This is a reading of chapter 8 of my new book Broken-heartedness: Towards love in professional practice, published by Revolutionaries. Here I draw the threads of the book together to provide a succinct statement of a theory of love. The theory is revolutionary because it explains how anti-oppressive ethics and critical analyses of society can lead to actions for peace, justice and love for all beings. Both individual and collective actions that are love ethic informed can address the unrecognised epidemic of broken-heartedness.
The podcast is dedicated to two women - Courtney Morison and Miriam Merten - who have died as a result of lovelessness in the public mental health systems in Queensland and NSW respectively. I found Courtney’s story in the print media as I was writing the book. She died by suicide in 2022 soon after telling her family the system did not care for her. I was previously aware of Miriam’s death after being secluded and multiple falls in a mental health facility due to a media release about the subsequent coronial inquiry in 2017.
In both instances it was heart-breaking to me for the terrible loss of life and for the people who loved the women and the people who tried to be caring in the system. It showed me that there is an unmet need for loving places and professionals. I believe that “we need to make the place that is meant to be caring to actually be caring when a person’s life is on the line”. When professional carers are broken-hearted from the distress they witness and unsupportive workplaces, they cannot be loving and nonviolent in their practice with people in their care. Understanding the sociological and ecological context of broken-heartedness can enable big and small steps towards love.
My book is now available as an e-book! If you would like to have a copy, please go to https://revoltbooks.com/products/broken-heartedness
Thank you for your interest and support!
A theory of revolutionary love