Messages of Hope

1. FADE IN.

2. 
   

3. Act 1

4. 
   

5. INT. STUDY - DAY

6. 
   

7. PETER is in thoughts.

8. 
   

9. PETER (V.O.): People suffering from depression have been asking me if there's any hope in this pandemic.

10. 
    

11. A TV anchor is making a remark. We hear: Will the coronavirus go away? It depends on who you ask. We then see the images of two old GENTLEMEN on the TV screen.

12. 
    

13. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): One is politically-oriented and the other is scientifically-oriented.

14. 
    

15. Peter surfs the web.

16. 
    

17. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): The coronavirus has sickened over 19 million people across 6 continents. It is raging in the Americas. It is resurging eg in Hong Kong, China.

18. 
    

19. Pausing.

20. 
    

21. PETER (V.O.): The coronavirus is just too widespread and too transmissible. Even when vaccines against the coronavirus are available, they can only suppress but can eradicate it.

22. 
    

23. Pausing.

24. 
    

25. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Among all the viruses, smallpox is the only virus that humans have succeeded in its eradication. Smallpox first began about 2300 years ago.

26. 
    

27. Pausing.

28. 
    

29. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): What is nearly certain is that the coronavirus is never going away.

31. Pausing.

32. 
    

33. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): It's natural that people feel the anxiety and despair. They may even be depressed.

34. 
    

35. Peter is in thoughts.

36. 
    

37. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Aristotle says hope is a waking dream.

38. 
    

39. Act 2

40. 
    

41. INT. STUDY - CONTINUOUS

42. 
    

43. Pausing.

44. 
    

45. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Only humans have the capacity to project themselves into the future. Hopelessness is the cause and symptom of depression.

46. 
    

47. Pausing.

48. 
    

49. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Hope empowers humans to endure the present hardships easier.

50. 
    

51. Pausing.

52. 
    

53. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): But false hopes will prolong our despair and torture.

54. 
    

55. Pausing.

56. 
    

57. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Is it possible to live without hope?

58. 
    

59. Pausing.

60. 
    

61. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): We do anticipate something happening to us, whether good or bad.

62. 
    

63. Pausing.

64. 
    

65. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): To hope for something good reflects what we value - something about ourselves as beings.

66. 
    

67. Pausing.

69. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): At the same time, we fear that something bad may happen to us regardless.

70. 
    

71. Thinking.

72. 
    

73. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): If we're more hopeful than fearful, that means we are confident in expecting something good happening to us.

74. 
    

75. Pausing.

76. 
    

77. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): But blind faith eg the coronavirus will go away someday doesn't lead us anywhere.

78. 
    

79. Pausing.

80. 
    

81. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): It might lead us to the agitated form of despair ie depression.

82. 
    

83. Pausing.

84. 
    

85. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): It's a suicidal predictor.

86. 
    

87. Pausing.

88. 
    

89. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Only some of us have the capacity to hope modestly. And only real or reasonable hopes can move and uplift us.

90. 
    

91. Thinking.

92. 
    

93. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): But the scientific and emotional challenge is that the coronavirus pandemic won't go away during our lifespan on earth now.

94. 
    

95. Peter looks out of the window.

96. 
    

97. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Pandemics on earth are key events in any human condition.

98. 
    

99. Thinking.

100. 
     

101. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): We can link our present to our past and future, philosophizing that as the identity of the humankind species.

103. Pausing.

104. 
     

105. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): We can then transcend from our ordinary selves to one larger than ourselves.

106. 
     

107. Thinking.

108. 
     

109. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): The mere state of humans' survival, rather than extinction, gives us the meaning of our lives and of human existence.

110. 
     

111. Pausing.

112. 
     

113. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): When so enlightened, we should feel hopeful and happy even during any pandemics.

114. 
     

115. Thinking.

116. 
     

117. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): While the superficial resolution to the pandemic depression issue is psychological, its ultimate resolution is actually philosophical.

118. 
     

119. Pondering.

120. 
     

121. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): But who would get that?

122. 
     

123. Act 3

124. 
     

125. INT. STUDY - CONTINUOUS

126. 
     

127. Peter sees a new phone notification.

128. 
     

129. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): A Quoran asks me if it's possible that there'll be a COVID-19 vaccine by October this year.

130. 
     

131. Surfing the web, Peter looks excited.

132. 
     

133. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Things're developing fast. A big pharma plans to get FDA's emergency approval of its vaccine coming October. Good, I've the basis to send my message of hope.

134. 
     

135. Having typed on his phone and inserted a link, Peter clicks: Submit.

136. 
     

137. A beat.

138. 
     

139. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Wow, so many views within minutes. People do need messages of hope.

140. 
     

141. THE END

142. 
     

143. FADE OUT.