The Absence of Love in the Modern World

Here’s a gem that combines philosophy and psychology, while pointing to environmental sustainability.

It’s hard to read this and not be reminded of what a loveless society we live in.  Most Americans live transactional lives, i.e., built around getting our share.  Yes, we have loved ones, but love is anything but our predominant mode of making our way through each of our days on Earth.

Can this aspect of culture in the developed world change, or has that train left the station? We saw what happened in New York immediately after 9/11.  In an instant, people realized how precious and fleeting life is.  They were opening doors for one another, smiling radiantly.

Of course, a few months later, it was back to the hustling indifference that had previously defined The City, but perhaps it’s an indication that, when faced with collective tragedy, we naturally respond with mutual compassion and empathy.

Now, I’m not hoping for a “collective tragedy,” but we do seem to see them unfolding around us in the form of pandemic variants, environmental collapse and the trend toward fascism.  Maybe we can find a way to be a more loving species before things get completely out of hand.