# What's the very first thing that springs to mind when you think of the concept of 'Hope'? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 3, 2012, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-very-first-thing-that-springs-to-mind-when-you-think-of-the-concept-of-hope/611631 "2012-02-03T05:08:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Namkcalb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c89c15/32.png) [@Namkcalb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Namkcalb)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2012, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-very-first-thing-that-springs-to-mind-when-you-think-of-the-concept-of-hope/611631/1 "2012-02-03T05:08:34Z")
Inspired by these [tw](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=639553) [o](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=640629) threads What’s the very first thing that springs to mind when you think of the concept of ‘Hope’? ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2012, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-very-first-thing-that-springs-to-mind-when-you-think-of-the-concept-of-hope/611631/2 "2012-02-03T05:54:50Z")
Alas, I’m a bit of a pessimist, and so, as a first association, “Hope” is nearly always followed by “Forlorn.” Somewhere in my music collection is a Renaissance Italian troubador’s song, “O Fallace Speranza.” O False Hope. However, my second mental image is of a statue of Hope, as an angelic being, a beautiful figure with wings, the last creature to rise from Pandora’s vase. So optimism is recognized also. ---
**Author:** ![PSXer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/48db29/32.png) [@PSXer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PSXer)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2012, 6:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-very-first-thing-that-springs-to-mind-when-you-think-of-the-concept-of-hope/611631/3 "2012-02-03T06:03:02Z")
the concept of hope was first. of believing that things will be better if it has to be a thing I thought of Obama’s slogan. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2012, 6:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-very-first-thing-that-springs-to-mind-when-you-think-of-the-concept-of-hope/611631/4 "2012-02-03T06:03:44Z")
> [@Namkcalb](#): > > Inspired by these [tw](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=639553) [o](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=640629) threads > > What’s the very first thing that springs to mind when you think of the concept of ‘Hope’? The future. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2012, 7:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-very-first-thing-that-springs-to-mind-when-you-think-of-the-concept-of-hope/611631/5 "2012-02-03T07:10:04Z")
[This song.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4iQsyf-Dhnw) ---
**Author:** ![brittekland](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/aeb1de/32.png) [@brittekland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brittekland)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2012, 7:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-very-first-thing-that-springs-to-mind-when-you-think-of-the-concept-of-hope/611631/6 "2012-02-03T07:34:57Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > The future. “The future” shrinks as you age which is difficult thing to get the feel of unless you actually get there. If you don’t believe in any forms of life beyond this one, you’ll have to come to terms with happy lifeless nothingness. ---
**Author:** ![\_Olive](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/_/4af34b/32.png) [@\_Olive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/_Olive)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2012, 8:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-very-first-thing-that-springs-to-mind-when-you-think-of-the-concept-of-hope/611631/7 "2012-02-03T08:02:40Z")
hope seems needy… ---
**Author:** ![Maastricht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@Maastricht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maastricht)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2012, 8:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-very-first-thing-that-springs-to-mind-when-you-think-of-the-concept-of-hope/611631/8 "2012-02-03T08:10:54Z")
Obama’s campaign. Secondly, of old ladies with Christian names like Hope and Chastity. Thirdly, microlending. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2012, 9:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-very-first-thing-that-springs-to-mind-when-you-think-of-the-concept-of-hope/611631/9 "2012-02-03T09:33:30Z")
> [@Maastricht](#): > > Secondly, of old ladies with Christian names like Hope and Chastity. Yes; “a woman’s name” was my first thought. ---
**Author:** ![Cazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cazzle/32/75_2.png) [@Cazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cazzle)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2012, 9:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-very-first-thing-that-springs-to-mind-when-you-think-of-the-concept-of-hope/611631/10 "2012-02-03T09:44:48Z")
The very sweet girl I used to work with who was named Hope. ---
**Author:** ![Girl\_From\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3da27b/32.png) [@Girl\_From\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Girl_From_Mars)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2012, 9:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-very-first-thing-that-springs-to-mind-when-you-think-of-the-concept-of-hope/611631/11 "2012-02-03T09:48:15Z")
The movie Hope Springs. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2012, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-very-first-thing-that-springs-to-mind-when-you-think-of-the-concept-of-hope/611631/12 "2012-02-03T14:49:22Z")
Faith, hope and charity. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2012, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-very-first-thing-that-springs-to-mind-when-you-think-of-the-concept-of-hope/611631/13 "2012-02-03T14:52:25Z")
A really big diamond. ---
**Author:** ![Student\_Driver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3da27b/32.png) [@Student\_Driver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Student_Driver)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2012, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-very-first-thing-that-springs-to-mind-when-you-think-of-the-concept-of-hope/611631/14 "2012-02-03T14:55:21Z")
The “Pandora’s Box” story. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2012, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-very-first-thing-that-springs-to-mind-when-you-think-of-the-concept-of-hope/611631/15 "2012-02-03T14:59:36Z")
A vague concept of wishing for circumstances to improve, with no possible way of effecting the outcome. ---
**Author:** ![Pai325](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Pai325](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pai325)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2012, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-very-first-thing-that-springs-to-mind-when-you-think-of-the-concept-of-hope/611631/16 "2012-02-03T15:00:14Z")
I second Faith, Hope and Charity. I can even hear the song I learned in my parochial school. ---
**Author:** ![Shark\_Sandwich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f04885/32.png) [@Shark\_Sandwich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shark_Sandwich)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2012, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-very-first-thing-that-springs-to-mind-when-you-think-of-the-concept-of-hope/611631/17 "2012-02-03T15:16:17Z")
Bob ---
**Author:** ![Small\_Clanger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc348/32.png) [@Small\_Clanger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Small_Clanger)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2012, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-very-first-thing-that-springs-to-mind-when-you-think-of-the-concept-of-hope/611631/18 "2012-02-03T16:41:53Z")
The painting…[Hope](http://www.flickr.com/photos/purplegothicqueen/896844866/) ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2012, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-very-first-thing-that-springs-to-mind-when-you-think-of-the-concept-of-hope/611631/19 "2012-02-03T16:45:34Z")
Hope Davis (I watched “The Matador” last night). ---
**Author:** ![Kenm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bc79bd/32.png) [@Kenm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kenm)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2012, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-very-first-thing-that-springs-to-mind-when-you-think-of-the-concept-of-hope/611631/20 "2012-02-03T19:42:35Z")
Peter Gunn. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-very-first-thing-that-springs-to-mind-when-you-think-of-the-concept-of-hope/611631.md?page=2)