I had to know more about the rats, remember the rats? They’re Norwegian it seems, interesting but of no consequence. Poor rats without hope, remind me of dear Mottsu, who was also bereft of hope. Here’s an article with the full (and horrible) detail of the drowned rats study.

A couple of compelling excerpts:

…whether they are restrained in the hand or confined in the swimming jar, the rats are in a situation against which they have no defense. This reaction of hopelessness is shown by some wild rats very soon after being grasped in the hand and prevented from moving; they seem literally to “give up.”

…after elimination of the hopelessness the rats do not die. This is achieved by repeatedly holding the rats briefly and then freeing them, and by immersing them in water for a few minutes on several occasions. In this way the rats quickly learn that the situation is not actually hopeless; thereafter they again become aggressive, try to escape, and show no signs of giving up.

Richter, C.P. On the Phenomenon of Sudden Death in Animals and Man. Psychosomatic Medicine Vol. XIX, no. 3, 1957

Hope can be learned, hedgehog.
Hope for me is holding someone’s hand.

Hold on to hope.