What’s love got to do with it? Everything.
Relationships thrive when love is present, and become stale and eventually die when it is not.
Love is not just a feeling between individuals, though it is an emotional attachment that draws people together. Deeper and longer relationships take commitments of time and energy.
We usually think of love in terms of individuals, but the concept can also be applied to whole societies. A loving society is one in which people are encouraged to grow and be treated fairly.
In fact, in some ways love can be seen as justice. A loving society believes every member has worth and dignity and should be treated equally.
There are three ways to view the dimensions of love. Egoism is love that only seeks to feed itself. Friendship binds people into community. And self-giving love treats the other with respect.
You can understand those who claim to be leaders by using these three categories. Some only serve to feed their own needs for power. Others serve to help others. And the few great leaders serve a greater vision of what has been called the “beloved community” in which justice rules.
Love more, hate less should be the new golden rule for individuals and societies.
John C. Morgan writes and teaches about ethics.
