I have to disagree. You forget that “love” is a western (and mostly modern) invention. Up until at least the 16th century, asia had no word for love.
hmm…more of a language disagreement i think…
Sorry, that wasen’t very constructive of me…
ava, i don get this part…you say love is a western/mordern invention…meaning ppl other than does not experience love?
probably my misconception
No, the concept of “love” was introduced to asia by Christians.
You see, you didn’t marry because you “loved” someone. You married because your husband or wife was of good standing. It was the same among the upper class in medieval europe, and among the Greeks and Romans. You’d have honor, respect and devotion to your wife or husband, but love, lust and all those good things were felt for slaves, concubines, mistresses, etc.
Also, the way how some societies look at male/male love relations with more respect and esteem than those of male/female further shows that love and marriage are not always one and the same. Men in these societies, while they married and produced children with females, fell in love with other males and regarded them with lust and affection.
And, if you look at “primitive” tribes, instead of a single mother and a single father raising the child, a whole family unit raises the children. Grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins, etc, everyone takes part in the care and upbringing.
I do not think that humans were made to mate or fall in love with one partner throughout their entire life. That is why I think it is especially beautiful when a pair can rise above their instincts and live together with complete love and devotion towards each other.
None of this proves, or even suggests, that there was no such thing as love in Asia, medieval Europe, etc. It just shows that love and marriage haven’t always been welded together. This is of course true. It is still so in parts of the world.
I have read several love stories from Chinese mythology, and a happy ending means the couple gets married, an unhappy that they’re separated. Even if love and marriage weren’t necessarily one and the same in ancient Chinese society, they were certainly connected.
first things first…cites?
kk…from what i think you are saying is that…
theres no true love between husband and wife is before westernization
Yea, its really wonderful if everyone can live in peace and harmony and no more wars or petty arguments forever. In other words, utopia.
We gotta be abit realistic, albeit somewhat pessimistic. Believing the utopia only makes you sadder.
Hmm…you seem rather biased upon pre-westenized civilisations. Nvm, maybe its just me.
A gd factual cite will do the trick 