I just thought I'd quickly share the first paragraph of Kierkegaard's conclusion for the Works of Love. I read this passage in a Kierkegaard class once, the professor read it aloud and cried by the end of it. It's way more beautiful in the context of the entire book but this little bit carries the gist of it all.
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In this book we have endeavored "man times and in many ways" to praise love. As we thank God that we have succeeded in completing the book in the way we wished, we shall now conclude by introducing the Apostle John, who says, "Beloved, let us love one another." These words, which have apostolic authority, also have, if you consider them, an intermediate tone or an intermediate mood in connection with the contrasts in love itself. The basis of this is that they are by one who was perfected in love. You do not hear the rigorousness of duty in these words; the apostle does not say, "you shall love one another"; but neither do you hear the vehemence of poet-passion and of inclination. There is something transfigured and beatific in these words, but there is also a sadness that is agitated over life and mitigated by the eternal. It is as if the apostle said, "Dear me, what is all this that would hinder you in loving, what is all this that you can win by self-love! The commandment is that you shall love, but ah, if you will understand yourself and life, then it seems that it should not be commanded, because to love people is the only thing worth living for, and without this love you are not really living. Moreover, to love people is the only blessed comfort both here and in the next world; and to love people is the only true sign that you are a Christian"--truly, a profession of faith is not enough either.
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Every time I read through Works of Love I get something different out of it. This last time I thought about the relationship between depression and love. I think the question we should ask ourselves when life gets rough is whether or not we're loving enough. Sadness and depression are inherently selfish. You cannot be depressed without also focusing, nearly to exclusion of all else, on yourself. Depression is then, by extension, a form of self-love (Kierkegaard defines self-love as self-preferment). So, if you're down, trying doing something nice for someone, find "the only blessed comfort both here and in the next world." It is really hard to be depressed and actively love someone at the same time. Anyway, just a thought.
carefree
8 years ago
2 comments:
P.S. and for all the egoists out there that might find fault in praising love but dismissing self-love, I just want to point out that self-love here doesn't refer to loving yourself. For Kierkegaard self-love is a highly specific term that references (as mentioned before) damaging self-preference. We are commanded to "love your neighbor as thyself" which presupposes loving yourself, it even implicitly commands you to love yourself and to use that love as a standard for others. The self-love spoken against here is of the negative solipsistic variety, the kind that cuts you off from other people and happiness.
Your last analysis with regard to the relationship between depression and "not loving enough" assumes that the person suffering the depression has a choice in triggering that depression. Although a person with depression can learn discipline to control the downward spiral, the trigger is not likely to be "not loving enough". It may be a good cure though.
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