# Love is overrated **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 28, 2018, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/love-is-overrated/811378 "2018-03-28T21:38:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![GreenWyvern](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/greenwyvern/32/2834_2.png) [@GreenWyvern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenWyvern)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2018, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/love-is-overrated/811378/61 "2018-03-30T13:49:32Z")
[**The Rose** - sung by Bette Midler](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zf5UfOuvQHQ) \*Some say love, it is a river That drowns the tender reed. Some say love, it is a razor That leaves your soul to bleed. Some say love, it is a hunger, An endless aching need. I say love, it is a flower, And you its only seed. [_lyrics snipped_]\* ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2018, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/love-is-overrated/811378/62 "2018-03-30T15:24:26Z")
> [@GreenWyvern](#): > > [**The Rose** - sung by Bette Midler](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zf5UfOuvQHQ) > > \*Some say love, it is a river > That drowns the tender reed. > Some say love, it is a razor > That leaves your soul to bleed. > > Some say love, it is a hunger, > An endless aching need. > I say love, it is a flower, > And you its only seed. > > [_lyrics snipped_]\* I snipped the lyrics for copyright issues. Please do not post full lyrics. You can link to them instead. ---
**Author:** ![begbert2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/begbert2/32/3357_2.png) [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2018, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/love-is-overrated/811378/63 "2018-03-30T17:35:01Z")
> [@Machinaforce](#): > > I’m kind of expecting something serious here. I was being serious, in my two-line reply. Sometimes things are pretty simple. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2018, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/love-is-overrated/811378/64 "2018-03-30T22:02:26Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > Love is a **rose** > but you better not pick it > It only grows when it’s on the vine. Waitaminute. It’s NOT “nose?” ---
**Author:** ![Sefton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Sefton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sefton)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2018, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/love-is-overrated/811378/65 "2018-03-30T22:23:48Z")
\*Tell zeal it wants devotion; Tell love it is but lust; Tell time it is but motion; Tell flesh it is but dust. And wish them not reply, For thou must give the lie. \* Sir Walter Raleigh, _The Lie_ ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2018, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/love-is-overrated/811378/66 "2018-03-30T22:32:25Z")
Ah, then Ian Anderson cribbed from Raleigh in _Velvet Green_, _Now, I may tell you That it’s love and not just lust And if we live the lie, let’s lie in trust_ The rest of that stanza is the most elegant vulgarity I can ever remember hearing. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2018, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/love-is-overrated/811378/67 "2018-03-31T01:45:07Z")
Love. You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means. ---
**Author:** ![Machinaforce](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/aeb1de/32.png) [@Machinaforce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machinaforce)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2018, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/love-is-overrated/811378/68 "2018-03-31T02:35:47Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > What personal experience do you have with love? Mine is almost entirely positive, and one of the greatest parts of my life. That could fall under the illusion aspect of love, how it is said that it plays a trick on the mind. The more that I analyze love and pick it apart the less magical and positive it seems. It seems like the paragraph I mentioned about love being an illusion might be right. That we love the concepts in our head that we project outward rather than the people themselves. In a sense it’s like meaning and construction. I have known love, but I have also known that it’s not the force for good that people think it is. The more evidence I read that supports that the more that I have to agree. Sure it feels good, but most illusions tend to do so. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2018, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/love-is-overrated/811378/69 "2018-03-31T02:40:16Z")
> [@Machinaforce](#): > > That could fall under the illusion aspect of love, how it is said that it plays a trick on the mind. The more that I analyze love and pick it apart the less magical and positive it seems. It seems like the paragraph I mentioned about love being an illusion might be right. That we love the concepts in our head that we project outward rather than the people themselves. In a sense it’s like meaning and construction. > > I have known love, but I have also known that it’s not the force for good that people think it is. The more evidence I read that supports that the more that I have to agree. Sure it feels good, but most illusions tend to do so. Okay, so you feel shitty, but there’s no need to spread your bad vibes around with us, dude. We’re mostly happy here, and love has worked out pretty well for most of us. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2018, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/love-is-overrated/811378/70 "2018-03-31T02:41:02Z")
> [@Dung\_Beetle](#): > > Happiness is a warm gun. Nice, Dung, nice.🙂 ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2018, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/love-is-overrated/811378/71 "2018-03-31T02:45:32Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > Waitaminute. It’s NOT “nose?” Why would your nose grow when it is on the vine? You got some kind of Pinocchio think going on when you drink? ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2018, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/love-is-overrated/811378/72 "2018-03-31T02:55:34Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > Okay, so you feel shitty, but there’s no need to spread your bad vibes around with us, dude. We’re mostly happy here, and love has worked out pretty well for most of us. Yes, love has worked out quite well here too. **Machinaforce** is very cynical about love, unfortunately. ---
**Author:** ![GreenWyvern](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/greenwyvern/32/2834_2.png) [@GreenWyvern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenWyvern)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2018, 8:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/love-is-overrated/811378/73 "2018-03-31T08:10:29Z")
Unfortunately, **Machinaforce** is like a person who is tone-deaf arguing that music is overrated. Or like a person who is colour-blind saying, ‘What’s the big deal with different wavelengths of light? Colour perception happens in the brain, so it’s all an illusion anyway.’ We can only feel sorry for him. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2018, 9:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/love-is-overrated/811378/74 "2018-03-31T09:51:38Z")
> [@Machinaforce](#): > > That could fall under the illusion aspect of love, how it is said that it plays a trick on the mind. The more that I analyze love and pick it apart the less magical and positive it seems. It seems like the paragraph I mentioned about love being an illusion might be right. That we love the concepts in our head that we project outward rather than the people themselves. In a sense it’s like meaning and construction. > > I have known love, but I have also known that it’s not the force for good that people think it is. The more evidence I read that supports that the more that I have to agree. Sure it feels good, but most illusions tend to do so. How is this different from your other threads? You question a Human’s ability to believe in _anything_ they experience, yes? Humans are frail. Yes. One can only choose How to Live in a way that works for them. That often includes Love. Your call. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2018, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/love-is-overrated/811378/75 "2018-03-31T14:18:51Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > [_Love Ain’t Nothing But Sex Misspelled_](https://books.google.com/books/about/Love_Ain_t_Nothing_But_Sex_Misspelled.html?id=jxhoAwAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=kp_read_button#v=onepage&q&f=false) I’m not sure Harlan Ellison is the best go-to for advice on love. A story circulating fandom has a tall blonde woman getting on an elevator with Ellison already on board. As the doors close he looks her up and down before saying, “What would you say to a little fuck?” She looks down at him and replies, “I’d say, ‘How ya doin’, little fuck?'” ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2018, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/love-is-overrated/811378/76 "2018-03-31T14:31:44Z")
Love was out to get me. That’s just the way it seemed. ---
**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2018, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/love-is-overrated/811378/77 "2018-03-31T14:44:18Z")
Love \*is \*overrated in pop culture though. What we need are more songs about like. I’ll start: _I like beer. It makes me a jolly good fellooooow_… ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2018, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/love-is-overrated/811378/78 "2018-03-31T15:00:24Z")
Which nobody can deny! ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2018, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/love-is-overrated/811378/79 "2018-03-31T17:20:09Z")
some people love beer, though ---
**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2018, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/love-is-overrated/811378/80 "2018-03-31T18:14:10Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > some people love beer, though Yes, but do they love beer too much to ever start liking it? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/love-is-overrated/811378.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/love-is-overrated/811378.md?page=5)