A concept that has always fascinated me since I learned about it is the idea of purgatory; not necessarily any religion's particular conception of it, but just the idea of a place where all suffering is aimed towards the goal of transcending suffering. A place where the lost go to be found. Throughout my life I have often got a sense that the world we live in might be such a place. It is a hopeful thought. It's comforting to think that no matter how much this world may sometimes seem like a prison, that the object of being put here is not to get out, but to turn the prison into a home.
I created this board because I once lived in a prison of my own making, and was able to break out because someone else gave me hope, the hope that there was a point to all of my suffering. I want to share that hope with anons everywhere. Imageboards are their own kind of purgatory for some people - a little corner of existence where they suffer in silence and wonder if there is any point to it all. It's easy to forget, when on an imageboard, that we are actually surrounded by people very much like ourselves, and that if we all reached out to each other, we could ease each other's burdens.
/hope/'s mission is to spread hope and inspiration to all of the suffering people on imageboards in the whole world, through the informal organization of charity by anons. /hope/ understands charity by the more ancient meaning of the word, related to the latin word ''caritas'', a type of love characterized by the exercise of the will and the recognition of of a higher principle to which one's love of humanity conforms. It is not an emotion, like the common conception of love, nor an act, like the common understanding of charity. It is a virtue, cultivated through habit. Therefore, when we say charity, we don't necessarily mean raising money to give to a cause, though we hope to eventually be able to organize those kinds of efforts. What we mean by charity is simple, habitual expressions of love and friendship, no matter what form they may take. Conversation, companionship, advice, teaching - putting forth any kind of effort to help other anons counts.
We target imageboard users specifically for several reasons. The first is that it is always prudent to focus one's efforts and not try to save the whole world at once. The second is that anons are a very neglected demographic in terms of charity efforts. There are many anons in need of help, but since they are anonymous and alone, and since the world at large is mostly unaware of their existence (and since even if normal people became aware of their existence they would probably misunderstand and shun them), they receive no help except from the often mangled remnants of their nuclear family, or from the government. This is a very unsatisfactory state of affairs given that imageboard users share a common culture and language and for all intents and purposes are an international brotherhood of outcasts. They could be helping each other. /hope/ is here to show them how they can.
If you are reading this and you need help, make a thread on our board or post in an existing one and ask for help. We are few, but we will do what we can. Or, if you just want to talk, make a thread and we'll talk to you. All discussion is welcome. If you're reading this and you would like to help your fellow anons, there are many ways you can. Use your imagination. We are starting by creating a wiki. Feel free to jump in and start creating and editing articles. Or, you can simply start a thread on our board and share your ideas, advice, skills, knowledge, and company with whoever stops by. Whatever can be achieved by strangers working together on an anonymous imageboard, we will achieve. /hope/ springs eternal.