The Goals Of Love And Romantic Relationships - 989 Words

In a disquieting chapter on â€Å"Love and Romantic Relationships,† Kenrick, Neuberg, Cialdini (2015) list the goals of love and romantic relationships as 1) obtaining â€Å"sexual gratification†, 2) establishing â€Å"a family bond†, and 3) â€Å"gaining resources and social status† (p. 246). The authors use the â€Å"unconventional† (p. 273) relationship of Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo as a â€Å"positive† (p. 273) example of a love relationship. Numerous questions and philosophical issues may be raised by the authors perspective. One of which is that the goals listed above seem to be self-focused. Are love and romantic relationships truly about having one’s own needs met? Questions like this can best be answered by understanding the difference between selfishness, selflessness, and altruism. In a PowerPoint presentation (2010), Kenrick, Neuberg, Cialdini define pure altruism as, â€Å"behavior that benefits another intentionally for no external or internal reward† (slide 66). Neel Burton M.D. (2016) further clarifies, An act should not be written off as selfish or self-motivated simply because it includes some inevitable element of self-interest [or reward]. The act can still be counted as altruistic if the ‘selfish’ element is accidental; or, if not accidental, then secondary; or, if neither accidental nor secondary, then undetermining†¦ [This is the] very heart of ancient virtue, which can be defined as the perfection of our nature through the triumph of reason over passion. The truly altruistic actShow MoreRelated`` Friends With Benefits `` Vs. `` Blended `` : Romantic Comedies892 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"Blended†: Romantic Comedies Several people believe women prefer romantic comedies, than action movies, but I could not find statistical researches about the topic. The truth is that the majority of my girlfriends voted for romantic comedies, because these movies invigorate love, trust, inspiration, and above all, happiness instead of sadness. Romantic movies are classic, kissing, love at first sight, heartbreaking love; however, romantic comedies added the art of laughter, transforming romantic moviesRead More The Idea Of Romantic Love Essay1200 Words   |  5 Pages We are brought up on romantic love. Is this true in your experience? If so write a paper on which you first define this amorphous concept and then discuss how you came about it. For eg. Have you been influenced by media, T.V., movies in particular. Conclude by stating whether you believe in romantic love or have cast of the idea. â€Å"I don’t care what you think, when he comes I’ll leave and won’t even turn back and look at you, he’ll love me, he won’t be like you†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Words spoken by me when I was barelyRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book Blood Red Road 1044 Words   |  5 PagesSaba’s True Goal Romance can be a part of someone’s life, but it isn’t always the main focus. In the article â€Å"I Can’t Think About Kissing: Strong Female Protagonists and Romance in Dystopian Young Adult Fiction†, university student Mollie Hall discusses romance in dystopian novels: â€Å"Romance is pursued, but it is a side pursuit in the female protagonist’s journey instead of the goal.† (Hall 5). This statement is true in the novel Blood Red Road by Moira Young. Saba is a girl with a plan, who hasRead MoreBiological Factors of Human Relationships1057 Words   |  5 Pagesof relationships- whether it is romantic, friendly or family related. Many researchers have conducted studies in which they have attempted to try and explain the link between biological factors and human relationships. I am going to specifically focus on Bowlby’s study on the role of hormones in bonding, Buss’ study on women jealousy and its relation to estrogen level s, Fishers study on the brain and its role in romantic relationships, and Marazziti who studied the effect of serotonin on love obsessionRead MoreRomeo and Juliet Themes: Love889 Words   |  4 Pageshuge part of our culture today. The story of two star-crossed lovers, separated by an age-old family feud, which is eventually ended by the death of both Romeo and Juliet, is deeply embedded in our cultural psyche. It is an allegory, a story of true love and sacrifice, that continues to resonate throughout modern time. There is a great deal of social stigma attached to the story. People are very critical of Romeo and Juliet’s decisions. Also, people are inspired, interested, and influenced byRead More John Irving’s The Cider House Rules Essay1347 Words   |  6 Pageswithout love, happiness is impossible. Webester’s Dictionary defines happiness as, â€Å" a state of well being or contentment.† Three types of love which are necessary for contentment a re; familial love, romantic love and friendship. In John Irving’s, The Cider House Rules, Melony’s bitterness prevents her from developing these forms of love vital for true happiness. Her hostility towards others prevents her from developing familial love. Intense animosity and contempt ruin Melony’s romantic relationshipsRead Morelove952 Words   |  4 Pagesfrom interpersonal affection (I love my mother) to pleasure (I loved that meal). 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Romeo and Juliet can be viewed as a tragedy becauseRead MoreAnalysis Of My Life With The Wave 1497 Words   |  6 Pageswater as an extended metaphor for dysfunctional, emotional changes that occur in romantic relationships, and, more specifically, in women. The wave is personified through female characterization to highlight the uncooperative nature of women in romantic relationships. The various transformations for water act as a metaphor for various transformations in a dysfunctional romantic relationship. The water is also symbolic of love in that it goes on forever and is often inescapable. Paz effectively appliesRead More`` New Love : A Short Shelf Life, By Sonja Lyubomirsky949 Words   |  4 PagesMost people believe that love is the base of a blissful marriage, but marriage carries a bigger responsibility than just the happiness of two people. When a couple is united together under the contract of marriage, both partners have their duties in the relationship. They must share each other’s burden regarding to financial stability, caring for the children, and other factors in order to create a lasting marriage. To fall in love is a natural right that all human beings should have. But that choice