I found it interesting that Donald J. McKoy, in his letter to The Gleaner, August 31, suggested that love is the answer to the problem of crime and violence in Jamaica. Education, McKoy thinks, could reduce crime but would not solve the problem the way some in society imagined it would.

Perhaps McKoy is familiar with Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of needs. In A Theory of Human Motivation, Maslow suggested that our needs are predetermined in order of importance. And, in his ranking, he placed physiological needs at the very base suggesting that these will be fulfilled before belonging needs that include love.

While his critics have argued that Maslow's theory is flawed because not all individuals will follow this pattern, it is not uncommon for human beings to first seek food, shelter and clothing before satisfying safety needs, and then belonging needs (love, sense of belonging). So, love, according to this theory, is way up on level three. So what happens when the very basic needs are not satisfied? An individual who is hungry seeks food.

Though love and humility

To find food we usually need a job or some type of income. To secure a job, we usually need a skill, education or a combination of both. If the system of education does not provide a pathway for those who were not born into wealth or fame, or both, or they get lucky somehow, education is the one way. When individuals are faced with a situation in which they cannot fulfil even physiological needs, they are in a tough spot. Though love and humility may temporarily fulfil the individual's need, these are not sustainable.

Impractical answers

On the night of April 22, 1978, the legendary Bob Marley joined hands with the then Prime Minister Michael Manley and the then leader of the Opposition, Edward Seaga, on stage at the National Stadium at the One Love Peace Concert in an effort to find common ground for peace through love. For a few months, that worked but since nothing concrete was done that could provide lasting peace - job training for idle youth, removal of guns off the street, curfews, politicians ceasing to align themselves with known criminals, retooling of the mind and so on - I doubt anyone was surprised to learn that in the in the last few months Jamaica has had more people dying violently per month than Afghanistan and Iraq combined.

When problems appear too overwhelming, as is the case with crime and violence in Jamaica, we tend to seek answers that are impractical. Love could be the answer to many problems, but would do nothing for a hungry, homeless, unclothed man. While there is no easy solution to this problem, and while it is unlikely to completely disappear, I believe access to education will definitely reduce crime and violence in Jamaica.

I am, etc.,

JULIE TAYLOR-OMOLE

Tigerjt75@yahoo.com

Bel Air

Maryland

USA