We are brought up on romantic love. Is this true in your experience? If so write a paper on which you first define this amorphous concept and then discuss how you came about it. For eg. Have you been influenced by media, T.V., movies in particular. Conclude by stating whether you believe in romantic love or have cast of the idea.
“I don’t care what you think, when he comes I’ll leave and won’t even turn back and look at you, he’ll love me, he won’t be like you…” Words spoken by me when I was barely 10 years of age. I was addressing my mother after we’d had an argument and referring to the arrival of my prince charming who would understand all my dilemmas and make life ‘heaven’ for me. Such is the perception of romantic love that I formed ever since I began to realize the dynamics of the relationship between a man and woman.
It is what is fed to us through nursery rhymes, and fairytales and it is a world that we do not wish to leave for fear of abandonment and loneliness. As we progress through life we are constantly exposed to the likes of television serials, movies and of course ‘mills & boon’ romances, all aimed at reinforcing the very first impressions of bliss that we formed with regard to the loved one and love life in general.
Infact, falling in love with a handsome young prince and galloping away with him into a hazy, peach orange sunset, is a romantic concept that most young girls, irrespective of race or background, embrace and ultimately grow up to anticipate. They are taught that it is a magical paradise where they will have all of their needs met - and live happily-ever-after. They are taught that getting the romance is the goal and that after that everything is smooth sailing. Romantic love is thus an emotion surrounded by myths and metaphors, motivated by false hopes and the desire for a guarantee that somehow, a miserable life can be turned into happiness at a single stroke.
Obviously that is not how it works in reality.
Robert Solomon once remarked, “Love has become an obscure ideal, like TV ads, full of promise of something fabulous yet to come, hinted at but never spoken of as such.”
We are told that we can we are in love by the we feel; the giddy disorientation, shaky, shivering hands, and your heart leaping within you. Unfortunately, these are also the warning signs of dengue fever, so it’s always a good idea to check with your do...
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... romantic feelings to emerge before they initiate romantic activities. But it works the other way around!
I personally would not cast of the idea of ‘romantic love’ as such because I believe that romantic love is powerful, but at the same time it is not omnipotent. Doubts, fears, insecurities, weak self-esteem, and silence can prevent its achievement. The problem lies not in the concept of romantic love but in the impossible demands made in its name. To be love is to realize that in the authentic relationship each person stands by his own perceptions. Sometimes its okay to go by the clichés, which facilitate togetherness, but if it becomes permanent, communication is cancelled, and one is left with a low sense of oneself.
The essence of true love can infact be compared to gift giving. The immeasurability of gift-giving, its wearying effects on the spirit when not reciprocated, can leave a person open to a tremendous sense of disappointment. This is just one of the risks a creative spirit takes in the world. Pursuing and maintaining romantic love is a risk too, but it is a wonderful risk, and it is the heavy price one might pay for it, that makes it so valuable in the first place.
Young love , a thrilling time for many . A time in where blinded young-lings cross a field unknown . A field in which one must undergo challenges and temptations . Here we have a young girl that encounters a young man , a typical boy meets girl scenarios , So it would seem . The desire to be loved can drive a person to do the craziest of things ; we are all walking proof of that . As young children one learns to express emotion through every gesture and every facial expression , through that process one realizes ones self hatred with rejection . Living in a world in which we strive to be accepted and crave to be desired . In society each gender faces different experiences ; as a man one expects a provider , a leader , a hunter and as a women
..., the society begins to see love as a goal. Romantic love becomes a noble trait and just quest if one wishes to embark on it.
Love is said to be one of the most desired things in life. People long for it, search for it, and crave it. It can come in the form of partners, friends, or just simply family. To some, love is something of a necessity in life, where some would rather turn a cold shoulder to it. Love can be the mixture of passion, need, lust, loyalty, and blood. Love can be extraordinary and breathtaking. Love being held so high can also be dangerous. Love can drive people to numerous mad things with it dangerously so full of craze and passion.
As any romantic will assert, love is by far the most powerful force known to human hearts and minds. This sentiment is espoused throughout history, almost to the point of cliché. Everyone has heard the optimistic statement, “love conquers all,” and The Beatles are certain, however idyllic it may be, that “all you need is love.” Humanity is convinced that love is unique within human emotion, unequalled in its power to both lift the spirit up in throws of ecstasy, and cast it down in utter despair.
Barbara Lee Fredrickson, a psychologist, introduces a new conception of love to the readers. She tries to simplify the perception of love most people have known for their entire life. The special bonds and magical bond that continues the love for eternity are all myths and lies. Something that poisons our minds to be committed to one another. The definition of Fredrickson’s conception of “love” is more scientific than emotional. When defining love, it is more dependent on the activity of the brain, “positivity resonance”, and love hormones. The claim that Fredrickson makes in Love 2.0 does give a critical point of love, that it is simpler than you think. However, not every conception of love does Fredrickson explain it to be biological. The
The Symposium, The Aeneid, and Confessions help demonstrate how the nature of love can be found in several places, whether it is in the mind, the body or the soul. These texts also provide with eye-opening views of love as they adjust our understanding of what love really is. By giving us reformed spectrum of love, one is able to engage in introspective thinking and determine if the things we love are truly worthy of our sentiment.
Love is affection, devotion, passion, desire, warmth, respect or loyalty. You choose. It doesn't really matter which one because they are all forms of love. Some are powerful and demand attention while others are more subtle and just below the surface. In recent years, love has drifted from these subtle levels to the more noticeable ones, namely passion. In my opinion, our society downplays the real necessity for genuine affection. By this I mean that we, as a society, spend so much time focusing on only one level of love (passion) that we tend to neglect and not recognize the need for closeness and trust (friendship). Love is an all-encompassing emotion that can be powerful and demanding, but also rewarding and pleasurable.
One may ask what love is, how do you define love? You can look up the word love in the dictionary and find ten or more different explanations. Most sociologists consider love to be learned through cultural experiences (Love). This would mean that however or if persons parents showed them love while growing up, that is how that individual would interpret love throughout their life. When the Puritans first came to America, their concept of love was less of a romantic passion and more of a deepening reciprocal of respect and affection (Seidman 16). During the Enlightenment (1714-1818), love was typically viewed as a rational and orderly experience that could be controlled by those who experienced it (Sternberg 69). Love was assumed to be a rational feeling made by rational people and thus could be controlled. This belief had a major alteration during the eighteenth and nineteenth century when people began to believe that love was uncontrollable and could happen without reason (Sternberg 70). This change in the perception of love being uncontrollable also shifted the conclusion that people were not as rational as first presumed. In the late twentieth century, love became more sexualized and erotic which became perceived as a crisis in sexual morality and marriage (Seidman 66). Love today is viewed as unobtainable by reason of Americans have unrealistic expectations of love, true love, love at first sight, and the idea that love conquers all (Love). As a result of these unrealistic views, Americans have moved back to the concept that love is controllable but not necessary for a “romantic” relationship (Sternberg 63). As presented, love and the interpretation of what love is has transformed dramatically over the past two hundred years ...
Today, romance is one of the most popular genres to watch on television. Unlike most, romance is a genre where the plot revolves around the love between two main characters as they experience the highs and lows of love. “Common themes that revolve around romantic movies are kissing, love at first sight, tragic love, destructive love, and sentimental love” (Taylor). These themes appear in many historical films and the pattern still continues in modern films as well. Watching romantic movies has a giant negative influence on the viewer's analysis of what love and relationships should really be like. These films give the wrong impression of reality when it comes to dating, marriage, having children, and even how to manage a relationship in the first place. Even though romantic movies are commonly watched, there are many effects on personal real-life relationships after watching these types of films.
Older dictionaries and encyclopedias usually refer to the romantic aspect of love, as the love in which is experienced between man and woman. In today’s society it is said that romantic love can be found regardless of your gender and based on that definition I would have to agree, but personally disagree for the simple reason that we were physically made to adapt to the other gender sexually. Feeling romantic love for the same sex would defeat the purpose of our existence, which is procreation. Thus making love for the same sex unjust. Love has been expressed since the beginning of time since Adam and Eve.
Romantic love is a poor basis for marriage because love is simply a result of a stimulated limbic system, a stable relationship cannot rely solely upon affection, financial stability is more important than an emotion that can fade, a couple must have similar goals in life, and finally because a couple must share similar cultural and moral backgrounds.
Boston: Bedford/St. Martins,. 349. The. “Psychological Theories About the Dynamics of Love (I).” 01 Mar. 2005 http://psychology.about.com/library/weekly/aa022000a.htm Richmond, Raymond Lloyd.
An example of this might be going to dinner or the movies with a prospective mate, rather than the casual encounters that someone might have with them in everyday interactions. Intimacy does not only pertain to specific acts, but also to verbal and non-verbal expressions of love. Although verbal expressions of intimate feelings through self-disclosure are important to relationship quality, the nonverbal expression appears to be more important. In general, people rely more on nonverbal than verbal cues to interpret messages. Some examples of these nonverbal cues include touch, gaze, gestures, and time spent together.
Love is like a rose that blossoms into great beauty. Love starts with a seed that has been carefully planted in the garden. Love is much like when meeting someone for the first time. Getting to know each other is just our roots planting firmly in the ground. With each day love is growing stronger and stronger. In the poem by Ezra Pound, “The River Merchant’s Wife: A Letter” the wife married at fourteen and by the time she was sixteen her love had grown so much that she longed for her beloved husband to come home. The speaker tel...
There is many types of love, but the one that we all feel the most is the one we have for our close ones, pets, and even objects. That feeling is love. Love can be felt in a variety of ways; it may take your life, or it can just be a little crush. It is different for everyone. There is people who fall in and out of love on a daily basis, and there are those who look for love for an eternity. Love is not just for us people, it is for everyone and everything around us. We love anything we want to, but it is a way of expressing it where we show who we are.