How Do We Find Hope In a Moment Such as This? Psychologist Jamil Zaki Has the Surprising Science that Will Ease Your Mind
Jamil Zaki, PhD always helps us find our ground during the toughest of times. We last featured the Stanford University professor of psychology in the summer of 2024, right before his illuminating book, Hope For Cynics, came out. Back then, we were spinning over the news of the world, gasping for air in a smog of cynicism. Zaki gave us the oxygen we needed, offering a data-driven look at what cynicism robs us of and how we can move forward, find the goodness in each other and the world, and lean into what he calls "hopeful skepticism."
We reached out to Zaki again this week for his counsel. We wanted to know how we can make sense of this moment when so much seems uncertain, from the news of tariffs to layoffs to talk of looming economic catastrophe. Where do we find our grounds? Thankfully, Zaki puts us in the direction of hope.
A CONVERSATION WITH JAMIL ZAKI
There is so much happening in the world right now. How do we make sense of this moment we're in?
We’re in a moment defined by overload: of information, of anxiety, of disconnection. Every day, people feel like they’re being pulled in a hundred directions, unsure who to trust or what to believe. And when that happens, our natural response is to pull away, protect ourselves, go numb.
But I think the real challenge of this moment isn’t just what’s happening to us; it’s how we respond within it. Do we harden, or do we stay open? Do we choose despair, or do we fight for meaning, even when it’s hard to find?
You've mentioned to us before how it's critical to remember the difference between hope and optimism. Of those two, what do we need right now and why?
Optimism says: things will be fine. Hope says: things might not be fine, but we can act anyway. And right now, I think hope is far more important. Optimism can feel passive or even naive, like waiting for the weather to improve. I think in this moment, full of political and financial volatility, optimism would frankly be a bit ridiculous. It is not clear at all that sunnier days are coming anytime soon. Hope, by contrast, is built for times like these. It’s a choice we make in the face of uncertainty. It’s the decision to care, to try, to keep reaching for each other even when the world feels like it’s coming apart.
For those of us who are spinning right now, what is your counsel to stay grounded?
First, start small. When the world feels overwhelming, shrink the aperture. What do I actually need right now? A glass of water? A walk around the block? A text to someone I trust? One breath, one step, one moment of connection.
Second, remember that you’re not broken for feeling overwhelmed. The world is overwhelming. Your anxiety isn’t a personal failure; it’s a normal human response. But you don’t have to face it alone.
The last thing I’d say is: reach outward. When we’re spinning, the instinct is to withdraw. A core message of Hope for Cynics is that the closer we get to other people, the more reasons we find to have faith in them. When we allow ourselves to move out of our (often spinning) minds and into the world with friends, family, and even stranger, we can begin to inch back towards hope, despite the storms around us.
Jamil Zaki Ph.D is a professor of psychology at Stanford University and the Director of the Stanford Social Neuroscience Lab, as well as an author. He trained at Columbia and Harvard, studying empathy and kindness in the human brain. He is interested in how we can learn to connect better. Learn more about his work here.
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