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Author
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Topic: What is the definition of love?
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soren
Knowflake Posts: 225
From: vancouver, bc, canada
Registered: Sep 2012
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posted November 21, 2013 09:21 PM
  
What is your definition of love? Is it merely liking something a lot? Or is it deeper than that? What does it mean that if you love this planet you will help it? Does it mean that you just have to like everything a lot to help things? Or does it mean you have to care about things? Does love mean that you would sacrifice yourself for something? What is love? IP: Logged |
PixieJane
Moderator Posts: 3303
From: CA
Registered: Oct 2010
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posted November 21, 2013 10:05 PM
One of the weaknesses of the English language is it's not clear on what love is, it has too many meanings and can thus be very confusing to talk about at times. There's even a respected dictionary meaning which says "sexual attraction" which is wrong (that would be lust). But if you want to think about the concept here are 2 wiki articles to start with:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Love And the philosophy:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philosophy_of_love IP: Logged |
PixieJane
Moderator Posts: 3303
From: CA
Registered: Oct 2010
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posted November 21, 2013 10:21 PM
quote:
Originally posted by soren:
What does it mean that if you love this planet you will help it? Does it mean that you just have to like everything a lot to help things? Or does it mean you have to care about things? Does love mean that you would sacrifice yourself for something?
People can help this planet because they're selfish...after all well cared for property means more property value as well as utility (and generally speaking the logging companies that strip mine trees do so on land that the owners will likely never walk on or see but take much better care of the land and trees where they personally dwell), and then there's the long term investment as well as certain traditions and religions that value the Earth. Of course if a person is going to be held financially accountable for damage to the environment that harms other people and businesses then they'll be motivated to avoid that fate. IOW, one must care but it can be pure greed and other selfishness that motivates it. Reasonable hunting can help the Earth and doesn't have to be love (it often isn't) but people who want to "protect Bambi because I love the Earth" can lead to overpopulation which in turns destroys natural habitat (and also gets bambi invading gardens and yards looking for food) and Bambi dies a horrid death of starvation because they're "protected" from hunters (especially when other predators won't cull them). On a similar note agencies have learned that forest fires are necessary for growth whereas they did a lot of damage in making sure there were no natural forest fires (causing more trees to die off than would otherwise happen). It's interesting to me to see those who love nature for them to exercise their rugged independence (hunting, camping, etc) but also love their nation and want to be the top military power (no corporation pollutes as much as the US Government in producing & testing weapons, which Al Gore supported, btw). Of course most deal with such paradoxes (or at least divided loyalties) by refusing to think too hard about them. And just about everyone cares somewhat, otherwise they'd be dead or on the fast track. 'Course some would say many are slowly killing themselves intentionally with drug abuse, but those people say they LOVE alcohol or meth or whatever it is showing they care about something. In the case of alcoholics I bet they'd be upset to learn about their wineries and breweries shutting down because the organic components could no longer be grown due to pollution... And what about people who abuse themselves in the name of religion? Historically many ascetics and the like felt righteous to not only retreat from the world but to whip, starve, and mutilate themselves, or even refuse to bathe, because they wanted to show their love for God by rejecting (and sometimes hating) the world that they saw as the dichotomy of God. And some people hurt those they love above all others, sometimes out of revenge (as love makes one vulnerable and thus easy to hurt the most, many who wish to then return the favor) to that's just how they are. Some people here at LL think Scorpio shows love be slowly stinging them to death. Does it mean sacrifice? It can, but not necessarily. Of course if a person doesn't care anyway (which can easily be the case if the said person lost everyone they ever loved already) then it can actually be much easier for that person to sacrifice themselves, too. Love can also keep people from braving danger or sacrifice as they don't want to lose the one they love, and that's especially true in the case of dependents...who's going to fight the power or whatever, especially in a likely suicidal way, if they know their children or pets will likely suffer as a result of their death? Best to avoid danger in that case. Some crime families even maintain order by a policy of killing the entire family of someone (either in addition to or instead of) who they feel has done them wrong, and it works to keep most people in line. IP: Logged |
NoRainNoRainbows
Moderator Posts: 902
From:
Registered: Aug 2013
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posted November 22, 2013 12:05 PM
quote:
Originally posted by soren:
What is your definition of love? Is it merely liking something a lot? Or is it deeper than that? What does it mean that if you love this planet you will help it? Does it mean that you just have to like everything a lot to help things? Or does it mean you have to care about things? Does love mean that you would sacrifice yourself for something? What is love?
to me it's when the hearts listen and feel each other so well, that the minds and lips don't need to work at all, it's above the material world and straight in the spirit realms when it is real, hence why sacrifice won't matter, it's a foreign concept as we see it right now, in those 'upper realms'....
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andstuff
Moderator Posts: 2376
From:
Registered: Jun 2012
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posted November 22, 2013 12:37 PM
worshipping and feeling tenderness for all living things that start making sense and being beautiful because that person is around and because that person is the way (s)he isIP: Logged |
Randall
Webmaster Posts: 34749
From: Saturn next to Charmainec
Registered: Apr 2009
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posted November 22, 2013 02:55 PM
Universal or romantic?IP: Logged |
soren
Knowflake Posts: 225
From: vancouver, bc, canada
Registered: Sep 2012
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posted November 22, 2013 08:44 PM
Well I made this post because of something that Little Grandmother Keisha Crowther said which was that if we love and be love we will do what's best for nature and the planet. And I just wondered that if I have never experienced much pain myself if I can still emphasize and care with things outside of myself. And furthermore will I only give my love and care to things which I view as in pain and needy.
Anyway I have learned a bit about love in the past couple days.
Pixie: People can be hypocrites. But I think that all people are good. Randall: I would say I am referring to universal love. Just love in general. Not exclusive to "being in love" but the definition could include it. I still should read the links that Pixie sent. I wonder does love stem from the desire to make things better? Or is it the feeling that takes place when things stop going badly and start going good? Well I guess love is enjoyment. There are many feelings that come attached to love. Such as care and inspiration. But ultimately love is just enjoyment probably. Andstuff: When you said "that start making sense" that makes me think of what Keisha said, that when you love that you can start to remember who you are, and I guess where you are. She thinks when you live from the heart and not the mind that you become much more intelligent. IP: Logged |
Ellynlvx
Knowflake Posts: 1546
From: Mountain Gate
Registered: Aug 2013
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posted November 24, 2013 10:21 AM
Pinning down Angels.IP: Logged |
Love&Light
Knowflake Posts: 1032
From: India
Registered: Oct 2011
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posted November 24, 2013 11:48 AM
Love is joy. The litmus test of whether you love is whether you feel joy. Mind you joy and not necessarily happiness. It just blooms. A person can experience joy even if he is not exactly happy. Love makes happiness and sacrifice look like school boys.  The word sacrifice has pain attached to it. But when you give yourself out of love to someone or to some cause like planet/nature conservation or anything else there is no pain. On the contrary it is the effervescence of joy that love generates that makes us take that stride. When you are in love nothing matters and yet everything matters. Its a paradox. Statutory Warning: Beware of love. Its very infectious and 'dangerous'. It can transform you. Could make a butterfly out of a caterpillar.IP: Logged |
soren
Knowflake Posts: 225
From: vancouver, bc, canada
Registered: Sep 2012
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posted November 24, 2013 02:19 PM
thanks for the replyzi think im falling in love with reality, but not like a simple child like love, ive grown older and my view on the world has become complex/complicated. i think we are but chemical reactions in a world governed by physics. yet the concious experience of it is so astounding. the fact that we came from dead material to what we are today is utterly mind blowing. i love this existence and it amazes me. i like that other people exist. i like the beauty. i feel so aware!! i feel amazing. i feel like i understand a lot about the unvierse. the universe is big. who knows how big. and us humans have thought about ways on how it first started (the big bang) and from gravity we have an idea of how it all works. i feel like i know my place is in this universe but maybe im wrong. but i feel like i know some things about reality and it so amazing. so yes. i am quite joyful. existence, and what is in existence, just wow IP: Logged |
Doux Rêve
Knowflake Posts: 6920
From:
Registered: Dec 2010
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posted November 25, 2013 06:26 AM
quote:
Originally posted by Love&Light:
Love is joy. The litmus test of whether you love is whether you feel joy. Mind you joy and not necessarily happiness. It just blooms. A person can experience joy even if he is not exactly happy. Love makes happiness and sacrifice look like school boys. The word sacrifice has pain attached to it. But when you give yourself out of love to someone or to some cause like planet/nature conservation or anything else there is no pain. On the contrary it is the effervescence of joy that love generates that makes us take that stride. When you are in love nothing matters and yet everything matters. Its a paradox. Statutory Warning: Beware of love. Its very infectious and 'dangerous'. It can transform you. Could make a butterfly out of a caterpillar.
This is really sweet.
Too bad we don't see that kinda love often.
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Randall
Webmaster Posts: 34749
From: Saturn next to Charmainec
Registered: Apr 2009
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posted November 27, 2013 03:15 PM
 IP: Logged |
Lindaland
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