Depression is also related to cultural memory. A depressive remembers and embodies forgotten or otherwise threatened histories. If all of humanity were wiped out, the internet would remember us to the aliens. But if all technology were wiped out, culture would be reconstructed (in part) by those who were born with the instinct to remember it.

Imprecise and far from comprehensive, but anyway a lay person’s attempt at answering how despair might relate to species survival.

I agree with Madness that human beings have so much more power than they know; with Somerled that hope is more helpful than despair; and with orinoco (and here I am being more interpretive) that it is easier to know the power of hope if one has had sufficient opportunity to test its power.

So much hinges on how one’s prayers are inflected. It’s easy to be in denial about one’s despair, and to hope for the wrong things. And it is even easier to feel misunderstood.

I think Somerled’s comment is grounded in a great deal of practical and theoretical experience. I read it in the context of his other writing on the internet.

Madness, your comments today have made quite an impression on me. Orinoco: you are indeed awesome.

Perhaps if you find yourself in such a situation, it won’t amaze you so.

Humans have so much power in them the are not aware of. Have you ever wondered how is it that when we hope, when we expect the best, everything turns out at least a little better?

Imagine the possibilities.

The ‘chess playing Turk’ of Poe fame, the ‘golems’ of magick and fantasy, Bradbury’s Fantoccini androids… They all have too much in common with us people.

Your final three sentences were thrilling to read.