In recent times my skepticism regarding the love based world view as expounded by mystics has gotten more stronger. Mystics through out the ages have propagated a world view based on love and tolerance. Their Christ like ethics seems to focus solely on love as a solution to all the existential problems. However, I have my reservations with this world view.
If we define love as absence of hatred and lack of repulsion for 'the other' then such a view is an impossibility. For instance, such a world view cannot explain our attitude towards all kinds of hate based world views. Rejecting such alternative world views must necessarily be based on repulsion or hatred of some kind (hatred of violence or intolerance etc). In that way a love based world view cannot claim to be based on complete absence of hatred.
Conversely, someone may accommodate such alternatives within a love based discourse by tolerating the intolerant. This leaves us with an even greater problem. The love based world view by endorsing the intolerant doesn't completely get rid off the potential hatred. Therefore, its a catch 22 situation. I call it the paradox of love based world view.
If we define love as absence of hatred and lack of repulsion for 'the other' then such a view is an impossibility. For instance, such a world view cannot explain our attitude towards all kinds of hate based world views. Rejecting such alternative world views must necessarily be based on repulsion or hatred of some kind (hatred of violence or intolerance etc). In that way a love based world view cannot claim to be based on complete absence of hatred.
Conversely, someone may accommodate such alternatives within a love based discourse by tolerating the intolerant. This leaves us with an even greater problem. The love based world view by endorsing the intolerant doesn't completely get rid off the potential hatred. Therefore, its a catch 22 situation. I call it the paradox of love based world view.
4 comments:
I think even when we move out of the context of a love-based-world-view, love itself can be discerned to be paradoxical in this way. For instance, does love also incorporate hating hatred? If yes, how's that love. And if no, again, that's a problem.
exactly :)
I am curious why you think a love based worldview needs to answer to intellectual challenges in the first place?
I also think you're being a bit simplistic in your dismissal of 'mystical love'. I think a truly experienced mystical love transcends the opposition of hate/love because it would be an extension of Divine Love that showers all equally, whether a lover or hater.
Zain, lets be candid about it. We cannot rationally debate about mystical love. So, I will stick to Christian ethics for the purpose of my argument.
My argument boils down to this, can we tolerate the intolerant on the basis of love? If yes, then it means we won't be able to eliminate hate completely. Conversely, if we don't tolerate it then hate itself manifests itself in our actions against the intolerant. I know my argument is vulnerable to accusations of vulgar reductionism but theres no escaping the inevitable conclusions.
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