Littleton and Love

We are hurt and dismayed by the recent madness that has surfaced in Littleton, Colorado. Regrettably, the Columbine High School tragedy seems not to be an isolated incident; instead, it seems to be part of some lingering illness amongst us. It is time for a reassessment of what Jung termed the "collective unconscious" of this nation.

Violence has become commonplace in our daily lives. Though most of us do not witness actual murders on a daily basis, we engage in violence regularly in the form of TV shows, movies, newspapers, or video games. Many of us even descend into virtual reality to shoot other people in our spare time. A wise man once said that if thirty seconds of a soap commercial sells soap, then two hours of violence sells violence. However, it is simplistic to believe that the media are the sole cause of this escalation in violence and evil. The media are little more than a reflection of what we wish to see and hear.

The real question seems to be, why do we think that violence is cool? Why are we so infatuated with the Steven Kings and the Steven Segals, the Tupac Shakurs and Jerry Springers of the world? Gun control or a ban on trench coats will not eliminate violence. To do so would be to treat the symptom and not the underlying illness.

The real culprit is the loss of both self-love and appreciation for peace. A human being cannot be expected to love others unless he first loves himself, to be utterly in love with the life force coursing through him. Love is a wonderfully infectious disease. Parents must love their children and imbue them with a love of themselves and a love for others.

Rabbi Akiva teaches us that "V'Ahavta L'Reakha Kamokha," "Love thy neighbor as thyself," is the most important concept in the Torah. "V'Ahavta L'Reakha Kamokha" means that one must see himself in the other; he must love him because he is him.

Parents and teachers must also teach children what true happiness is, happiness that comes from letting go of anger, shying away from violence, and speaking softly. Where are those heroes who knew what life was all about? Where are the disciples of Aaron, who loved peace and pursued it?

Instead of one global community we have become lonely individuals, detached from our humanity and our neighbors. The young killers in Littleton had no love for themselves or for their neighbors, they were detached from their own humanity. Their time was spent in lonely brooding or the occasional video game killing spree. They knew not where true happiness lies, nor did they know true love in their lives.

Let the cries of the dead not fall on deaf ears. Let this time be a time of reflection and change. Let us embrace the other in an attempt to infect the world with love and harmony. In light of these murders, we must reevaluate every relationship in our lives - do we give enough, are we patient enough, do we love enough?

Let us also lobby for a shift away from the violence that plagues the silver screen and literature in favor of positive thinking and images of true happiness. We, as a nation, must modify our habits so that they may reflect the values that are integral to a better world and a better life.

We must remember, as Erich Fromm realized, "Love is the only answer to the human dilemma."