Hope Drop #36: Clay Routledge | Why meaning and agency matter now more than ever
“If you want the world to be a better place, you have to believe it can be a better place—and that you can do something to make it better.”
In this episode of the Existential Hope Podcast, existential psychologist Clay Routledge explores how meaning and agency shape both individual well-being and societal progress.
While material conditions have improved, many people—especially younger generations—report growing pessimism and disconnection. Clay argues that a lack of meaning, not just external barriers, often holds us back. By understanding how humans derive purpose and motivation, we can unlock new paths to flourishing.
We discuss:
Why agency—the belief that we can shape our future—is crucial for progress
How nostalgia can fuel innovation rather than trap us in the past
The difference between hope and optimism, and why hope drives action
The psychology behind rising pessimism and how to counter it
What a world that maximizes meaning and human potential could look like
If you’ve ever wondered how psychology can help us move from existential angst to existential hope, this episode is for you.
Clay’s recommended resources
Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl – A powerful exploration of resilience and purpose.
The Science of Hope – A research paper from the Human Flourishing Lab on the psychology of hope.
HumanProgress.org – A data-driven look at long-term global progress.
Clay’s vision for the future
Clay envisions a future where everyone has the freedom and opportunity to reach their full potential. Progress isn’t just about better institutions—protecting human rights, free speech, and opportunity—but also about cultivating meaning, agency, and connection.
Even in wealthy societies, many feel disconnected and pessimistic. To truly flourish, we need more than solutions to global challenges—we need a mindset that embraces curiosity, resilience, and purpose.
Xhope library recommendations
Human Behavioral Biology - Robert Sapolsky. Entertaining lectures, explaining why and how we make decisions that he expands on in his book Behave by exploring human behavior from the factors that bear on a person's reaction in the moment the behavior occurs to factors in our evolutionary legacy. Video
On What Matters - Derek Parfit. The successor to Reasons and Persons provides an overview of classic moral theories, such as deontology, consequentialism, contractualism, and of major moral issues, such as free will and responsibility. Book
Moral Progress vs. the Simple Passage of Time - Holden Karnofsky. How to potentially distinguish value drift from moral progress. Blog post
Community updates
New fund alert: Open Philanthropy’s $120M abundance & growth fund
With $120M in funding, Open Phil will support projects advancing housing reform, clean energy, biotech innovation, and high-skill immigration. Aimed at removing structural bottlenecks to progress and enabling scalable impact.
This expedition will serve as a deeper exploration of South Africa’s growing innovation ecosystem and how it could become a key node in our global network. We’ll explore the local talent network, urban environment, and cultural context while building relationships that last beyond the trip itself.
New newsletter on AI futures: Forethought
Forethought just launched a new research newsletter exploring how to navigate rapid, AI-driven technological change. From the risks of power concentration and new forms of warfare to the potential for economic abundance and better collective decision-making, they ask: how can we shape the best possible future?
New book: Abundance: On the Future of Progress by Ezra Klein & Derek Thompson
In this new book, Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson makes a timely case for removing the bottlenecks holding back progress—and rethinking what’s possible. They explore how better institutions, permitting, and technology policy can unlock a more capable future.
Explore more on Existentialhope.com.