What is "love" ?

hyene · 2015-05-10T03:55:18+00:00

Infatuation, lust, affection are chemical reactions but love isn't.

Love is the conscious choice to care for the health and wellbeing of an individual above material or selfish desires. That individual can be another person, or yourself.

For example, loving yourself involves making the conscious choice to eat healthy food instead of junk food. Working out or going for a walk to stay active and in good shape instead of sitting on the couch all day. Making the conscious choice to hook up with non-toxic partners. Love is akin to good health.

Loving someone else could involve letting them go so they find another partner is who is healthier for them to be with.

Love is doing what's right even when you don't want to.

When you find someone you are mutually attracted to, are affectionate with, who you lust and are infatuated with, you mutually love each other by making healthy decisions together. This is being in love with each other.

RichardPalma · 2015-05-09T23:39:30+00:00

Baby, don't hurt me.

I believe that all thought is just chemical reactions in the brain. But still, there are really a lot of different kinds of love. Most people think of New Relationship Energy as love and this is a person's ability to induce a dopamine drop in you (combined maybe with some oxytocin).

But there is a longer term form of love, one where you can decide to work together in the long term towards something. To be committed to each other to be each other's partner.

Then there is the kind one has for their child, to bring another person up to become independent, yet represent your own mark on the future.

Really the word "love" is just screwed up in English.

LUClEN · 2015-05-10T03:59:01+00:00

What people call love is just a chemical reaction that compels animals to breed

wazzup987 · 2015-05-10T07:20:10+00:00

Baby don't hurt me

no more

Nitzi · 2015-05-09T23:31:33+00:00

Pain is a chemical reaction and very real. The brain generally expresses feelings with chemical reactions.

dragoness_leclerq · 2015-05-10T01:02:36+00:00

Jesus effing Christ. I never knew it was possible for a person to start SO. MANY. THREADS. For fucks sake...

mcconnelldemasi · 2015-05-10T01:50:20+00:00

http://www.ted.com/talks/helen_fisher_studies_the_brain_in_love?language=en

Helen Fisher has done a ton of research on it. Basically there is three different types of love. It's lust, romantic love and long term bond.

Her research is the reason why I don't believe in the TRP theory that women slowly lose their ability to bond with men with each and every new sex partner. The brain doesn't just stop producing chemicals like that.

Reginleifer · 2015-05-09T22:59:12+00:00

I usually stick with my adolescent definition of love. If my opinion/actions don't change after coitus it's probably "love".

Sounds immature sure but when I grew up some it becomes obvious to me that most acts of love are just that...

A continuation (or simply the potential to) of positive behavior even when there's no benefit to be had or when you got what you want.

This definition has its limits as shown by r/deadbedrooms and r/divorce, but it's the best I can come up with right now.

Does it exist? Is there a love without limit? Is it unconditional? Who knows? I get the feeling that we're compatible with a lot of people though.

Those "perfect" couples always seem to be within 5 miles of each other, isn't that weird? That out of billions of people, your soulmate happened to be in the same country and county as yours?

alush · 2015-05-09T23:34:44+00:00

love is an emotion, no more or less

SerpOfZerk · 2015-05-10T00:07:08+00:00

A bond between people

fzed1199 · 2015-05-10T06:28:49+00:00

Love is making irrational decisions with or for someone that you wouldn't do for someone else.

chazzALB · 2015-05-10T17:28:07+00:00

It's a lie perpetuated by greeting card companies.

Title	What is "love" ?
Author	HappilySingleWoman
Upvotes	3
Comments	67
Date	May 9, 2015 10:18 PM UTC (11 years ago)
Subreddit	Posted in /r/PurplePillDebate
Original Link	https://old.reddit.com/r/PurplePillDebate/comments/35foq9/what_is_love/
Archive Link	https://theredarchive.com/r/PurplePillDebate/what-is-love.282256 https://theredarchive.com/post/282256

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