Is “love” significant?

[Jenny A]

Love is very important. Besides feeling good it's why parents care about their children enough to spend the time and resources to raise them, support their parents in old age, care for the sick, and a whole host of other things. It's the only reason our current dog is alive.

I would argue that compassion and empathy are more important than love. Without them, love can become tragic instead of beautiful. Compassion and empathy also lead to helping others, even when you don't know them, rescuing animals, rescuing humans even. Love is a good thing, but I think it's our compassion and empathy that give us a chance at surviving the next 50-100 years.

I'll give you that. Compassion and empathy are probably more important than love. Still rather feel love than feel compassion if I have the choice. Though love seems inevitably to come with compassion for at least one person.

But being passionately in love is a drug. The only question is whether it will end with a hang over or just settle down into something pleasant and homey.