Applying Fearlessness to Paulo Freire's "Radical Love"

[R.Michael Fisher]

The following article, just published in the International Journal of Critical Pedagogy (2017), I wrote as a critique of "radical love" (a la Paulo Freire) in critical pedagogy. It is entitled: "Radical Love: Is It Radical Enough?".

I introduce the dualistic (and sometimes) dialectical theory of Love vs. Fear and how Fearlessness is essential to the dialectic (even a trialectic) to make it effective in the current meta-context of the "culture of fear." Hope you enjoy it, and feel free to send me any comments [r.michaelfisher52 [at] gmail [dot] com.

REVIEWS: 

In near 2 years since my article was published, no one has made a peep about it. Which is too bad, I'm not impressed with critical pedagogues in that sense of being so silent. Anyways, one of my colleagues from my UBC days, a bright younger scholar, Dr. Kent denHeyer, Prof. of Education, at UofA in Edmonton, responded having recently read my article in IJCP (2017). He wrote me, 

"i liked very much your review of radical love. i think you are correct that without a critical examination of the dyad [Love and Fear] as you identify, we are working with one leg."

k

Mar. 11/19

 

[years later, another comment from a philosophical colleague:] 

Michael, there are two critical points for me in your text, they might seem obvious to you: first the opposition love-fear; is fear the opposite of love? I doubt. Of course it is one of them and I understand that in your framework it should be and it is but I think by privileging fear your leave aside so many other important dimensions; the second is that every time when someone says about anything  something like "it should be treated this way" thinking suffers... it might be fearanalysis or whatever... of course in this case it is only needed accepting and following your assumptions but many other roads might be walked so I prefer to stay aside when someone says "you cannot approach this issue if you do not take this road"... just two maybe superficial comments and sorry I will not be able to follow this discussion...

regards, WK Feb. 10/21

Dear WK, 

Your cautionary taken. Appreciated. Perhaps another time when you have space, we can go further. Just to be clear, a careful reading of my thesis will show "privileging fear" is NOT what my work is about period! I construct a systematic Fearlessness Paradigm (a whole other ball game)... 

-cheers,

M.

[R.Michael Fisher]

Hi, Michael,

Your new publication presents a clear and compelling argument for thinking about the relationship of love and fear in more imaginative and comprehensive ways. Like the seasoned professor you cite, your voice is seasoned, full of wisdom and resolve.

On a poetic Monday,

Carl

[R.Michael Fisher]

A colleague wrote in response:

hi Michael,

what a wonderful critique you offer here - direct, truthful, kind and necessary. i think your critique and further points of Fear as meta-motivational context is really on point. frankly, i find too many speciously wrapped themselves and their pedagogical work in love like a bad mayonnaise.

here is a review of alain badiou's quite different take on love and although we might see him in the first or second of your charts i see his work in your 3rd-4th. ... perhaps you might think of shortening your review and submitting such to brainpickings?  -K.

https://www.brainpickings.org/?s=badiou