Where There's Hope

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"Where There's Hope" by Jerome Bixby is a science fiction novella written in the early 1950s. The story explores the struggles of a group of colonists on a newly discovered planet, New Earth, as they try to establish a safe and sustainable colony after leaving a dying Earth. The central theme revolves around the ethical implications of procreation in an unstable environment and the necessity of balancing survival with the desire for future generations. In this narrative, the Chief Medical Officer, Hugh Farrel, faces a dilemma when he encounters resistance from the colonist women, led by Mary Pornsen, regarding childbirth due to the dangerous conditions on the planet. As the men express a pressing need for children to ensure the colony's future, they grapple with the reality of their deteriorating health from the journey and Earth's radiation. In a controversial move, Farrel and his colleagues use hypnosis to influence couples into having children, believing that offspring are crucial for their survival and eventual colonization efforts. The story culminates twenty-one years later with a reflection on the successful establishment of the colony, albeit with a profound ethical cost that remains unexamined by its inhabitants.