I’m a little embarrassed to say that I had never heard of Joan before yesterday.
She was trending on Reddit yesterday.
She is an American civil rights activist who was active in the 1960s. She was one of the Freedom Riders who was arrested in Jackson, Mississippi in 1961, and was confined for two months in the Maximum Security Unit of the Mississippi State Penitentiary.
I’ve been having a tumultuous internal debate about Hope recently.
My current belief is that Hope is stupid. Life is obsessed with survival and propagation. That’s all it is. Nothing more. Nothing less.
I’m often existentially frustrated by the cruel and repetitive actions of humanity. We just can’t stop killing, torturing, and punishing other humans. As a species, it’s our one collective obsession. “Fuck around and find out” is a perfect tagline for humanity.
We are always ready, at a moment’s notice, to let you “find out.” We love to dole out punishment to those who “deserve” it.
It’s so tedious. It’s like an alcoholic who believes that he needs just one more drink and then he’ll be done. We are addicted to spite and vengenence. We can hold a grudge like no other.
But I’ve recently stopped hating on humanity so much because it’s just the way of all life.
Look at this:

Is this necessary? He’s playing with his food.
Chimpanzees will hold a grudge.
Male bears often kill cubs to bring the mother back into estrus so he can mate.
Life is an asshole. You know it. I know it. We all know it.
In some ways, this made me feel better. At least humans aren’t particularly special in our horror show actions. We just happen to have a big brain that allows us to kill and torture in some more unique and creative ways. It’s still coming from the same place all of life comes from. Survival and propagation at all costs, sometimes with a side of spite.
But then we have people like Joan Trumpauer Mulholland.
I think a young, sweet (white) “girl” standing up for people who are not directly related to her life just twists our brains.
Shouldn’t she be out having fun and then starting to think about getting married and having kids? Why would she go to such great lengths to help another group of people?
It’s mind-blowing.
Here’s a picture of Ashleigh Hughes (now Wilson) in 2018. She was 18 years old:

She went on a mission in Philadelphia that profoundly changed her life. She then found our group in Akron, Ohio. She has since dedicated her life to helping the unloved.
Here is her organization: Hope Landing Ministries
(She reminds me of the story of Siddhartha Gautama. She grew up in luxury. But she saw the truth and could not look away.)
THIS IS WHAT HOPE IS.
Hope is this thing that shouldn’t happen. Every instinct down to our DNA core says, “survive and propagate.” There is no biological agenda to help the dying drug addict on the street of the poor side of town. In fact, life would say: let him die. It’s better for everyone.
But hope says, “No. I’m going to do something about that. That’s wrong.”
And for some mysterious reason, we crave these stories of hope. Even if it’s merely hope that we might someday become rich and famous, at least we are exhibiting a form of ascendance to something better. Humans want to be better.
There’s hope in the fact that we like hope.
Hope is wonderful because everything says we should be hopeless. Survive and propagate is really the only thing we are biologically called to do. If you accomplish that then your mission is accomplished. But we aren’t happy with that.
Some people want a boat, or a vacation, or a better job, or to be happy. How wonderful! If those are things you want, I truly hope you get them.
But some other people want something different. They see someone or something suffering and they decide to do something about it. In fact, they are so dedicated to it that they will sacrifice their entire existence for that cause. That is inspiring on a cosmic level. Where do these people come from? What makes them tick?
I’m proud to say (too proud, really) that I’m one of those people.
Today, I spiritually stand in a place where I want to be good for you. When I help a “hopeless” drug-addicted homeless person, I’m helping myself, and I think I’m helping you.
If I can be a person that shows you that there is hope against all hope then there’s value in that. “If Sage can help “those people” maybe I can start a business.” Hope for anything is good.
Hope is a candle in the dark. Hope is a tent in a storm. Hope is something that shouldn’t exist. But it does.
Here’s a picture of Joan Trumpauer Mulholland at 83:
