Waking up from another anxious night of sleep, doomscrolling on your phone and feeling the familiar thud of dread in your chest as you watch the news: sound familiar? One morning, Caitlin Moran awakes and realises that she has reached Peak Despair. In a world of worsening news, increasing tribalism and digital addiction, is it any wonder that we all feel so terrible? So, Caitlin wonders: what might be done?
She starts with a Big Plan to escape to the country. But, after nearly bankrupting her family in an ill-advised bid to escape societal doom, Caitlin realises that true change starts not in escaping, but in a reckoning with ourselves. If we step back from the algorithm and take care of ourselves and each other, might amazing change be possible?
And so, ditching the news, eschewing social media and throwing herself into the analogue world just beyond our screens, Caitlin shows how recognizing the goodness in the everyday can be a radical act of rebellion against the fear and anxiety of modern life. From the magic of becoming a renegade litter-picker to the joy of finding exercise that your body loves, How To Be Hopeful is an essential, serotonin-boosting companion for anyone looking to reclaim their optimism amidst global chaos, reminding us that our own revolution of hope is never far away.