has humanity the intelligence to transcend love?

by the dreamer dreaming 22 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  the dreamer dreaming

  
  I suspect it is fairly rare for two people to fall "in love" with each other at the same time... it seems to me

  that many males will fall in love with just about any female that vaguely says anything approaching yes to their advances

  and that they are not nearly as descriminating as females as to who they will have sex with... I could be wrong of course ...

  however, it seems to me that many males take advantage of women when they are in the throes of Endorphin/seritonin and who knows what

  other chemical mix, is infesting their brain, which it seems it due largely to genetic issues that produce healthy children rather than healthy living conditions which often translates to the ever heard whine--- I know he is a jerk, but "I LOVE HIM."...

  Why do we outlaw prostitution which is a rational deal for sex/money but allow people to marry legally when one or both of them are mentally impaired by being under the influence of very powerful biological drugs? no business contract is legal if one or both parties are impaired.

  it seems that in some cases the endorphin [& others] effects can last as long as four years... after which time many a stray eye leads to many a stray body. btw, this is not to leave out the many females who take advantage of rich men in the clutches of hormones either
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  daystar

  Hmmm... can you tell us what you wrote in the body of the post has to do with transcending love? And what do you mean by that anyway? Do you differentiate at all between the sort of basic chemical love and any other sort of love there may be?

  I'm not trying to be at odds with what you wrote. I'm just trying to get some clarification.
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  lonelysheep

  I have my own take on this, but would like your response to daystar before I reply.
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  kid-A

  Why do we outlaw prostitution which is a rational deal for sex/money but allow people to marry legally when one or both of them are mentally impaired by being under the influence of very powerful biological drugs?

  Every action we perform is under the regulation of endogenous biological compounds, be they hormones or neurotransmitters. What published evidence are you referring to to support your hypothesis? What evidence is there that the hormonal/neurochemical changes that may take place in a state of romantic bliss actually persist for 4 years or more and can impair cognitive functioning? Sweeping statements and claims without valid evidence have no validity.
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  daystar

  Is love of any sort merely a biological function? And if so, does that invalidate it? Does that relegate it to the same level as any other biological function?

  Are there different levels of biological functions? What are "higher" biological functions, if any?

  I ask out of a certain amount of ignorance.
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  the dreamer dreaming

  Hmmm... can you tell us what you wrote in the body of the post has to do with transcending love? And what do you mean by that anyway? Do you differentiate at all between the sort of basic chemical love and any other sort of love there may be?

  by LOVE, I mean the feeling people talk about... not Agape or Philo sort of love as the greeks have differentiated... English uses love in so many ways, that it is often difficult to tell what one means by it, I apologize for the confusion....

  I am referring specifically to what happens to some people who are flooded with endorphins and get an opiate high from another person... which clouds their more rational judgements...and often, on an intellectual level they realize the person they are addicted to is more of an addiction than any rational choice... the just dont seem to realize it is just like any other substance addiction because it is internal.
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  lonelysheep

  I am referring specifically to what happens to some people who are flooded with endorphins and get an opiate high from another person... which clouds their more rational judgements...and often, on an intellectual level they realize the person they are addicted to is more of an addiction than any rational choice... the just dont seem to realize it is just like any other substance addiction because it is internal.

  Ok, I thought that is where you were leading. In other words, can a human love another and still think clearly?

  That person (I'll use myself) would have to control their thinking and separate love from controlled brain function.

  Love is a present feeling for me. And I don't expect it from anyone. I know it can end at any time, from anyone. I don't believe in being "in love." Generally speaking, I don't feel people are truly capable of holding such a feeling and remaining in touch with reality. The result of those words are labels, further labels than the word 'love' itself. It's there, I hold onto it, but I no longer allow such a thing to disallow my brain to function properly. I sometimes say it aloud because I want to, not because I feel like I have to, or that using those words with ANYONE will get me anywhere. I've been through way too much crap in life to place the word 'love' on a pedestal. It simply doesn't mean jack, but I guess I've yet to expand my vocabulary enough to replace it with more detailed descriptions of how I feel inside. For instance, I care for a lot of people, but to what extent? How else can I express that? Some might think of this as harsh and cold, but it's honest and warm.
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  kid-A

  I am referring specifically to what happens to some people who are flooded with endorphins and get an opiate high from another person...

  While there is evidence for the release of some endogenous enkephalins induced by social stimuli, this would be nowhere near the level required to classify it as a "high" in the true opiate sense. The endogenous levels just are not high enough to produce these effects without adding exogenous opiates into the mix (e.g. morphine or heroin). The cognitive and motivational effects produced by endogenous opiates never reach a level required for impairing cognition, unless there was some pre-existing neurochemical imbalance at baseline.

  In addition, the nebulous concept of "love" is not limited to euphoria. So many other elements are involved. Some use love as an anti-depressant, some to reduce anxiety, some as a distraction from stressors. In these cases, there are a multitude of other neurochemicals and hormones that would be involved beyond endorphins, serotonin or dopamine.
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  SPAZnik

  I'm not entirely sure what to make of your post.
  But the subject fascinates me. :)
  
  You said, "many males take advantage of women when they are in the throes of Endorphin/seritonin and who knows what" and "not to leave out many females who take advantage of rich men in the clutches of hormones either"
  
  I'd like to understand why you chose the phrase "take advantage of" as opposed to perhaps "respond to" or "take action in response to"?
  
  I hear this as a negative. Perhaps a lack of accountability or too much accountability on one party or another?
  
  SPAZ (of the FALLING-IN-LOVE-IS-A-PAIN-IN-THE-ASS class)
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  serotonin_wraith

  I see love as a really complicated issue. There's all different kinds of love and different reasons people like to be in love. My view on it has changed quite alot over the years. I don't see love as fancying someone immensely, wanting to be looked after, wanting company. I view 'true' love now as true care, where you would even die for that person if neccessary. But even with that, if I cared alot for someone and their actions showed they didn't care about me, my position would be forced to change.