"All You Need Is Love"

I actually read this last weekend, but I found it more intriguing than the short stories I read this past week. This is another idea from the “What Is Your Dangerous Idea” portion of The Best American Nonrequired Reading. This one is called “A Political System Based on Empathy” by Simon Baron-Cohen. The article being, well, about a government system based on empathy, suggested that if we were to convert to a less systematic government system, we would be able to resolve our conflicts more easily. I actually sort of agree with this idea. Instead of attacking your opponents with laws, ads, and debates, why not sit down and talk with them to understand their side of the playing table, and to work out some sort of agreement. This ‘sitting down with opponents to resolve conflicts’ idea reminded me of Obama saying that he would sit down and talk to terrorists to negotiate with them. This means: Obama is more empathetic!!! J. This idea (if it were to preside in our country) would potentially provide peace and love and happiness for the people, and nobody would have to worry about being attacked or killed in battle: because there would be no battle. Empathy would be the ultimate defense mechanism. I can just picture in my head the world leaders sitting on the floor in a circle sharing their feelings : “I just feel so bad that my people are dying…” Yes, I would too. But realistically, it wouldn’t work out in our country: a political system based on the understanding of other’s feelings would make a lot of conservatives angry…so unless we can find a way to make a smooth shift to a new power system based on the loving and caring of others, we’re locked in the endless attacking and fighting that are parts of our modern democracy. Somehow I don’t think this systematic-ness is what our country’s creators had in mind…“All you need is love. Da da dadada…”