Love: The Unmoved Mover

The “Unmoved Mover” concept is a supporting axiom for most philosophical reasoning. This idea, advanced by Aristotle, affirms the existence of some Force, Energy, or Being that cannot be moved yet is responsible for all motion in the universe. In Plato’s Symposium, the dialogue participants make a strong argument for Ἔρως (erotic love) as the universe’s prime mover: an irresistible magnetic pull toward that which you aren’t (“the other”) or that which you don’t have. This might seem intuitive when you observe how a young man’s Eros (his desire for the object of his attraction) drives nearly the entirety of his action and existence. However, in the final pages of the Symposium, Socrates shares his prior discourse with an oracle, intimating that a stronger and more complete sense of Love is at the top of this “ladder”. Intuition tells me that ἀγάπη (self-sacrificial love), rather than Eros, is closer to the center of the universe’s motion and is therefore the true “Prime Mover” (see my previous article On Sacrifice). Eventually, we yearn to be in communion with Love itself rather than simply being attracted to that which is lovely. We come to admire Beauty itself, instead of desiring a beautiful thing or relationship with a beautiful person. In doing so we begin to touch the essence of transcendent Beauty, Truth, and Love rather than simply interacting with their manifestations.

What gets you out of bed in the morning and puts you in motion? Maybe you benefit from a strong joie de vivre and you’re regularly struck by the beauty of your surroundings. Maybe you have a powerful ambition to achieve or a passion to pursue a specific knowledge set or discipline. Love defines the structure of reality. To phrase it a bit differently: that which you love sets the foundation for your reality. If you love something, you will preserve, promote, honor, and/or worship it and the motives behind your actions and decisions can be traced back to the purpose established in your love. There is no coherence or cohesion in our existence without love. The patterns we build in our work and life point to the object(s) of our love. You can understand, then, that even actions driven by ulterior motives come from a spark of love, albeit misplaced love. The question then becomes: “what do you love”?

Our various loves begin to accumulate into something like a pyramid, some loves appropriately focused and some misplaced. One love must emerge at the top of the hierarchy. That love governs your being: it rules your existence and is the object of your highest worship. Indeed, it is possible for a relatively stable structure of love to be ultimately governed by a misplaced love. Consider a group centered around organized crime. Within the organization are elements of healthy culture that bind the group together, support its structure, encourage its survival, some are even genuine forms of love. Such elements may include strong values such as honor and trust or deep camaraderie and care for others members. The group may even prioritize the welfare of its affiliated families and may have healthy organizational structures with mediated authority and clear lines of accountability. However, despite its adoption of some healthy elements, because the organization’s greater purpose seeks to tear down formal social structures and/or undermine legitimate authority, it is ultimately a perversion of love and does not benefit the greater community.

Most people who dedicate their lives to a practice (artists, athletes, martial artists, healers, ascetics, etc.) or perform at a world-class level do it from a place of deep love. Committing your life to something that you don’t enjoy is a brutal challenge that many people don’t overcome. If you don’t love what you do, the energy tax becomes unbearable over time. A few top-level rugby players have shared key insight here. George North, iconic Welsh rugby center and wing, in Gavin Hickie’s book Rugby Revealed, reminds players that a love for the game itself is what facilitates sustained success: “You won’t make it to the next level if you don’t enjoy it.” Danny Cipriani, one of England’s most electric flyhalves ever, suggests that finding a deep enjoyment of your practice allows you to participate in it fully, in a fluid and natural way, rather than being constrained by it.

Anchoring yourself in a love of something and enjoying the pursuit of it is much more sustainable than hunting for glamor and accolades. If you love what you do, you’ll become a master. Your work will become playful and you’ll find enjoyment, success, meaning, and deep purpose in it. Your being will radiate that love and you’ll share it with others. People will see it emanate from you and will be inspired to participate with you in that love. If you don’t love what you do, find something else to do. Your life is too short and your energy is too precious to spend it burdened by resentment for your work. You’ll probably be miserable and will likely make others around you miserable.

“The only way to do great work is to love what you do” -Steve Jobs

"Free from desire, you realize the mystery.

Caught in desire, you see only the manifestations."

Tao Te Ching (translation Stephen Mitchell)

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