Reflection 14
For this blog post, I decided to focus on the bell hood reading, Love as the Practice of Freedom. The article opens with the phrase: "In this society, there is no powerful discourse on love emerging either from politically progressive radicles, or from the Left." (hooks, 1) This immediately struck me, and prompted me to search for an example to negate this, as I was surprised to hear a statement of such weight, but I could not think of a single example. hooks goes on to state that the absence of love in political discourse is rooted in a "failure to acknowledge the needs of the spirit and an overdetermined emphasis on material concerns." (hooks, 1)
Love is a very loaded word. It is complex, and it has immeasurable depth. It has the power to heal, and in its absence it can be crippling. It has no language, it is universal. It can be expressed in passionate embraces or picking up dirty clothes off the floor after a person has had a long day. Yet, in its various forms it is lacking in the public sphere, and as hooks states, it is blatant in in our inability to support, help, acknowledge, empower, and empathize with one another. Although various leaders, like Dr. King, have lead with love ethics at the forefront of their messages and motivations, holistically, as a society we have not been able to maintain it. (hooks, 3) hooks acknowledges that in lieu of love, power, ignorance, violence, sexism, racism, etc. have taken its place or perpetuated its eclipse. This lack of love and emphasis on power hooks describes will lead us all down a bleak road founded on systems of domination and oppression. (hooks, 1)
This reading simultaneously acts as a warning and a call to actively choose love in personal and private spheres, and in relation to our planet. Although often reduced to romantic feeling, hooks explains that love is a choice. (hooks, 5) We, as a whole society, have to wake up everyday and choose to love other people and planet alike, it lies at the core of positive change and can't be replaced or removed. (hooks, 5) When one thinks of change, we should also think of love, which is something I had not considered before reading this article.
Love is a very loaded word. It is complex, and it has immeasurable depth. It has the power to heal, and in its absence it can be crippling. It has no language, it is universal. It can be expressed in passionate embraces or picking up dirty clothes off the floor after a person has had a long day. Yet, in its various forms it is lacking in the public sphere, and as hooks states, it is blatant in in our inability to support, help, acknowledge, empower, and empathize with one another. Although various leaders, like Dr. King, have lead with love ethics at the forefront of their messages and motivations, holistically, as a society we have not been able to maintain it. (hooks, 3) hooks acknowledges that in lieu of love, power, ignorance, violence, sexism, racism, etc. have taken its place or perpetuated its eclipse. This lack of love and emphasis on power hooks describes will lead us all down a bleak road founded on systems of domination and oppression. (hooks, 1)
This reading simultaneously acts as a warning and a call to actively choose love in personal and private spheres, and in relation to our planet. Although often reduced to romantic feeling, hooks explains that love is a choice. (hooks, 5) We, as a whole society, have to wake up everyday and choose to love other people and planet alike, it lies at the core of positive change and can't be replaced or removed. (hooks, 5) When one thinks of change, we should also think of love, which is something I had not considered before reading this article.
Comments
Post a Comment