EQUATION OF LOVE

Following Albert Einstein’s death, Lieserl, his daughter, donated over 1,400 letters written by him to the Hebrew University. In one letter, he professed the existence of a powerful force governing the universe, transcending the boundaries of space and time, itself. Concerning a discovery more enigmatic than the Theory of Relativity, Einstein advised Lieserl to release the letter only once the world was ready. In April 2015, the world witnessed an internet reveal of Einstein’s revolutionary theory. The revelation of the renowned scientist and mathematician was revealed to be much simpler than anticipated. Einstein’s “Universal Force” was love.

Though, in reality this letter proclaiming the “Universal Force” of love never actually existed. Einstein’s daughter Lieserl wasn’t known to have survived beyond infancy, and the only known love letters of Einstein to ever surface were in correspondence with his wife, Mileva Maric, who he divorced later in his life. Nonetheless, the fabricated letter piqued a mass of public interest and circulated until it was reduced to a cliche.

Einstein’s Theory of Relativity revolutionized the scientific understanding of time, space, gravity, and the universe. A name synonymous with genius, endorsing love as a universal force, was reaffirming a collective desire to regard love as more powerful than gravity. It was a comforting embrace, falsified or not, to share the same values as one of the most influential minds of the 20th century when the fraudulent letter surfaced online. The widespread circulation of Einstein’s letter speaks volumes of our longing for love in community, friendship, romantic relationships and family. The formation and maintenance of our relationships drive decision-making, making love appear unparalleled in power.

Researchers have explored the physiological and psychological benefits of love, which reflect a scientific basis for the belief in love as a universal force. Embracing platonic love, like that of friendships, is shown to benefit both mental and physical health. In fact, research has found that large social networks lower risk of premature death more so than dieting and exercise. Similarly, romantic love is known to boost the immune system, lower blood pressure, and promote emotional resilience, among many other diverse benefits.

As technologies advance in the health sciences, we have been able to discover that love’s sentimental force has tangible chemical impacts and explanations alike. The gravitational pull of “love at first sight” is the result of the brain releasing excessive amounts of oxytocin and dopamine, especially when holding prolonged eye-contact with a romantic partner.

The fabled letter of Albert Einstein’s also promotes selflove as a radical agent of change, declaring that everyone “carries within them a small but powerful generator of love whose energy is waiting to be released.” Though many large companies tend to promote hyperconsumerism as a vehicle of self-love, most psychologists advocate for internal, non-consumerist methods of loving oneself, such as the practice of mindfulness. The transformative benefits of increased self-love include an increase in productivity and a decrease in reported stress. Furthermore, the establishment of compassion for the self unlocks the ability to accept the vulnerability deemed necessary in the act of loving others.

Is it safe to conclude that the force of love is stronger than any other? Well, the letter didn’t attract mainstream attention because of its reiteration of any scientific findings. Instead, it appeals to our faith that love encompasses all things arounus: understanding, compassion, selflessness, and gratitude. Similar to faux Einstein, we regard loving others and being loved as integral to our sense of self. We want to trust that love is a fundamental truth, or that love makes the impossible possible, offering stability despite the ever expanding chaos of our surroundings. That is, we want to find truth in the idea that “love conquers all, is able to transcend everything and anything, because love is the quintessence of life.”

Though the theory that “love conquers all,” has been reduced to a blanket platitude, it must be revelatory still that so many individuals were inclined to trust the authenticity of the letter. Love for humanity can heal and inspire individuals to improve their own lives, as well as the lives of those around them. Humanity’s devotion to love is powerful enough to invoke trust that the father of the Theory of Relativity, whose influence will be seen forever in the fields of science and mathematics, heralded the power of love as his greatest discovery. Love, or our faith in it, has the capacity to alter the boundaries of time and space. Even with the knowledge that the famed letter was debunked, the spread of its presence so rapidly around the world is proof that human beings search for and believe in the power of love. Despite Einstein never writing a letter preaching the “Universal Force,” the release of and response to the letter nevertheless captures the human penchant to accept love as more revolutionary than

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