Summary
The discussion centers around the philosophical insights of Danish existentialist Soren Kierkegaard, particularly his views on love as articulated in his work "Works of Love." Kierkegaard challenges the contemporary understanding of love, which often emphasizes romantic attraction and admiration for a select few. He argues that true love extends beyond mere attraction and involves a commitment to love all individuals, including those we may instinctively consider unworthy.
Kierkegaard distinguishes between "kärleket," or true love, and "elskov," or erotic love, advocating for a broader, more inclusive approach to love that encompasses compassion for those who are difficult to love. He critiques the modern pursuit of justice, suggesting that it can lead to intolerance and a harsh worldview. Instead, he posits that the goal should be to foster kindness and understanding, especially towards those who may seem objectionable.
The philosopher's ladder of love illustrates a progression from loving those who love us to ultimately loving everyone without exception. Kierkegaard emphasizes that love should not be contingent on admiration but should be an expression of our shared humanity. His insights remain relevant today, urging individuals to reconsider their definitions of love and the barriers they create in their relationships.
Show Notes
One of the most provocative analyses of love ever produced is to be found in the writings of the Danish Existential philosopher Soren Kierkegaard. In a book entitled Works of Love, he proposed a theory which deliberately upset every leading idea that his own age liked to entertain about this hallowed concept.
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“One of the most provocative analyses of love ever produced is to be found in the writings of the Danish Existential philosopher Soren Kierkegaard. In a book entitled Works of Love, published in Copenhagen in 1847, Kierkegaard — then thirty-four years old — proposed a theory which deliberately upset every leading idea that his own age (in this respect very similar to our own) liked to entertain about this hallowed concept.
First and most importantly, Kierkegaard insisted that most of us have no idea what love is — even though we refer to the term incessantly. The first half of the nineteenth century in Europe saw the triumph of what we today call ‘Romantic love’, involving a veneration and worship of one very special person with whose soul and body we hope to unite our own…”
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Produced in collaboration with:
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