Introduction
February is often referred to as the month of “Love,” largely due to the celebration of Saint Valentine’s Day. However, this month is also home to a variety of worldwide festivities worth mentioning, too. Throughout February, I will write a series of blog posts explaining the different phases of love and how they influence our lives.
What is Love?
Let us begin with the most fundamental question: What is love? We can all agree that love is a feeling hard to describe or fully comprehend. It can be bold, daring, euphoric, illogical, irrational, and unpredictable. Love is a complex emotion, encompassing different forms of expression. While psychologists and philosophers have yet to agree on the exact number of love types, many commonly referenced lists share five core types, which I will use as the basis for this blog.
The Five Common Types of Love
Self-love
Self-love is essential for both mental and physical health. You need to love yourself first before you are able to truly accept love from others.
Infatuation
Infatuation: usually a short-lived, intense feeling or admiration for someone. You can think of it as an idealization. Nonetheless, if it becomes uncontrollable, it can lead to unhealthy behaviors like stalking, which may cause both mental and legal issues.
Platonic Love
Platonic Love: refers to a deep affection for someone, without any sexual attraction. Many might agree, that some deep and valuable friendships started somewhat platonic and then developed into a strong “family bond.” As the saying goes, friends are the family you choose! However, platonic feelings can sometimes grow into a stalking infatuation. Moreover, it is good to know where to draw the line and keep it healthy and well-balanced to avoid disappointments and unnecessary suffering.
Romantic Love
Romantic Love: is characterized by deep, passionate, and compassionate feelings, often accompanied by sexual attraction. Many of them ended in marriage.
Unconditional Love
Unconditional Love: is considered the purest and strongest form of love. It is selfless and given without expectation of anything in return. It is the purest form of love because, in a nutshell, “God so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son for the salvation of mankind.” (John 3:16) This salvation is ONLY available to those who believe in Him, who are promised a room at His Father’s house, and everlasting life with Him in Paradise. (John 14:2) Furthermore, the Bible offers us another perspective about love, often found on military memorials: “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” (John 15:13)
Philosophical perspective: How Do Philosophers Understand Love?
To further understand love, let us look at the perspective of three major Greek philosophers: Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle, whose contributions had a significant impact on Western philosophy.
Socrates
Socrates considered love as a complex force launching you into a metamorphic personal journey toward the pursuit of knowledge, virtues, and a better understanding of existence.
Plato
Plato, a student of Socrates, added the element of feeling into the journey. For him, love began with the appreciation of beauty (physical) and evolved into love for wisdom (intellectual).
Aristotle
Aristotle, a student of Plato, emphasized the importance of true love to achieve a fulfilled life. He highlighted the importance of friendship and its pivotal effect on human development.
Modern Philosophers and the Influence of Christian Values
How about adding the definition of three modern philosophers whose work reflects the influence of these three Greek thinkers and Christian values:
Paul Tillich (1886-1965)
Tillich viewed love as the connecting funnel through which individuals are connected to each other and God, echoing the ideas of Plato.
Erich Fromm (1900-1980)
Fromm emphasized love’s role in nurturing connections and personal growth. He described it as an energetic interpersonal drive fueled by care, responsibility, respect, and knowledge, drawing inspiration from Aristotle.
N.T. Wright (1940-present)
Wright sees love as a divine gift and blueprint for ethical living, stressing its influence in shaping community, justice, and personal relationships.
Conclusion
We can conclude that, although the phases of love are complex, intricate, and multifaceted, they all have pivotal effects in our lives!
Preview
Next week, I will share with you some of the most notorious festivities and their origins.