I’m actually not a big fan of the word hope. I think it’s a depressing word. I don’t want to hope - I want to know. Like I don’t hope there’s a God, I know there’s a God.

Clarkson contrasts “hope” with “knowing,” treating hope as a word that implies uncertainty, waiting, or the possibility of disappointment. In her framing, hope is psychologically “depressing” because it concedes that the desired outcome may not be real or may not arrive. By shifting from “I hope” to “I know,” she asserts a posture of conviction—especially in matters of faith—where belief is presented not as wishful thinking but as certainty. The quote also reflects a broader cultural tension between faith as trust amid uncertainty and faith as confident assurance; Clarkson aligns herself with the latter, emphasizing emotional steadiness and identity grounded in certainty.