Radical imagination and active hope: the medicine for apocalyptic anxiety

By Mónica Roa

Making Sense of These Times

I find myself needing to make sense of these times, to manage my own anxiety in the face of relentless crises, knowing that this unease is shared by so many. As the U.S. election looms against a backdrop of crumbling structures—politics losing legitimacy, democracy eroding, human rights becoming ineffective, philanthropy facing an identity crisis, the planet in climate emergency, the market proving unsustainable, and human dignity fading as people struggle to survive—this stark global moment compels me to write. I want to make explicit for myself and to share with others, the story I choose to hold onto. This is my attempt to anchor myself in a narrative that can resist cynicism withstand the uncertainties ahead, and channel our energy into envisioning and building a future of dignity, justice, and interdependence.

The Power of Purposeful Stories

Narrative work is about crafting stories that help us interpret the world and our place in it. It’s a practice of identifying and articulating the values, struggles, and aspirations that shape not only who we are but also what we stand for and strive to achieve. This work becomes especially critical in moments of profound crisis, where the intertwining of issues leaves many feeling unanchored, uncertain, and even directionless. Working to construct narratives that help us locate ourselves within these times gives us a way to cut through the noise, connect with others navigating similar paths, and explore how we might channel shared anxieties into a collective sense of hope and purpose.?

For those of us working toward social justice, these stories are far more than abstract ideas; they are the guiding narratives that fuel our actions. Reflecting on our story as champions of democracy, human rights, and justice means examining what we truly believe, the change we seek to create, and why these goals matter so profoundly. It’s about asking ourselves: Who are we, and what role do we choose to play in meeting the challenges before us?

Who is “Us”?

Yet the question of who we are as agents of change is anything but straightforward. Authoritarian narratives find it easy to group us together as a unified threat to their worldview. For us, however, the reality is far more complex.

Our challenge in defining who we are lies in recognizing the threads that connect us across different movements, roles, and agendas. Each of our causes reflects a deeper commitment to a world grounded in dignity, care, and interdependence. Yet, we often struggle to see ourselves as a united overarching movement capable of reinforcing one another’s efforts. This lack of cohesion can weaken our initiatives, allowing authoritarian forces to exploit perceived or existing divisions.

From my perspective as a Latin American feminist, these complexities go beyond traditional binaries of left versus right. In our region, some so-called progressive governments reveal authoritarian practices that undermine democratic principles and human rights, contradicting our vision for justice. At the same time, conservative forms of feminism confine their activism to narrow definitions of womanhood, ignoring broader struggles for intersectional justice and the many ways gender intersects with other forms of oppression.

The question of who we are defies simplicity, and answering it demands proactive action that clearly defines the limits. We are a mosaic of movements, each distinct in its goals yet united by a commitment to democracy, dignity, freedom, equality, and justice. Recognizing these connections calls for more than solidarity; it requires the courage to confront our contradictions, address the gaps within our movements, and commit to a vision that is both inclusive and based in values. Building common ground to counter the rise of authoritarianism is essential, but it requires sustained efforts to create and strengthen a larger us —one based not only on what we oppose but on a compelling vision of our own.?

Facing the Darkness with Hope

In my work with Puentes and alongside a broader community of narrative practitioners, we continually seek ways to underscore the urgency of practicing active and critical hope as an intentional discipline. Part of this work is about inviting others to craft stories that illustrate what the world could look like if all our causes were to succeed. It’s a practice of grounding our vision in resilience and determination—a meaningful approach to confronting the darkness rather than merely observing it.

In recent weeks, I’ve found myself drawn to the recent work of thinkers like feminist scholar Judith Butler and philosopher Byung-Chul Han, who urge us to imagine and actively construct alternative futures, offering a compass to help us navigate understanding our roles and responsibilities in these times of despair.

For instance, Butler delivered a lecture titled "Fascist Passions Within the Frames of War" on Monday, October 24th, 2024, at the Université Libre de Bruxelles. In her talk, she emphasized the necessity of a "counter-imaginary"—a vision strong enough to combat despair with collective resolve. She urges us to resist the pervasive notion that "everything is dark and terrible" by daring to envision a brighter future. For Butler, cultivating utopian courage is a profound responsibility today: it calls us not just to criticize but to create, not only to dismantle but to imagine.

Butler challenges us to consider how we can ignite a desire for a differently organized world—one where justice, freedom, equality, and non-violence are not mere ideals but lived realities. She reminds us that these principles come alive when we ask: What would the world look like if these values were fully realized? This is a question we often pose to our communities, as we believe that imagining such a world is essential for engaging the senses and creating a vision that compels us toward solidarity and action.

According to Butler, utopias provide a framework for envisioning a world that inspires a desire to show up and organize for change. Unlike the fascist passions that erode people's rights and foster a mindset in which some lives are deemed dispensable or unworthy of grief, our utopias invite us to imagine coexistence, open borders, demilitarization, and forms of democracy that refuse discrimination based on gender, race, religion, or origin. Our aspirations can help us envision a world grounded not in individualism but in interdependence—among humans, other creatures, and the living processes of the Earth.

Byung-Chul Han’s perspective on hope aligns closely with this vision, presenting it as a transformative practice. For Han, hope is not passive wishful thinking—that would be naive optimism—but an active stance against the isolating forces of fear. He argues that hope unites people, nurturing communities and enabling them to envision and work toward a shared future. In his view, hope is essential for confronting the apocalyptic anxieties of our time. It involves imagining a desired future and planning carefully for its realization, anticipating obstacles but not yielding to them. This understanding suggests that hope can be cultivated and strengthened.?

In his new book, “The Spirit of Hope”, Han explores how hope can uplift communities facing global crises, viewing it as a muscle to be exercised through intentional action. For Han, hope born of resilience—a commitment to persist, to imagine, and to act—becomes the antidote to fear-driven despair, fostering unity against forces that thrive on division and hopelessness.

Igniting the Light

Bringing together these insights, I propose a story in which we confront despair with radical imagination and active hope, enabling the weaving of a larger us. By considering how we want this story to end and what alternative paths we can create, we are compelled to actively shape our collective future, transforming despair into purpose and fear into a shared commitment to change.?

This moment demands more than merely denouncing the darkness; it calls us to ignite the light and commit to envisioning a world that embodies our shared values—one that becomes an invitation impossible to resist. It is a call to make connection, imagination, and hope active agents in our lives, forging a counter-narrative strong enough to serve as a compass guiding us through these crises and toward a transformative future. While success may not be guaranteed, we can be certain that updating and connecting our shared utopias provides the necessary foundation to challenge despair and illuminate the path forward because we can only build what we have dared to imagine.