What is Love? Does it exist?

[Bernzz]

What is love? Baby don't hurt me, don't hurt me, no more.

My simple opinion is you sort of just know when you love someone. I honestly can't describe the feeling I get properly.

 

[Cyberjester]

I think it's rather silly to think that love doesn't exist, considering so many people have made such a hullabaloo about it for the last several thousand years of documented civilization.

'Inputs Creation argument here'

Not arguing against you.. Wait, yes I am. But only because I'm interested in seeing your response. Not a troll mind, I prefer scientist.


My own personal view is that it's like communism. Great concept, smashing. But.. It's too hard for anyone to pull off. I mean, we're taught all the way through life that we're here by chance, that we're insignificant mistakes of amoeba, that we need to think things through logically, then give up your wants, likes, hobbies, even life for someone else? Heh. No

It is misused a lot though. This person is a jerk but I'm sticking with them because I love them, I'm going to kill this person because I love them, I'm going to tell this person I love them so they'll do what I want, I love you so you do this, etc, etc, ad nauseam. So the concept? Brilliant. In practice?

I haven't seen one instance yet of anyone truly loving someone else and I'm jaded enough to be a realist and think that it may be beyond people in general. Not saying it can't happen, nothings impossible, merely greater or lesser degrees of probability. But I think we can safely rule this one out.

 

[Cyberjester]

*snip*

*bigger snip*

Dude, you say logic isn't illogical because it's rooted in mathematics?

Survival of the fittest, this person is weaker than I, but I shall give myself up so they may live. Merely an insight into my definition, but my definition seems reasonable given there's words such as "like", "admire", etc. So to assign a grading system to them "love" is the top denoting self sacrifice and generally being a pretty decent person to someone else.

But it's illogical. Weak shall die, strong shall triumph. That's logical. Love is impossible in a purely logic universe. Fortunately we aren't logical. We're complete bastards who have a spark of "goodness" which can develop into something greater. Good being purely subjective of course.

 

[JoJo]

I think it's rather silly to think that love doesn't exist, considering so many people have made such a hullabaloo about it for the last several thousand years of documented civilization.

'Inputs Creation argument here'

Not arguing against you.. Wait, yes I am. But only because I'm interested in seeing your response. Not a troll mind, I prefer scientist.


My own personal view is that it's like communism. Great concept, smashing. But.. It's too hard for anyone to pull off. I mean, we're taught all the way through life that we're here by chance, that we're insignificant mistakes of amoeba, that we need to think things through logically, then give up your wants, likes, hobbies, even life for someone else? Heh. No

It is misused a lot though. This person is a jerk but I'm sticking with them because I love them, I'm going to kill this person because I love them, I'm going to tell this person I love them so they'll do what I want, I love you so you do this, etc, etc, ad nauseam. So the concept? Brilliant. In practice?

I haven't seen one instance yet of anyone truly loving someone else and I'm jaded enough to be a realist and think that it may be beyond people in general. Not saying it can't happen, nothings impossible, merely greater or lesser degrees of probability. But I think we can safely rule this one out.

Out of interest does this apply to parental love, or just romantic love? Because as an alloparent to my little sister I can confirm that the former certainly does exist, and it is very strong, though I haven't yet had enough experience in the latter to feel true romantic love though I can't see how it cannot exist.

 

[Lilani]

I think it's rather silly to think that love doesn't exist, considering so many people have made such a hullabaloo about it for the last several thousand years of documented civilization.

'Inputs Creation argument here'

Not arguing against you.. Wait, yes I am. But only because I'm interested in seeing your response. Not a troll mind, I prefer scientist.


My own personal view is that it's like communism. Great concept, smashing. But.. It's too hard for anyone to pull off. I mean, we're taught all the way through life that we're here by chance, that we're insignificant mistakes of amoeba, that we need to think things through logically, then give up your wants, likes, hobbies, even life for someone else? Heh. No

It is misused a lot though. This person is a jerk but I'm sticking with them because I love them, I'm going to kill this person because I love them, I'm going to tell this person I love them so they'll do what I want, I love you so you do this, etc, etc, ad nauseam. So the concept? Brilliant. In practice?

I haven't seen one instance yet of anyone truly loving someone else and I'm jaded enough to be a realist and think that it may be beyond people in general. Not saying it can't happen, nothings impossible, merely greater or lesser degrees of probability. But I think we can safely rule this one out.

So, basically you're saying that love is a concept that is inherently unattainable. If that is true, then explain this story to me. This is a completely true story--a recording from the people it happened to.


You can't tell me that love doesn't exist, or that it's unattainable if such pure joy and contentment can be found just in the presence of another. And I know many others in my life who are in relationships like this--where they could be in Hawaii or in a hellhole and still love each other unconditionally.

I don't think love can be quantified, or its symptoms documented. It's a word we attach to a set of feelings and situations, which typically revolve around our perceptions on the presence of another. That is why the way I worded it was so similar to Creation arguments: it can neither be proven nor disproven. I mean, have you ever tried to tell someone who believes they are in love that they're not? What kind of argument do you pose? And how often do they actually listen to it?

You can argue about the existence and validity of "love" in all its forms all day, but to say that there can't be something that can keep two people together through heaven or hellfire just shows how blind you are to the world around you.

 

[Lilani]

I think it's rather silly to think that love doesn't exist, considering so many people have made such a hullabaloo about it for the last several thousand years of documented civilization.

'Inputs Creation argument here'

Not arguing against you.. Wait, yes I am. But only because I'm interested in seeing your response. Not a troll mind, I prefer scientist.


My own personal view is that it's like communism. Great concept, smashing. But.. It's too hard for anyone to pull off. I mean, we're taught all the way through life that we're here by chance, that we're insignificant mistakes of amoeba, that we need to think things through logically, then give up your wants, likes, hobbies, even life for someone else? Heh. No

It is misused a lot though. This person is a jerk but I'm sticking with them because I love them, I'm going to kill this person because I love them, I'm going to tell this person I love them so they'll do what I want, I love you so you do this, etc, etc, ad nauseam. So the concept? Brilliant. In practice?

I haven't seen one instance yet of anyone truly loving someone else and I'm jaded enough to be a realist and think that it may be beyond people in general. Not saying it can't happen, nothings impossible, merely greater or lesser degrees of probability. But I think we can safely rule this one out.

So, basically you're saying that love is a concept that is inherently unattainable. If that is true, then explain this story to me. This is a completely true story--a recording from the people it happened to.


You can't tell me that love doesn't exist, or that it's unattainable if such pure joy and contentment can be found just in the presence of another. And I know many others in my life who are in relationships like this--where they could be in Hawaii or in a hellhole and still love each other unconditionally.

I don't think love can be quantified, or its symptoms documented. It's a word we attach to a set of feelings and situations, which typically revolve around our perceptions on the presence of another. It isn't a word like "water" or "rock" which directly refers to something solid. It's just our best guess at how to describe it. That is why the way I worded it was so similar to Creation arguments: it can neither be proven nor disproven. I mean, have you ever tried to tell someone who believes they are in love that they're not? What kind of argument do you pose? And how often do they actually listen to it?

You can argue about the existence and validity of "love" in all its forms all day, but to say that there can't be something that can keep two people together through heaven or hellfire just shows how blind you are to the world around you.

 

[similar.squirrel]

The Race Must Continue. The Race MUST Continue. That's what love is. It's still nice, though.

 

[The Human Torch]

Love to me is wanting to be with someone more than with anyone else, this includes companionship, sex, drama and growing up.

It's extremely logical to me, you like that person, you want to be with that person for as long as the good times last, makes perfect and logical sense to me.

What love is to you, is a completely individual matter and open to interpretation.

 

[Simriel]

So the slightest inconvenience causes you to leave your friends and family behind? If this is the case you deserve no friends, no family, no lovers. If you are so very selfish, you deserve to be alone.

What slightest inconvenience? Did you not read what I said? Did you not understand it? Or did you just come here to troll?

You said if a great personal tragedy caused a friend to become an inconvenience you would leave them behind. That is not friendship.

 

[Fawcks]

So the slightest inconvenience causes you to leave your friends and family behind? If this is the case you deserve no friends, no family, no lovers. If you are so very selfish, you deserve to be alone.

What slightest inconvenience? Did you not read what I said? Did you not understand it? Or did you just come here to troll?

You said if a great personal tragedy caused a friend to become an inconvenience you would leave them behind. That is not friendship.

That's reality. Call it what you like. Anyone would do the same.

 

[Simriel]

So the slightest inconvenience causes you to leave your friends and family behind? If this is the case you deserve no friends, no family, no lovers. If you are so very selfish, you deserve to be alone.

What slightest inconvenience? Did you not read what I said? Did you not understand it? Or did you just come here to troll?

You said if a great personal tragedy caused a friend to become an inconvenience you would leave them behind. That is not friendship.

That's reality. Call it what you like. Anyone would do the same.

I reject your reality and substitute my own.
In fact I can do better than quote, I can simply disprove your assertion by my everyday actions, and the actions of my friends. The fact that you believe this shows that you live a very sad, very hopeless life, and proves you do not deserve any real friendships if you would do this to them. Where I come from being a 'Fairweather friend' is considered an insult.

 

[conflictofinterests]

It's an interesting point you have there, and also a very pessimistic view of the subject. "Love" as it occurs in Western society isn't the same as "love" that occurs elsewhere, or love that occurs ideally, and a lot has to do with the cultures people are raised in. Almost every instance you cite as a reason one would be lying about being "in love" is a dysfunction that occurs as being part of a society that heavily values personal privacy and individuality, as well as having demi-taboos. There are plenty of things one cannot communicate with one's partner, even restricting oneself to ideas (which are very malleable) as opposed to actions (which one can never take back), without fear of unintentionally ending the relationship. Of course, this occurs everywhere, but some reasons for dissolution of "love" are more common to some areas than others, reflecting the values and norms of those culture areas. Ideally, one should be able to talk to their significant other about any idea they may have without having to worry that the subject matter is too inappropriate, or too ridiculous.

Outside of that, hormones have a lot to do with feelings of love, which explains why abusive and abused people so often stay with each other, despite whether or not they rationally understand how bad they are for one another.

 

[ManInRed]

Love is faith that you care about one another.

For one to believe that their partner truly cares about them. For one to believe that they truly care about their partner. The fact that you believe makes a belief real. Conditions offer doubts, which give reason a chance to alter one's beliefs. However, all ideas remain immortal, for people to hold onto forever.

Ideals are never achievable, they are the lights in the distance that guild the path we walk on. But faith in an ideal is the truest axiom a person can know, for it is the foundation of everything else that person knows. Logic is the house that sits on this foundation, unable to grasp the concepts holding it up unless it finds a new foundation on which to sit on.

 

[shroomie]

Yes, Love exists. I love every person I know because I have known what hate is and what it did to me for a long time, that helped me to grow as a person and love everyone, whether I know them or not. Nobody can ever tell you exactly what love is or what love feels like, but you will know it when you feel it. And if you are reading this I love you, we will most likely never meet or even know each others name but I love you because love will overcome the hate of this world one person at a time.