The sting of heartbreak and the ache of loneliness is tough to take. It'd make a cynic out of anyone.

Also, I hate to say it but the immaturity about relationships doesn't stop once you reach adulthood. Plenty of people are still stuck in that 15 year old "Oooooo I love him so much!!!!!1!" mode.

Me, I love to flirt because it makes the intended target smile, and I like making people feel good about themselves and smile. I like romance for exactly what El Dinero said: for a moment either you or the person you're romancing is the center of the universe, and that is a very good feeling. As for love... It's probably the scariest thing you'll ever encounter. It makes you terrified and happy and deeply insightful but so confused all at the same time. And it stays with you. It leaves marks on you that you wouldn't even believe.

(8th October 2011 13:30)ElDinero Wrote:  Quality of life is crap in the UK? Behave. In comparison to where, when or what?

5.5million UK households are already in fuel poverty.
Nearly 4 million children are living in poverty in the UK (after housing costs).
In the UK over 13 million of us live in poverty.
Britain is likely to face an energy crisis within the next decade as its on the verge of facing power cuts, blackouts and soaring household bills.
THE UK has one of the highest tax rates for both low and high earners out of nearly 20 major economies.
A single person in Britain needs to earn at least £13,400 a year before tax for a minimum standard of living.

Maybe its 'relative bliss' for you in England, but I'm not having children until the population goes down and the quality of living comes back up, for a change.

(8th October 2011 13:37)HAYWARD Wrote:  True love is your soul’s recognition of its counterpoint in another!!
(WEDDING CRASHERS)

What?

What I just said reminded me of a quote:

"Sensuality, wanting a religion, invented Love." --Natalie Barney

(8th October 2011 14:07)thesummerqueen Wrote:  "Sensuality, wanting a religion, invented Love." --Natalie Barney

What sort of sensuality is going to invent a religion?
Is it of the I whip, you whimper kind?

(8th October 2011 02:19)searchingforanswers Wrote:  Love is nature's trick to get us to reproduce.

Love is simply our mind's interpretation of the chemical bond between two people. Different types of love for different chemical bonds. The after effects of separation is the withdrawal response to the 'breaking' of this chemical bond.

(8th October 2011 15:45)The Magic Pudding Wrote:  

(8th October 2011 14:07)thesummerqueen Wrote:  "Sensuality, wanting a religion, invented Love." --Natalie Barney

What sort of sensuality is going to invent a religion?
Is it of the I whip, you whimper kind?

When I said that romance makes you feel as if you were the center of the universe, is that not quite a bit like how religion makes you feel? As if there is a benevolent force seeing to your needs, willing to smooth the rough patches and lighten the dark places?

It's all well and good to seek out some "strange" (as Rhythm calls it) when you're at a bar and looking to get laid, but more lasting and deeper feeling is sharing sensuality with someone whose eyes you made light up with fantastic joy because you took the time to light a candle at their altar, so to speak. You concentrated, even briefly, on them and them alone, and not on you.

(8th October 2011 16:03)IATIA Wrote:  Love is simply

I don't think "simply" has any place in the discussion.

What is love?... It is that feeling that both men and women get when in my presence

(8th October 2011 16:38)thesummerqueen Wrote:  When I said that romance makes you feel as if you were the center of the universe, is that not quite a bit like how religion makes you feel?

Don’t know, never had a religion.
I thought god was supposed to be the centre for the religious.

Quote:As if there is a benevolent force seeing to your needs, willing to smooth the rough patches and lighten the dark places?

No I just wanted a friend I could touch and share with.

Love is human.

(8th October 2011 13:25)ElDinero Wrote:  Yeah, the bleak outlooks being expressed here certainly do nothing to dispel that tired old notion of atheists having nothing to live for. It's especially disheartening to see a young, cool guy like searchingforanswers expressing such cynicism about it. There is hope, however. If Sae can take her wall down and acknowledge the brilliance of love and romance, anyone can.

Firstly, regarding the kids. I think most of us have been there, in that position where you first become really interested in someone and you're convinced it's going last forever, so I try not to judge. Even in hindsight, the feelings I felt for the first girl I really liked, at age 15, seems to me as powerful a surge of emotion I've ever felt in my life. It may have been more about the adrenaline, but it was strong stuff.

Anyway, what is love? Complicated, and everyone's is different. Don't really have much more to add on it than that. On romance, however, I have plenty to say. I love romance, and being romantic, and being romanced. Making gestures to someone you care very deeply for to make them feel like they're the only person in the world that matters to you and seeing the look on their face when you do something that nobody has ever done for them before is invaluable; I wouldn't be without it.

Any of you guys saying that love is some kind of charade that we should do away with: How did you get to this point?

Yeah I can understand where you are coming from. But growing up I've seen my parents go from totally in love to totally hating each others guts. That kind of killed any idea I had that people can stay in love forever. So why bother in the first place? Honestly, most people I see getting married end up getting divorced. I've also ruined a great friendship with a girl by saying I was in "love" and things have never felt the same since. Of course that's all a part of growing up and I don't want to seem like a drama queen. But until I meet that next girl that really makes me go crazy I'll be content with non romantic love. and videogames. I love videogames.