Do you believe in love?

[Zeekar]

What do you think? Am I right? Wrong? Why?

Love is subjective, so you are very right.

It is whatever you need it to be. If you see it as a extra-long crush, then that is what it will be to you.

In the end, love is intangible, as you said. It will be treated by everyone differently. Two people that see it as life-long and have endless loyalty and devotion towards one another may last until death. Does that make them better or happier than you? No.

Happiness comes from paving your own way. Don't let anyone tell you you have to experience their version of "true love" to be happy.

Give them the one finger salute and be on your merry way...If it's a family member, you may want to just do that in your mind.

 

[Fearzone]

Been there done that.

So, yeah.

I fall into the latter category. Ive seen too man people who "love" each other hurt their partners in ways that cannot be described. Elderly people who have been married 40 or 50 years will tell you straight up they are glad their spouse died because they were just so sick of being around them ALL THE TIME.

There is nothing in this paragraph inconsistent with love. Once you understand that, you're there.

 

[i7omahawki]

What do you think? Am I right? Wrong? Why?

Well, I'm only recently single from a rather long relationship, so I'm supposed to be bitter and skeptical about the love thing, especially as I got hurt pretty bad. But honestly? Love is real, it is a biological connection between people, not an abstract state, but it is very real.

Actual love (I refuse to use the term 'true') consists of two people who have deep feelings of passion, compassion and friendship with a great deal of intimacy. They want what is best for the other, not as an altruistic act, but just because it benefits themselves to see the other happy.

No, I've only had a few points in my life when that has happened, selfishness and the desire for comfort over self-improvement and happiness occurs wayy too often.

I think love is real, but transitory. Life time relationships don't really make much sense to me, at least not now, but loving relationships that don't have to last forever to be meaningful are totally real.

That's not even getting into more general love, for friends or for humans in general.

It's not what most people describe, when they're actually talking about comfort and not being lonely, but it does happen and I suppose you do have to experience it to believe it.

 

[tomservo4prezident]

Love is a disgusting, malefic cankersore on the human species. It is among the most foul and horrific things imaginable, a punishment which gives one the mere illusion of happiness, when really, all that exists within the emotion is pain. I believe in it the same way I believe in war, chaos and death.

Not at all bitter, eh?

 

[psychodynamica]

wait, who said love is everlasting, besides it depends on what you are willing to call love, i would say i have been in love twice. I think love can happen but to different degrees, some can love each other for half a century, and some even longer. but most never find a person they can love that much. Also you haven't mentioned the different kinds of love, like the love a family member or the love a pet. where do they fit in your world view?

 

[Maxtro]

I've never experienced it.

I've only had strong feelings for a girl and they've never been returned.

 

[Smurf McSmurfington]

From your definition, the latter.
Basically, "love" is nothing more than an overflow of oxytocin and a few other chemicals in our brains. Our culture's overly romanticised view of "love", however, does not exist in real life. By which I mean "true love" as people call it.
In every shape and form, both real and made up, I find it to be pointless. Completely and utterly pointless.

 

[ThreeWords]

I have no doubt someone else will say this but this quote pretty much sums up what I think:

"Love is just a chemical, we give meaning to it by choice."

(ala Bioshock 2)

The same quote is true for 'happiness' or indeed 'life'...

From your definition, the latter.
Basically, "love" is nothing more than an overflow of oxytocin and a few other chemicals in our brains. Our culture's overly romanticised view of "love", however, does not exist in real life. By which I mean "true love" as people call it.
In every shape and form, both real and made up, I find it to be pointless. Completely and utterly pointless.

That's sounds like the classic mantra of the hurt. What did she do?

 

[FalloutJack]

By that I mean, do you think it is a real, tangible thing that people can experience sincerely or do you feel it is just a temporary though powerful infatuation?

I fall into the latter category. Ive seen too man people who "love" each other hurt their partners in ways that cannot be described. Elderly people who have been married 40 or 50 years will tell you straight up they are glad their spouse died because they were just so sick of being around them ALL THE TIME.

People use love as an excuse to get married or have sex or whatnot and I think to myself whenever I hear that they are just deluding themselves. That it is just a temporary, if intense, crush.

I've also been told I'm wrong and that I won't really know it until I HAVE loved. I don't buy that. I've been in some serious relationships before with some pretty intense feelings but like all things, they just came to an end. I think love is just a fairy tale that doesn't translate to the real world.

What do you think? Am I right? Wrong? Why?

I'm pretty certain the love I feel is not a temporary thing, but a thing that built up slowly over time which I cannot back down from.

 

[xxmyhero64xx]

Love is a weird thing. You have no idea what it feels like to be in love until one day you just are. It's different from a sudden attraction. It's an intensely powerful force that follows you wherever you go. So to answer your question I do believe in love. I'm a cynic, but not about this.

 

[RaikuFA]

need to experience it first before i believe it exists

 

[spartan231490]

I most certainly believe in it. There are people I would gladly give my life for, and if that's not love I don't know what is. As for specifically romantic love? Yes I believe in that too. After all, if I can love, then how could I not love my partner in life.

 

[Nulfinator]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sRYNYb30nxU

I do, because I listen to the rhythm of my heart

 

[Tizzmarelda]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V32g3CwDHzg John C McGinley as Dr Cox summed it up nicely : D. Love is often one of the great exceptions to most cynical people.

I'm about to spend the rest of the day watching sad scrubs moments on youtube. I'm going to be a wreck by the end of this, I hope your happy.

Love does exist, I don't know what it is but I know life is pointless without it.

 

[The Stonker]

If love is the exchange of chemicals,then what does it mean if I love my dog? weird

Who said anything about exchanging chemicals?

Well, love is a hormone, yes, but I see love as this.
A glorified wonder drug.
But I still like that drug *snorts it*.

 

[StarsintheBlood]

Love is definitely real. It's rare so make it last, but it exists. I've known elderly couples who've been together for decades and still love each other. I think that love is just hard to maintain- it needs a strong foundation of friendship and genuinely enjoying the company of your spouse. Romantic love is just as real as the love for family or friends- the intense connection to another person.

I DO NOT believe in soul mates. There is no "one person" you can find to make a perfect relationship. They all take work. Even with a person you are extremely compatible with, it takes a lot of effort on both parts. But love in the romantic sense is definitely real, albeit elusive. To say it's not is to trivialize the sacrifices and work that millions of couples have made for each other. I'm a cynical person (being an aesexual teenager in high school will do that to you), but the existence of love is something that strikes me as obvious.

And yes, if you don't believe in love, you've never experienced it. I hope you do one day. It's not as vital to a happy life as Hollywood or most people think it is (you can be perfectly complete without a relationship), but it is an amazing feeling to love and be loved.

 

[Casual Shinji]

Seeing as I love my mother, my father, my sisters, and my brother; Yes I do.

My mom and dad have been together for 41 years. And even after my dad became physically and mentally disabled about 4 years ago, my mom is taking great care of him almost completely on her own. If that's not love I don't know what is.

 

[Slowpool]

Yep. If you find it, you'll know. Your whole life will change.

 

[SonOfVoorhees]

Yes love exists. But it is different for everyone and until you get into that situation then discribing it is pointless.

 

[DeltaEdge]

Not completely sure. I heard somewhere that love only lasts for about 2 years. I guess that would be the infatuation finally ending. I think that love is real though. Married couples may fall out of infatuation with each other after being around each other all the time but I think that it changes into a new love eventually. Like the kind of love that you have for your family. You really love them, and you couldn't do without them. Sure, you might not get that feeling of butterflies in your stomach every time you see them anymore, but they are now your family and you value them above all else. It also depends on the people because some people just aren't suited to being in a relationship in which there is no infatuation left and they are the type that may stick around for a few years, then divorce and leave to find the next person that they are infatuated with. Also depends on whether or not you can put up with their usual personality and their habits and lifestyle around the house I.E if one spouse leaves trash everywhere and farts and burps while scratching their ass and then proceeded to touch all the food in the house as well as the spouse with that defiled hand while the other spouse is big on cleanliness and maybe even OCD that is just a terrible combination that is destined to fail. And OP, not all people marry for sex. There are plenty of couples that marry just from the infatuation so I wouldn't include marriage under "and excuse for people to have sex". And that doesn't make any sense anyways because people can have sex regardless of whether they are married or not and if they were only in it for the sex, then they would just be fuck-buddies and screw all the time without any real feelings for each other. Some people also marry in hopes of one day making a family of their own with kids and watching them grow up. And if love really didn't exist at all, then I think that people would just divorce each other when they get older and they don't look as beautiful as they used to because they would be very shallow. If no one was committed enough to stay with a spouse out of love, then I don't think that there would be marriage in this day and age. Just because you feel like love doesn't exist for you personally, or with the people around you and their relationships, it doesn't mean that there is no love. It just means that you are looking in the wrong places.