I’m a scholar of violence in fact I teach in a center that deals with
teach in a center that deals with
teach in a center that deals with violence Wars and terrorism but today
violence Wars and terrorism but today
violence Wars and terrorism but today today I want to talk to you about love
today I want to talk to you about love
today I want to talk to you about love and hope I want to argue that love and
and hope I want to argue that love and
and hope I want to argue that love and hope are intricately tied and that
hope are intricately tied and that
hope are intricately tied and that they’re critical for the future of our
they’re critical for the future of our
they’re critical for the future of our world now I know that some of you in the
world now I know that some of you in the
world now I know that some of you in the audience might be thinking oh geez this
audience might be thinking oh geez this
audience might be thinking oh geez this is this is going to be a softie top like
is this is going to be a softie top like
is this is going to be a softie top like talk like some Disney movie or some John
talk like some Disney movie or some John
talk like some Disney movie or some John Lennon song but why is that why is it
Lennon song but why is that why is it
Lennon song but why is that why is it that it’s more fashionable to talk about
that it’s more fashionable to talk about
that it’s more fashionable to talk about violence and Wars than it is to talk
violence and Wars than it is to talk
violence and Wars than it is to talk about love and hope so why this silence
about love and hope so why this silence
about love and hope so why this silence now I don’t need to tell you how love
now I don’t need to tell you how love
now I don’t need to tell you how love feels you’ve all loved somebody or
feels you’ve all loved somebody or
feels you’ve all loved somebody or something but what is love in essence
well I argue that love and hope are
well I argue that love and hope are manifestations of human agency human
manifestations of human agency human
manifestations of human agency human agency as you might know is a sense of
agency as you might know is a sense of
agency as you might know is a sense of autonomy and self-determination a sense
autonomy and self-determination a sense
autonomy and self-determination a sense of sovereignty over your thoughts and
of sovereignty over your thoughts and
of sovereignty over your thoughts and actions it’s a sense of choice
actions it’s a sense of choice
actions it’s a sense of choice empowerment self-determination and
empowerment self-determination and
empowerment self-determination and what’s interesting about human agency is
what’s interesting about human agency is
what’s interesting about human agency is that it is a part of human essence love
that it is a part of human essence love
that it is a part of human essence love and hope I argue are the most potent
and hope I argue are the most potent
and hope I argue are the most potent manifestations of human agency why well
manifestations of human agency why well
manifestations of human agency why well because love makes you feel feel fully
because love makes you feel feel fully
because love makes you feel feel fully alive it makes you feel exhilarated
alive it makes you feel exhilarated
alive it makes you feel exhilarated intoxicated metaphorically speaking and
intoxicated metaphorically speaking and
intoxicated metaphorically speaking and hope hope is intricately tied to a
hope hope is intricately tied to a
hope hope is intricately tied to a desire to love I mean you don’t fall in
desire to love I mean you don’t fall in
desire to love I mean you don’t fall in love with someone only after you
love with someone only after you
love with someone only after you that they’re in love with you too you
that they’re in love with you too you
that they’re in love with you too you fall in love you take a leap of faith
fall in love you take a leap of faith
fall in love you take a leap of faith you hope against hope that’s going to
you hope against hope that’s going to
you hope against hope that’s going to work out and that’s as true for romantic
work out and that’s as true for romantic
work out and that’s as true for romantic love as it is for for other kinds of
love as it is for for other kinds of
love as it is for for other kinds of love like love for fellow human beings
love like love for fellow human beings
love like love for fellow human beings now I want to come back to this issue of
now I want to come back to this issue of
now I want to come back to this issue of love for fellow human beings and I’m
love for fellow human beings and I’m
love for fellow human beings and I’m going to talk a little bit about agency
going to talk a little bit about agency
going to talk a little bit about agency philosophers argue that agency is
philosophers argue that agency is
philosophers argue that agency is critical to our existence and that in
critical to our existence and that in
critical to our existence and that in the absence of agency would live an
the absence of agency would live an
the absence of agency would live an inauthentic existence comprised of
inauthentic existence comprised of
inauthentic existence comprised of faultless compliance and complicity with
faultless compliance and complicity with
faultless compliance and complicity with even the most brutal of all regimes
even the most brutal of all regimes
even the most brutal of all regimes here’s what’s very interesting about
here’s what’s very interesting about
here’s what’s very interesting about agency is that while freedom assumes
agency is that while freedom assumes
agency is that while freedom assumes agency agency need not assume freedom in
agency agency need not assume freedom in
agency agency need not assume freedom in fact I argue that some of the most
fact I argue that some of the most
fact I argue that some of the most powerful and dramatic manifestations of
powerful and dramatic manifestations of
powerful and dramatic manifestations of agency take place in the absence of
agency take place in the absence of
agency take place in the absence of freedom
freedom
freedom take for example resistance movements
take for example resistance movements
take for example resistance movements arsh wits for example there are numerous
arsh wits for example there are numerous
arsh wits for example there are numerous stories narrated by survivors of
stories narrated by survivors of
stories narrated by survivors of Auschwitz that detail various forms of
Auschwitz that detail various forms of
Auschwitz that detail various forms of resistance movements that took place in
resistance movements that took place in
resistance movements that took place in this Nazi death camp and other Nazi
this Nazi death camp and other Nazi
this Nazi death camp and other Nazi death camps they range anywhere from a
death camps they range anywhere from a
death camps they range anywhere from a desire to want to escape to wanting to
desire to want to escape to wanting to
desire to want to escape to wanting to sabotage a mass execution that the Nazis
sabotage a mass execution that the Nazis
sabotage a mass execution that the Nazis had planned there is a very emotional
had planned there is a very emotional
had planned there is a very emotional story narrated by one of the survivors
story narrated by one of the survivors
story narrated by one of the survivors of Auschwitz that I’d like to share with
of Auschwitz that I’d like to share with
of Auschwitz that I’d like to share with you today it’s a story about a woman
you today it’s a story about a woman
you today it’s a story about a woman called mala mala was a Jewess from
called mala mala was a Jewess from
called mala mala was a Jewess from Belgium mala had dared to fall in love
Belgium mala had dared to fall in love
Belgium mala had dared to fall in love with a fellow inmate they’d both dared
with a fellow inmate they’d both dared
with a fellow inmate they’d both dared to fall in love and they’re both dared
to fall in love and they’re both dared
to fall in love and they’re both dared to escape our sweats imagine in the
to escape our sweats imagine in the
to escape our sweats imagine in the middle of this ugliness and monstrosity
middle of this ugliness and monstrosity
middle of this ugliness and monstrosity mala and her lover focused on love and
mala and her lover focused on love and
mala and her lover focused on love and hope
hope
hope unfortunately as with most cases of more
unfortunately as with most cases of more
unfortunately as with most cases of more such cases they were both caught and
such cases they were both caught and
such cases they were both caught and they were both scheduled to die minutes
they were both scheduled to die minutes
they were both scheduled to die minutes before malice execution while her SS
before malice execution while her SS
before malice execution while her SS Kommandant was engaging in this
Kommandant was engaging in this
Kommandant was engaging in this rhetorical speech about the futility of
rhetorical speech about the futility of
rhetorical speech about the futility of resistance and escape malice slits her
resistance and escape malice slits her
resistance and escape malice slits her wrists and kills herself imagine killing
wrists and kills herself imagine killing
wrists and kills herself imagine killing yourselves minutes before you were
yourselves minutes before you were
yourselves minutes before you were scheduled to die anyway
scheduled to die anyway
scheduled to die anyway this ladies and gentlemen it’s the most
this ladies and gentlemen it’s the most
this ladies and gentlemen it’s the most dramatic manifestation of agency without
dramatic manifestation of agency without
dramatic manifestation of agency without freedom
freedom
freedom it was Marla’s way of saying to her SS
it was Marla’s way of saying to her SS
it was Marla’s way of saying to her SS Commandant’s that while they may control
Commandant’s that while they may control
Commandant’s that while they may control her physical being they do not control
her physical being they do not control
her physical being they do not control her essence that in essence she was
her essence that in essence she was
her essence that in essence she was still free even if that freedom meant
still free even if that freedom meant
still free even if that freedom meant choosing the timing of her death take
choosing the timing of her death take
choosing the timing of her death take the example of hunger strikers in
the example of hunger strikers in
the example of hunger strikers in prisons Bobby Sands member of the Irish
prisons Bobby Sands member of the Irish
prisons Bobby Sands member of the Irish Republican Army became the poster child
Republican Army became the poster child
Republican Army became the poster child of the hunger strikers in the 1980s he
of the hunger strikers in the 1980s he
of the hunger strikers in the 1980s he and nine others engaged in a hunger
and nine others engaged in a hunger
and nine others engaged in a hunger strike to demonstrate to their captors
strike to demonstrate to their captors
strike to demonstrate to their captors that while they cannot determine when
that while they cannot determine when
that while they cannot determine when and if they may be freed
and if they may be freed
and if they may be freed they had one sense of choice still left
they had one sense of choice still left
they had one sense of choice still left four to them and it was a choice not to
four to them and it was a choice not to
four to them and it was a choice not to eat and again agency in the absence of
eat and again agency in the absence of
eat and again agency in the absence of freedom take the example of
freedom take the example of
freedom take the example of self-immolation Mohamed Bouazizi
self-immolation Mohamed Bouazizi
self-immolation Mohamed Bouazizi catalyzed the Arab Spring in 2011 when
catalyzed the Arab Spring in 2011 when
catalyzed the Arab Spring in 2011 when he set himself on fire as a way to
he set himself on fire as a way to
he set himself on fire as a way to protest the Tunisian government
protest the Tunisian government
protest the Tunisian government oppression and injustice ‘as bowa’s Uzi
oppression and injustice ‘as bowa’s Uzi
oppression and injustice ‘as bowa’s Uzi had very little freedom and Freedoms in
had very little freedom and Freedoms in
had very little freedom and Freedoms in his life due to his political economic
his life due to his political economic
his life due to his political economic circumstances but he had won freedom
circumstances but he had won freedom
circumstances but he had won freedom still left to him one sense of control
still left to him one sense of control
still left to him one sense of control and that was to choose the method and
and that was to choose the method and
and that was to choose the method and again timing of his death so you can see
again timing of his death so you can see
again timing of his death so you can see that agency is a very powerful and
that agency is a very powerful and
that agency is a very powerful and central desire for human existence and
central desire for human existence and
central desire for human existence and as I said before
as I said before
as I said before love and hope are some of the most
love and hope are some of the most
love and hope are some of the most potent manifestations because love makes
potent manifestations because love makes
potent manifestations because love makes us feel fully alive and hope is
us feel fully alive and hope is
us feel fully alive and hope is intricately tied to the decision to love
intricately tied to the decision to love
intricately tied to the decision to love and as I said this is as true for
and as I said this is as true for
and as I said this is as true for romantic love as it is for other forms
romantic love as it is for other forms
romantic love as it is for other forms of love love for fellow human beings for
of love love for fellow human beings for
of love love for fellow human beings for example now I don’t mean that in some
example now I don’t mean that in some
example now I don’t mean that in some warm and fuzzy way of holding hands and
warm and fuzzy way of holding hands and
warm and fuzzy way of holding hands and swing together when I talk about love
swing together when I talk about love
swing together when I talk about love for fellow human beings I’m talking
for fellow human beings I’m talking
for fellow human beings I’m talking about a love for fellow human beings in
about a love for fellow human beings in
about a love for fellow human beings in the real sense on the ground level so to
the real sense on the ground level so to
the real sense on the ground level so to say for example imagine that you’re
say for example imagine that you’re
say for example imagine that you’re walking in the street and you notice
walking in the street and you notice
walking in the street and you notice yourself coming walking toward a
yourself coming walking toward a
yourself coming walking toward a stranger you notice that this stranger
stranger you notice that this stranger
stranger you notice that this stranger looks sad now you don’t know why they’re
looks sad now you don’t know why they’re
looks sad now you don’t know why they’re sad or what their situation is but you
sad or what their situation is but you
sad or what their situation is but you decide to smile at them you smile with
decide to smile at them you smile with
decide to smile at them you smile with your eyes in the way in a way to give
your eyes in the way in a way to give
your eyes in the way in a way to give them into some sense of hope some sense
them into some sense of hope some sense
them into some sense of hope some sense of shared humanity solidarity acceptance
of shared humanity solidarity acceptance
of shared humanity solidarity acceptance that’s love for fellow human beings and
that’s love for fellow human beings and
that’s love for fellow human beings and you know what you may never know just
you know what you may never know just
you know what you may never know just what that smile meant to them
volunteering in a hospital with
volunteering in a hospital with terminally ill patients that’s love for
terminally ill patients that’s love for
terminally ill patients that’s love for fellow human beings now you may not
fellow human beings now you may not
fellow human beings now you may not change the world but you certainly
change the world but you certainly
change the world but you certainly change the world of the person with whom
change the world of the person with whom
change the world of the person with whom you spend a few hours with for those few
you spend a few hours with for those few
you spend a few hours with for those few hours you gave this person hope for
hours you gave this person hope for
hours you gave this person hope for those few hours that person was fully
those few hours that person was fully
those few hours that person was fully alive witnessing a hate crime
alive witnessing a hate crime
alive witnessing a hate crime about to happen and intervening to stop
about to happen and intervening to stop
about to happen and intervening to stop that despite the fact that you know that
that despite the fact that you know that
that despite the fact that you know that you will never be the target of that
you will never be the target of that
you will never be the target of that hate crime is love for fellow human
hate crime is love for fellow human
hate crime is love for fellow human beings and this love for fellow human
beings and this love for fellow human
beings and this love for fellow human beings is based on agency it’s based on
beings is based on agency it’s based on
beings is based on agency it’s based on a choice now to be sure hate is also
a choice now to be sure hate is also
a choice now to be sure hate is also agency it is after all a choice for
agency it is after all a choice for
agency it is after all a choice for those who choose it and for those who
those who choose it and for those who
those who choose it and for those who choose
choose
choose hate it makes them feel empowered and
hate it makes them feel empowered and
hate it makes them feel empowered and control but I argue that hate doesn’t
control but I argue that hate doesn’t
control but I argue that hate doesn’t make you feel as exhilarated as love and
make you feel as exhilarated as love and
make you feel as exhilarated as love and hope
hope
hope why because hate comes from a place of
why because hate comes from a place of
why because hate comes from a place of anger resentments fear hopelessness
anger resentments fear hopelessness
anger resentments fear hopelessness where is love oh love love comes from a
where is love oh love love comes from a
where is love oh love love comes from a place of acceptance understanding
place of acceptance understanding
place of acceptance understanding tolerance hope hope is everything
some years ago I lost a job at a
some years ago I lost a job at a university that I was teaching at in in
university that I was teaching at in in
university that I was teaching at in in the United States this was at a time
the United States this was at a time
the United States this was at a time when the country was going through one
when the country was going through one
when the country was going through one of the worst economic recessions things
of the worst economic recessions things
of the worst economic recessions things look bleak I was devastated now I know
look bleak I was devastated now I know
look bleak I was devastated now I know that we all lose our jobs at some point
that we all lose our jobs at some point
that we all lose our jobs at some point in our lives no big deal right well this
in our lives no big deal right well this
in our lives no big deal right well this was a big deal this was a big deal
was a big deal this was a big deal
was a big deal this was a big deal because at the time a lot of personal
because at the time a lot of personal
because at the time a lot of personal plans were contingent on a two-income
plans were contingent on a two-income
plans were contingent on a two-income household that were suddenly called into
household that were suddenly called into
household that were suddenly called into question what was also called into
question what was also called into
question what was also called into question was the logic of writing or
question was the logic of writing or
question was the logic of writing or continuing to write a book that I was
continuing to write a book that I was
continuing to write a book that I was writing at the time it just seemed
writing at the time it just seemed
writing at the time it just seemed futile to be focusing on intellectuality
futile to be focusing on intellectuality
futile to be focusing on intellectuality when more pressing needs a food shelter
when more pressing needs a food shelter
when more pressing needs a food shelter job were knocking on my door but I held
job were knocking on my door but I held
job were knocking on my door but I held on to hope I mean I went on the job
on to hope I mean I went on the job
on to hope I mean I went on the job market but I held on to hope that if I
market but I held on to hope that if I
market but I held on to hope that if I can finish this book maybe better things
can finish this book maybe better things
can finish this book maybe better things would come for me I finished the book
would come for me I finished the book
would come for me I finished the book the book got published a few months
the book got published a few months
the book got published a few months after the book was published I was
after the book was published I was
after the book was published I was offered a position as visiting lecturer
offered a position as visiting lecturer
offered a position as visiting lecturer at Princeton University a few years
at Princeton University a few years
at Princeton University a few years after that I was offered this position
after that I was offered this position
after that I was offered this position here at NTU holding on to hope is
here at NTU holding on to hope is
here at NTU holding on to hope is everything but what’s the larger
everything but what’s the larger
everything but what’s the larger significance of hope for our world well
significance of hope for our world well
significance of hope for our world well I think that if we come from a place of
I think that if we come from a place of
I think that if we come from a place of hope we can dare
hope we can dare
hope we can dare think critically we can dare to
think critically we can dare to
think critically we can dare to challenge the norms that have thus far
challenge the norms that have thus far
challenge the norms that have thus far only led to the action reaction of
only led to the action reaction of
only led to the action reaction of violence Wars and terrorism we can
violence Wars and terrorism we can
violence Wars and terrorism we can imagine dare to imagine a different
imagine dare to imagine a different
imagine dare to imagine a different world what I’m really saying what I’m
world what I’m really saying what I’m
world what I’m really saying what I’m really saying is that if each one of you
really saying is that if each one of you
really saying is that if each one of you particularly the young folks in the
particularly the young folks in the
particularly the young folks in the audience if you can come from a place of
audience if you can come from a place of
audience if you can come from a place of hope right now right here then when
hope right now right here then when
hope right now right here then when later you’re in positions of power as
later you’re in positions of power as
later you’re in positions of power as teachers professors government officials
teachers professors government officials
teachers professors government officials policymakers scientists you can take
policymakers scientists you can take
policymakers scientists you can take this perspective with you you can dare
this perspective with you you can dare
this perspective with you you can dare to question the way the older generation
to question the way the older generation
to question the way the older generation did things you can dare to question the
did things you can dare to question the
did things you can dare to question the norms that thus far only led to
norms that thus far only led to
norms that thus far only led to perpetual Wars you can imagine a world
perpetual Wars you can imagine a world
perpetual Wars you can imagine a world that’s based instead on reconciliation
that’s based instead on reconciliation
that’s based instead on reconciliation acceptance tolerance now I’m not saying
acceptance tolerance now I’m not saying
acceptance tolerance now I’m not saying that it’s easy to hold on to hope it
that it’s easy to hold on to hope it
that it’s easy to hold on to hope it most certainly is not not in the world
most certainly is not not in the world
most certainly is not not in the world that we live in today what I am saying
that we live in today what I am saying
that we live in today what I am saying is that our only hope is to hold on to
is that our only hope is to hold on to
is that our only hope is to hold on to hope but here’s the thing about love and
hope but here’s the thing about love and
hope but here’s the thing about love and hope as based on agency they’re not
hope as based on agency they’re not
hope as based on agency they’re not unlike any other actions based on agency
unlike any other actions based on agency
unlike any other actions based on agency that is there are no guarantees there
that is there are no guarantees there
that is there are no guarantees there are no guarantees that the outcomes will
are no guarantees that the outcomes will
are no guarantees that the outcomes will be as you expected the outcomes might be
be as you expected the outcomes might be
be as you expected the outcomes might be better than you expected or worse than
better than you expected or worse than
better than you expected or worse than you expected or somewhere in between but
you expected or somewhere in between but
you expected or somewhere in between but you know what there is one guarantee
you know what there is one guarantee
you know what there is one guarantee that if you take no action there will be
that if you take no action there will be
that if you take no action there will be no outcomes negative or positive
no outcomes negative or positive
no outcomes negative or positive psychologists say that we are the
psychologists say that we are the
psychologists say that we are the authors of our own lives through the
authors of our own lives through the
authors of our own lives through the actions that we take or don’t take well
actions that we take or don’t take well
actions that we take or don’t take well I say that we are
I say that we are
I say that we are also the authors of her own world
also the authors of her own world
also the authors of her own world through the actions that we take or
through the actions that we take or
through the actions that we take or don’t take so the hope that we hold on
don’t take so the hope that we hold on
don’t take so the hope that we hold on to or don’t we can write rewrite the
to or don’t we can write rewrite the
to or don’t we can write rewrite the story of this world we can rewrite the
story of this world we can rewrite the
story of this world we can rewrite the story by holding on to love for fellow
story by holding on to love for fellow
story by holding on to love for fellow human beings and hope for a better world
so I just want to leave you with a few
so I just want to leave you with a few questions today now I want you to really
questions today now I want you to really
questions today now I want you to really think about these few questions do you
think about these few questions do you
think about these few questions do you think that our world is worth the risk
think that our world is worth the risk
think that our world is worth the risk of love and hope do you think that you
of love and hope do you think that you
of love and hope do you think that you are worth the risk of love and hope do
are worth the risk of love and hope do
are worth the risk of love and hope do you think that your children are worth
you think that your children are worth
you think that your children are worth the risk of love for fellow human beings
the risk of love for fellow human beings
the risk of love for fellow human beings in the hopes for a better world are they
in the hopes for a better world are they
in the hopes for a better world are they well I say absolutely yes yes yes
well I say absolutely yes yes yes
well I say absolutely yes yes yes they’re worth it we are worth it thank
they’re worth it we are worth it thank
they’re worth it we are worth it thank you
you
you [Applause]
”
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