Many people believe that in an ideal society, love is the key to harmony. If everyone loved each other, nothing would go wrong and no one would get hurt. Society would be stable and there might not even be a need for a central government. But in reality this is not so. Love is not all you need. There are other essentials to a successful society, including respect, justice, and as Confucious stated, li, or a respect for ritual and custom. One can love someone very much but they can still do something to hurt that person. People who love each other fight all of the time but respect for each other is what ultimately allows us to maintain a civil society. Justice, in my opinion, is equally as important as respect and love. Imagine trying to mediate a dispute purely out of love. If you, as the judge, loved your neighbors equally, how would you possibly decide who was in the right? There has to be some sense of fairness, or justice, to supplement the love needed to have a successful society. While we would all like to believe that all you need is love, the reality is you need much more.
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Now you mention li, but what about jen? I agree that li is important, but jen also has a part because it contrasts with li and makes a society stronger.
ReplyDeleteYou make a good point about the idea that humans need more than love to have a just society, but what about another type of society one where love ruled over everything. I feel that if all persons in a society do everything withthe idea that they love everyone in that society relations between people and nations would be much better than they are today.
ReplyDeleteI liked how you asked the question "If you, as the judge, loved your neighbors equally, how would you possibly decide who was in the right?" That brings up a good point I think of not only love, but loyalty. Sometimes you have to go against a loved one if they've done something that isn't legal or just. If everyone loved each other who's to say that they'll always do good by that person. People say that they love each other all the time, but that doesn't mean you can't hurt them in any kind of way.
ReplyDeleteJudges in our society already love people the same amount. I thought the whole point of justice was that everyone was treated impartially. Meaning that as an disinterested judge you would not love either person, but zero is equal to zero. I just don't understand your example, why would a dispute be determined only by how much you love someone. As a judge wouldn't you have to by definition take into account other factors of the situation?
ReplyDeleteLily, you write, "People who love each other fight all the time." I think you're talking about romantic relationships, which shouldn't be mixed with what we're talking about here. The Confucian sense of love or jen has to do with putting others before yourself, looking out for your neighbor. Isn't there respect in this? If everybody did this, would it be enough?
ReplyDeleteYou seem to suggest even a society governed this way would need justice. I think you're on to something, but you haven't explained why.
Finally, I asked if love wasn't enough, then what would be needed. You don't give much here. Start with justice--how would a father and son decide who is right in a dispute according to Confucius? Do you agree?