What is Love?

[Diana Hignutt]

Wasn't sure where to ask this...it has philosophical, political, biological, scientific, religious, and sociological undertones, really. But, this seems the best place to me. If a mod disagrees, move it to whereever you deem best. No problems.

So, what is Love? Is it a change in consciousness caused by involuntary hormonal production...a chemical illusion of feeling? Is it something that exists in some Platonic idea state, a higher emotion that takes control of consciousness? Is it the height of humanity, or a lingering misunderstanding of lust that dooms us to jealousy and violence? Is it some diety's or the universe's itself's longing for unity? Does consciousness itself exist in another dimension (as some of the new physics might suggest) and love is thereby a function of this extra-dimensionality?

What say you?

 

[scarletpeaches]

Baby don't hurt me. Don't hurt me, no more.

 

[ejaycee]

Whether it's just a chemical reaction, or instinctive, or spiritual, or what have you, I don't really mind.
It just is.

 

[poetinahat]

What... is... Love?

How do you say delicious?
How do you say delovely?
How do you say delectable?
How do you say devine?
How do you say degroovy?
Dewith it?
How do you say Deee-Lite?
We’ve been trying to find out
Is there really such a thing?

 

[scarletpeaches]

Love is not a noun; it's a verb.

 

[Diana Hignutt]

Love is not a noun; it's a verb.

It's both, isn't it? Noun usage: A mother's love for her child is a wonderful thing. Verb: I love you. See. It's both. It's like magic almost.

 

[Alpha Echo]

Love is not a noun; it's a verb.

As the country song goes "It's something that we do."

But I see what you mean Diana. I think it can be a noun also. I have love for my husband...but I also actively love him through the way I live my every day life.

It's a feeling that I literally feel fill up my heart, or my chest. When I focus on it, it's so filling that it's hard to breathe.

But I love through hugging my stepdaughter, teaching her, reading to her, holding her hand, putting her needs before my own every single day...

 

[Paul]

and I'd like to know the meaning of life whilst we're at it. Preferable in one succinct sentence.

 

[DeleyanLee]

So, what is Love? Is it a change in consciousness caused by involuntary hormonal production...a chemical illusion of feeling? Is it something that exists in some Platonic idea state, a higher emotion that takes control of consciousness? Is it the height of humanity, or a lingering misunderstanding of lust that dooms us to jealousy and violence? Is it some diety's or the universe's itself's longing for unity? Does consciousness itself exist in another dimension (as some of the new physics might suggest) and love is thereby a function of this extra-dimensionality?

What say you?

I say that it's all those things, and probably more, and the English language is vastly incompentent for having only one word to encompass the entire realm of love and loving.

 

[EFCollins]

I say that it's all those things, and probably more, and the English language is vastly incompentent for having only one word to encompass the entire realm of love and loving.

See? This has been my argument for years. That's why I don't really believe "love" is all there is. I use the word love because there IS no other word. I say we invent more.

 

[scarletpeaches]

We don't need more. We can just steal the four Greek words.

 

[EFCollins]

Well, yeah. We could do that instead. That works.

 

[DeleyanLee]

How long has it been since the English language mugged the Greek language? Or was that a seduction? I don't remember, it's been so very long.

 

[Wayne K]

In accordance with my new avatar: Love is never having to say you're sorry.

I don't know who wrote that line, but they were dreaming.

 

[Shakesbear]

Love looks not with the eyes but with the mind
Therefore wing'e Cupid is painted blind.

 

[scarletpeaches]

Love looks not with the eyes but with the mind
Therefore wing'e Cupid is painted blind.

Whoever said that was clearly married to an ugly chick.

 

[Shakesbear]

Whoever said that was clearly married to an ugly chick.

Either that or the man has serious sight problems ...

 

[Alpha Echo]

Whoever said that was clearly married to an ugly chick.

Haha. You sound like my husband. That's something he'd say.

 

[jennontheisland]

How long has it been since the English language mugged the Greek language? Or was that a seduction? I don't remember, it's been so very long.

Forced seduction?

 

[Maxx]

Wasn't sure where to ask this...it has philosophical, political, biological, scientific, religious, and sociological undertones, really. But, this seems the best place to me. If a mod disagrees, move it to whereever you deem best. No problems.

So, what is Love? Is it a change in consciousness caused by involuntary hormonal production...a chemical illusion of feeling?
What say you?

Chemicals aren't illusory. If the chemistry is there so is the love. Voluntary hormonal production would be the more illusory/masturbatory
version of love. Love is that involuntary chemical explosion in the brain
that completely recenters motivation on a single other person.

 

[Shadow_Ferret]

Love stinks.

 

[Wayne K]

Yeah, yeah

 

[Shakesbear]

Love stinks.

Is that when you get a bad chemical reaction?

 

[TerzaRima]

The Greeks made nice distinctions among eros, philia, and agape--there should be different words to describe the feeling for a lover vs that for one's friends or one's community.

 

[scarletpeaches]

There is. It's storge.