Love Paradigm
This site is dedicated to the discussion and exploration of the idea that we can choose to act in the spirit of love, regardless of our political, religious or moral ideology. The only way to effectively oppose hate and fear is to act out of a true spirit of love - for ourselves and others.
When we act out of the spirit of love - in politics, religion, family and community, we need not act naively or blindly. We simply keep in mind what is really important. Erich Fromm writes in The Art of Loving: "Is love an art? Then it requires knowledge and effort. Or is love a pleasant sensation, which to experience is a matter of chance, something one 'falls into' if one is lucky?"
This website assumes the former, as Fromm does, and attempts to facilitate the acquisition of the knowledge and skills required to practice this art. Fromm's book is one great resource for beginning to think about this concept.
This site, then, will serve as a repository of resources like The Art of Loving as well as other literature, research, treatises, stories, essays, movies and any other consumable communication that contributes to the understanding and practice of loving.
What is the Atticus Project?
Not long ago, our family rented the the movie "To Kill A Mockingbird" (The DVD version has a great documentary of the making of the movie, interviews, etc. Fascinating). If you get a chance, watch it. It is still one of the best films I have ever seen.
The novel, by Harper Lee, was published in 1956 and the film version came out in 1962, yet the inspiring character of Atticus Finch is still very powerful and rarely found in the current culture. The story takes place in a small, southern town where Atticus, the father of Scout and Jem, provides a model of quiet leadership, courage and strength based in love. His example is an inspiration. Yet today, in an era where technological know-how has made it possible to broadcast virtually any conceivable story with any conceivable hero to the whole world - - - not much (if any) of the broadcast choices include characters of the Atticus Finch variety. Instead, we find a steady stream of main characters who appear to glorify the use of violent retalliation and scornful denigration as an antidote to fear.
Our world, then, seems to be promoting the concept that there are only two kinds of people: the weak and the violent. Models of strength without violence are not often so exciting and distracting to provide a mass audience for advertisers and marketers. And, unfortunately, much of the information delivery airwaves and media have been entrusted to the profit-minded rather than the civic-minded.
It has become more and more rare to see a hero or leader we admire and respect who challenges a mean-spirited attack with intelligent nonviolence and love rather than vengeful retalliation. Some children have never observed that choice in their heros or leaders.
But sometimes an Atticus model is observed first hand; perhaps not in the media, but in our living rooms, community or workplace. Some male and some female - there ARE Atticus Finches among us. They aren't the ones we frequently see on display as heroes and most likely don't think of themselves as such. But if we recognize them (and we will), perhaps we could coax these decent human beings into the light where more of us can see them.
The lives of all human beings are enriched in a society that honors and recognizes the practice of the basic decency that we are all capable of, but is often ignored - or labeled as weak. So let's find these everyday heros and start replacing a model of violent vengeance with a model of positive strength. We can't do this by convincing the current purveyors of mass media to change. They will change when their model no longer works to gain their objective: profit. We don't have to wait - and we don't have to depend on them. We can creatively find ways to show our children, family and neighbors the Way of Love.
This is the Atticus Project.