As someone who gets lost in hopelessness and despair all too often, I’ve found that the way to truly pull myself out of it is taking action, finding community, and doing the work in front of me. Escapism is a necessary and useful distraction — like any other kind of rest, switching off for a short period of time and letting your brain grapple with low-stakes entertainment is crucial to avoid burnout. But in the long-term, the way to beat hopelessness is to work for hope, and band together with others who are doing the same. These books tell the stories of people who have done just that, or outline approaches to fight against the rising tide of hopelessness without being overwhelmed. While the odds are high, there are plenty of reasons to be hopeful. And taking action, however big or small, will help feed that hopefulness not just for yourself, but for everyone around you. For a look at one specific activist frontier, try 8 of the Best Books About Digital Activism. For the times when you need to take a break and focus on self care, check out 19 Escapist Reads for When You Just Can’t and SFF I’m Reading Right Now to Escape the Hellscape That Is Our Timeline.
