Love, not philosophy, is what changes people.

And if your philosophy is about loving people, you need to actually practice it.

We see this in religion all the time, and among philosophers and academics. They miss the forest for the trees. They want to think and talk about the right thing to do, but they don’t want to actually do it. They get too wrapped up in their theories and doctrines and pious observances.

As great as their arguments and oratory may sound, they don’t get it. They don’t get what they should actually be doing. And they spend their time pointing fingers and starting arguments (I’ll avoid doing the same by not naming names).

Educating ourselves is important, but knowledge also “puffs up”. We need to keep learning, but we have to be careful not to cling to knowledge as a means to boost our ego. Seeking knowledge should be primarily about learning how little we actually know.

Knowledge can lead to hubris or it can lead to humility. We need to make sure it’s leading us to greater humility. It’s in humility that we’ll find it easier to love others, rather than trying to lord over them.

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