus requires confronting resistance from personal stories, evil, and the world itself.
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In "The Deepest Place," Curt Thompson explores the profound connection between suffering and the formation of hope. He delves into interpersonal neurobiology, demonstrating how our relationships shape our brains and influence our capacity for hope. The book offers practical strategies for cultivating durable hope, emphasizing the importance of community and vulnerability. Thompson challenges readers to confront their deepest wounds and discover the transformative power of love and connection. Ultimately, the book provides a roadmap for navigating life's challenges and finding lasting hope.
The better angels of our nature
Why Violence Has Declined
Steven Pinker
In this book, Steven Pinker presents a detailed argument that violence has significantly decreased over the course of human history. He uses extensive data and statistical analysis to demonstrate this decline in various domains, including military conflict, homicide, genocide, torture, and the treatment of children, homosexuals, animals, and racial and ethnic minorities. Pinker identifies four key human motivations – empathy, self-control, the moral sense, and reason – as the 'better angels' that have oriented humans away from violence and towards cooperation and altruism. He also discusses historical forces such as the rise of the state (which he terms 'Leviathan'), the spread of commerce, the growth of feminist values, and the expansion of cosmopolitanism, which have contributed to this decline in violence[1][4][5].
Welcome to Being Known Podcast. This season we are discussing Curt's latest book, The Deepest Place as we carefully cover each chapter to deepen your understanding of suffering and the formation of hope.
Hope is one thing. Durable hope—that’s something different altogether. What is hope, after all? Is it something that merely happens to fall in our laps? Something that we can only hope to have?
The world of interpersonal neurobiology has some things to say about hope that are, well, very, very hopeful. And at the same time, shed light on where Paul is going, as he has come all the way from suffering, through perseverance and character to bring us to where we are.
Join the conversation this week as we walk together into the hope that is more than just a word. More than what we merely hope we will have. And we’re far more than hopeful that you will agree with us when you do.
Being Known Podcast 
