NationStates Jolt Archive

What is romantic love primarily? There are several theories, and actual studies into this...

I generally describe love (The feeling) as when you feel an unusual unique affinity with someone coupled with sexual feelings or romantic (obviously lol), often with bouts of affection, interest, and such. In the deepest love when some people think they have a soulmate they feel high when with the person or certain cases, they may even claim psychic connection or coincidence, extremely strong connection, etc.

I am too young to say I have ever been in love but I can say that I have experienced feelings of love, but generally the high love feelings always fade after 2 months and I have been in 2 long term (over a year) relationships.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/7a/Hk47DefLove.jpg

"... Love is knowing your target, putting them in your targeting reticle, and together, achieving a singular purpose against statistically long odds."

Sorry, I had to.

I generally describe love (The feeling) as when you feel an unusual unique affinity with someone coupled with sexual feelings or romantic
What about loving friends or family members in a non-romantic way?

What is love primarily? There are several theories, and actual studies into this...

I generally describe love (The feeling) as when you feel an unusual unique affinity with someone coupled with sexual feelings or romantic (obviously lol), often with bouts of affection, interest, and such. In the deepest love when some people think they have a soulmate they feel high when with the person or certain cases, they may even claim psychic connection or coincidence, extremely strong connection, etc.

I am too young to say I have ever been in love but I can say that I have experienced feelings of love, but generally the high love feelings always fade after 2 months and I have been in 2 long term (over a year) relationships.

Heh mainly two chemicals sloshing around in ya brain.

Love is primarily lovely.

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

There's a biological side, obviously. But I think of it more as an emotional thing. Maybe even spiritual, since I'm sappy like that.

Your poll options were...

- Biological (Endorphines or chemicals/brain)
- Psychological (Mental construct, etc.)
- Emotional (Similar to Psychological)
- Social Construct (mainly a social phenomena created by society)
- Spiritual/Supernatural (true soulmates or connections possible)


...I tend to believe that love consists of all of these things. Emotional and Biological primarily, but the others can factor in as well to varying degrees.

The complexity of the subject is what makes it difficult to define. ;)

. . . physiological, similar to indigestion.

Love is when the natural order is upside down, when the heart rules instead of the brain. I don't know, I have always found relationships a waste of time and am proud to say that I have never been in one.

Physiological.

Doesn't make it any less worthwhile.


Perhaps Emotional in the sense that you feel emotions, much like anything else.

I think there are many types of love. Mostly what you mention in the first post though I chalk up to infatuation and lust.

I think there are many types of love. Mostly what you mention in the first post though I chalk up to infatuation and lust.

Yay Limerence!

:p It's not fair though, you've got that Hubby-love thing. You'll skew results. *nodnod*

Yay Limerence!

:p It's not fair though, you've got that Hubby-love thing. You'll skew results. *nodnod*

ah, but when we got married, minister man said "you love each other right now, but one day, you are going to look at each other and you are not going to love each other.....that's when the commitment starts"

we haven't hit that point yet.

What is romantic love primarily? There are several theories, and actual studies into this...

I generally describe love (The feeling) as when you feel an unusual unique affinity with someone coupled with sexual feelings or romantic (obviously lol), often with bouts of affection, interest, and such. In the deepest love when some people think they have a soulmate they feel high when with the person or certain cases, they may even claim psychic connection or coincidence, extremely strong connection, etc.

I am too young to say I have ever been in love but I can say that I have experienced feelings of love, but generally the high love feelings always fade after 2 months and I have been in 2 long term (over a year) relationships.
The "biological," "psychological" and "emotional" options are one and the same. Your emotions and your individual 'psychology' all arise from the biological realities of your body and brain.

Love, like all emotions, is physiological in nature. How we choose to define it and express it will be largely determined by our social and cultural context.

Love is when the natural order is upside down, when the heart rules instead of the brain. I don't know, I have always found relationships a waste of time and am proud to say that I have never been in one.

Umm then how do you know? How do you know that relationships are a waste of time if you have never been in one?

Isn't that like saying naaaaa man I don't like coffee, but I have never tasted it?

According to most definitions of long-term relationships, I haven't had any. So for me, long-term is an entirely relative term, based roughly around my average time. 3 months is my average, loosely compiled and skewed against the string one-night stands that predated most of my relationships. That being said, while I acknowledge love as being desired and desirable, I also recognize that for the most part it is physiological in nature, a product of elation coupled with physical/mental attraction.

I'm still hoping on the girl that'll go 4 months. So I'm not a total cynic, or so coldly clinical about it that I take all the romance out of it. ;)

I have heard plenty about them from my friends, my enemies, my colleagues, my competitors and so on. I have entered into one because I have viewed it as a waste of time.

Ahhh so you don't know then, you belive so, but you don't really know, you have placed your trust in the words of others but you don't really know for yourself.

Heh fair doo's man, you're life an all that, but it seems a little odd to me.:eek:

Umm then how do you know? How do you know that relationships are a waste of time if you have never been in one?

Isn't that like saying naaaaa man I don't like coffee, but I have never tasted it?

I have heard plenty about them from my friends, my enemies, my colleagues, my competitors and so on. I have entered into one because I have viewed it as a waste of time.

Love is when the natural order is upside down, when the heart rules instead of the brain.

Neuroscience is your friend. :D

The heart, while a very important and powerful organ, does fuckall to generate the complex emotional responses involved in feeling "love."

Love is as much in your brain as your reason, your logic, and your conscience. Don't participate in the bullshit dualism that separates love from the brain. It's just a way people have of excusing the stupid things they do when they fail to exercise self control.

"Oh, but I was ruled by my heart!" No, dumbass, you were having some feelings. In your brain. Remember your brain? Yeah, you can use it even if you're having a feeling. Wow.


I don't know, I have always found relationships a waste of time and am proud to say that I have never been in one.
That's like being proud of never having gone to California. It's okay if you don't want to go to California, and I'm not about to force you to go if you don't want to, but it's not like it's an accomplishment to NOT go somewhere.

What is romantic love primarily? There are several theories, and actual studies into this...

I generally describe love (The feeling) as when you feel an unusual unique affinity with someone coupled with sexual feelings or romantic (obviously lol), often with bouts of affection, interest, and such. In the deepest love when some people think they have a soulmate they feel high when with the person or certain cases, they may even claim psychic connection or coincidence, extremely strong connection, etc.

I am too young to say I have ever been in love but I can say that I have experienced feelings of love, but generally the high love feelings always fade after 2 months and I have been in 2 long term (over a year) relationships.

IMHO, love is something I wouldn't know.

combinations of the above, without spiritual (i don't know what people mean with spiritual)

I'm leaning toward "social construct". Much like the word "relationship" is often used to mean a particular kind of relationship with rules and expectations, etc.

Also, psychological and emotional should not be separate. Neither should biological, unless you're implying that its a purely instinctive behaviour.

Biological (Endorphines or chemicals/brain)
Psychological (Mental construct, etc.)
Emotional (Similar to Psychological)
Social Construct (mainly a social phenomena created by society)

... a complete mystery to me.

Love does not exist, it is a myth perpetrated by the government in order to justify continued wars for energy resources in the Middle East.

Love was invented by bank managers to make us overdrawn.

Love is biological and all the other things just help setting off chemical reactions in our body which we call love.

The "biological," "psychological" and "emotional" options are one and the same. Your emotions and your individual 'psychology' all arise from the biological realities of your body and brain.

Love, like all emotions, is physiological in nature. How we choose to define it and express it will be largely determined by our social and cultural context.

Best explanation here.

Love is undoubtedly a powerful emotion in your mind, but also undoubtedly a chemical change in your brain.

Mind. Brain.

Emotion. Chemical.

Flipsides of a coin.

Why am I the only one that has voted for the '...baby that shoots you...' option?

Love is undoubtedly a powerful emotion in your mind, but also undoubtedly a chemical change in your brain.

Mind. Brain.

Emotion. Chemical.

Flipsides of a coin.

Flipsides? They all sound like the same thing to me. :P

Biological, psychological, and emotional - the three are not mutually exclusive in any way.

Neuroscience is your friend. :D

The heart, while a very important and powerful organ, does fuckall to generate the complex emotional responses involved in feeling "love."

Love is as much in your brain as your reason, your logic, and your conscience. Don't participate in the bullshit dualism that separates love from the brain. It's just a way people have of excusing the stupid things they do when they fail to exercise self control.

"Oh, but I was ruled by my heart!" No, dumbass, you were having some feelings. In your brain. Remember your brain? Yeah, you can use it even if you're having a feeling. Wow.

That's like being proud of never having gone to California. It's okay if you don't want to go to California, and I'm not about to force you to go if you don't want to, but it's not like it's an accomplishment to NOT go somewhere.

Alright, get technical with me now - you know what I was meaning.

The emotional side (i.e. the "heart") of the human is inferior and by all accounts illogical. Those that let their emotional side rule are tipping the natural order upside down. The logical side (i.e. the "brain") of the human is superior and is, you guessed it, logical. The logical side was meant to rule based on the natural order of things.

Also, I do want to go to California, however, I will put my trust in my friends, my enemies, my colleagues, my competitors and so on and see this love for what it is - a desperate ploy by the emotions to take control.

I could describe what I think other people mean by love, but that would get bitter and twisted, fast.

The feeling I get which I call love is a big, rather irrational version of "respect and admiration" for someone or something. I say 'big' because it's stronger than me, stronger than my critical sense, and it picks me up and carries me somewhere I could never have got by just willing to go there. Obviously it's not something I can control, and in fact it seems to swoop apon me at random, and where it leaves me is pretty much random, but I'm always just hugely grateful because it's such a trip.

Love is a transport of delight, someone said. Like that.

Love is psychological, filtered through societal constructs. The thought processes your brain is undergoing in turn produces some level of chemicals in the brain. (assuming your dont have a psychological disorder, in which case the brain could be producing large amounts of chemicals which may or may not be related to any type of love.)

Love is emotional? Your emotions are controlled by your psychological thought process being filtered through societal constructs and influcenced by the chemicals produced by your brain.

Love is spiritual? It depends on the way you were raised. I dont belive its spiritual, and I dont think anyone actually agreed with it either, so I won't waste time insulting such a goofy idea.

*snip*

Love is spiritual? It depends on the way you were raised. I dont belive its spiritual, and I dont think anyone actually agreed with it either, so I won't waste time insulting such a goofy idea.


You can't insult a goofy idea. It just blows you a raspberry and carries on being goofy.
Spirituality and love are similar. When they start bullying you around, you're pathetically grateful. You'll enjoy either or both if you're lucky enough to experience them.

*snip*

Love is emotional? Your emotions are controlled by your psychological thought process being filtered through societal constructs and influcenced by the chemicals produced by your brain.

*snip*

I'm going to keep teasing you, you know. Your first paragraph is the best, you're basically Wile E Coyote with the stick of dynamite in your mouth, crosseyed and watching the fuse burn.

What's the first word which springs to mind when asked to name an 'emotion?' I guarantee it's either "love" or "hate." Which, probably depends on which word your parent(s) taught you first, and that's a whole can of Pandora's worms which I won't let out of the bag at this point.

Love is an emotion. It moves you.

EDIT: GAME OVER. Insert $4 to continue, or press Exit to start again.
I'm a psycho, aren't I? Studiously avoid arguing the chestnuts, go hard on the soft and fluffy threads. I've got bats in the belfry, rats in the bag, and I'm crazy in the coconut. Ah well, at least I believe in love. :fluffle:

I hope that's not the last we'll see of Ralina

I hate it when I argue with people. Win or lose, it's never any fun for me.
But sometimes, it just seems like people drop their pants and hand me a whip. I start by just playing their game, then all of a sudden it's insane fun and I can't stop.

I'm considering spawning some new identities:

I want one for when I'm really seraphic. When I'm full of goodwill and want to make everyone as happy as I possibly can. It would have a really pretty name. E.g. "semper fidelis."

And I want another identity for my "good dog turned bad" moments. They're rare, but very destructive. I pretend to be friendly, then rip someone's throat out. I hate it when I do that, but it wouldn't be so bad with a bit of forewarning. E.g. "headbutt artist."

And I want an identity which personifies goofy humour, for when I want to make one of those dry jokes couched in clever words, but which makes fundamentally no sense. E.g. "harpo goon IV"

Then another ten identities for the things which after saying them I wish I had never said. E.g. "MeanToAnEnd" "TheDitchToDieIn" etc

And one, just one, identity for the real me. I might never use it, but it would be there if I needed it. That would of course have my real life name.

Good idea? Bad idea? Brain really not working just now? STFU?

All of them.

But I have to say I´m a true believer that you cant separate biology from emotional and spiritual, and that all of them are the same.