May 11th, 2009

It’s easier to be cynic than an optimist. It’s all to easy nowadays to accuse optimists of being naive and whilst there are warnings of being naive over the ability of our economy to spring back from the forces of recession, there does seem to be an expression of a desire for hope seeping through into popular culture. Look at the popularity of the new Star Trek film – shooting straight to the top of the North American charts and taking more than double of Wolverine at second post. Yes Sci -Fi is any easy guarantee at the box office, but could there be a bit more? Star Trek was originally an idea seeded in JFK times, when hope and an excitement at what lay before pervaded daily US culture and soon swept the rest of the world along with it. There are obvious parallels with a president who represents not just national but international hope. Debate if you will if that’s getting carried away, but here’s hoping that we’re moving towards a time when it’s possible to say we hope, we dream and not be embarrassed to do so.

Author: Guilliana Castle
Source: The Times