With The Way Things Are? This kind of a statement can only be coming from a skeptic, a not so hopeful individual. Sometimes when things continue to go down hill for you in life, you begin to think that there cannot be any hope out there. Your thoughts become centered on negative things. While the rest of the world is diligently moving up, you are slowly moving down. When there is no hope, all efforts become counter productive and you might fail. When the crisis is over, you realize your mistake... that you should have never given up hope.