One of the great blessings of life in an open society is the freedom to doubt. There is no state religion that can demand our fealty. There are no ideologies sufficiently empowered to enforce our obedience. And, though there certainly isn’t any requirement to entirely reject an established order, there’s also no obligation to wholly accept one. There are, of course, legal restrictions, institutional directives, or societal norms that, for better or for worse, help to maintain recognized standards of behavior. But even these can be subjected to review and revision through various democratic means. Hence, as long as we conduct ourselves peacefully, our doubts cannot be fully silenced.
This freedom to doubt should, therefore, be given all due consideration. Put to productive use, it can serve many important functions. Doubt enables us to profitably scrutinize both the old and the new. It can free us to identify stale or outdated doctrines that may limit our potential for growth and discovery. It can secure us against trending ideas or movements inspired more by groupthink than by sound analysis. Properly employed, doubt is less the expression of a fearful or cynical disposition and more the exertion of a vigorous and undaunted mind.
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There are, nevertheless, potentially destabilizing aspects of doubt. Without counterbalancing influences, it may ultimately lead us to a place of darkness. Hence, while doubt remains an important aspect of a meaningful existence, another indispensable factor is hope. We must remain optimistic that, among other things, there is still something of genuine value in the collective history of humankind, that we can continue to develop constructive solutions to whatever challenges we currently face, and that there will always be promising paths forward through whatever circumstances may arise in the future.
Despite the importance of harmonizing doubt with hope, however, the two are often in a precarious state of imbalance, and we see signs of that in our current moment. Influential progressive movements, for example, are determined to promote radical social change in a manner that leaves little, if any, room for doubt in their ostensibly unimpeachable reforms. Powerful reactionary factions, on the other hand, appear disposed to embrace dark worldviews that are seemingly bereft of hope for any future except one involving the most drastic of supposedly restorative measures.
Beset with such deficiencies, these groups know only how to disagree in response to critique. They appear nearly incapable of, instead, agreeing to disagree with what may, in fact, be entirely legitimate, if contradictory, perspectives. Dialog thus becomes impossible. And this dynamic’s effect on the fabric of our society is dramatic and concerning.
Too many of our secular schools, for example, tend to fervently advocate far-left views on questions relating to class, identity, and social justice. And, in such a climate, the culture of open inquiry that should serve as an integral part of a liberal education becomes strained. A civil debate between multiple perspectives is increasingly impossible when these previously trusted institutions replace doubt with absolute conviction.
Insurgent right-wing organizations like the Proud Boys and the Oath Keepers, in contrast, are seemingly unable to reconcile themselves with the increasing egalitarianism and complexity of the present age. Rationality is thereby overwhelmed by paranoia. And a peaceful resolution to their grievances remains alarmingly implausible as their hope recedes before bitter resentment.
Clearly, these outcomes are in no way conducive to personal happiness or collective well-being. Those who relinquish doubt inevitably drift towards fundamentalism—of the religious or secular variety. Those without hope progressively descend into nihilism. And, under such circumstances, neither individuals nor their communities can truly thrive. Only when the two qualities of doubt and hope are present to a significant extent can we genuinely expect to counterbalance convention with creativity, stagnation with spontaneity, and reduction with receptivity. And only then can we make the best use of whatever possibilities may lie before us.
Doubt reminds us of the value of caution; hope enables us to proceed with that caution.
We must, therefore, strive to maintain a careful equilibrium of doubt and hope if we are to advance a given cause or interest with both the prudent humility and firm resolve that will help ensure success. Whereas doubt instills the awareness that our limited capacities can never encompass everything relating to a given range of topics or pursuits, hope inspires the confidence that we may nevertheless attain a new perspective, a fresh idea, or a unique experience. While doubt encourages a recognition of the inevitable flaws in our own worldview, hope compels us to address those deficiencies as best as we are able. Doubt reminds us of the value of caution; hope enables us to proceed with that caution.
With these ideas in mind, it becomes evident that our greatest allies in life are those who inspire in us both doubt and hope. These are the individuals who, in moments of excessive certainty, challenge us with skepticism, and in times of hesitation, bolster us with encouragement. Whether they are friends, partners, relatives, colleagues, teachers, students, or—ironically—even opponents, they push us to question our deepest assumptions, clarify our strongest convictions, and pursue our highest ideals. Perhaps most importantly, their influence is often most valuable precisely when we are least inclined to welcome it.
But it ultimately remains up to each one of us to recognize the necessity of this potentially arduous journey. While the actual process of fostering doubt and fortifying hope may prove to be different for every individual, it will not even commence, nor can it possibly continue, without an acknowledgment and an ongoing awareness of its urgency. We must decide for ourselves not just to prize wisdom as a worthy goal but also to pursue it with as much persistent and open-minded dedication as we can possibly muster. And I will paraphrase a great American poet by saying that even if we fail to obtain our goal at first, we must nevertheless remain encouraged. Missing it in one place, we must seek it in another. It’s out there somewhere, waiting for us.
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