What Is Love?

[BloodyKun108]

I have not had much of any firsthand experience when it comes to relationships beyond misunderstandings, rejections, and being strung along. It's by no means a rule necessarily, but I'd wager many on the spectrum could relate in more ways than one. So I may come off as a bit jaded, wouldn't blame anyone for thinking so, but even now as I've already given up for many years, even just the more I see between family, friends, and strangers, the more I am convinced that at least in the modern era, everything my generation has been taught about romance has been naught but myth, whether those producing such media believe it or not, more in service to keeping people complacent than anything. May come off as a bit harsh, even, in saying many are sort of forced to delude themselves about their own relationships, and one might say as an outsider I don't have a full view, fair enough, but everything I do see points to entirely transactional relationships in one way or another when they are often spun as "providing" for one another, if not outright denied when confronted. I simply do not feel crazy whenever I'm asked about my choice to remain solitary and I explain I have my peace of mind and autonomy, even when accused of hating the other gender or being some kind of pessimist.

Now, from an entirely emotional point of view, believe me when I say there's nothing I'd like more than to find that perfect partner, even after all of the hurt, but that's just it - an appeal to emotion even my own mind tries to subject me to at times before I remind myself just how well off I am without having had to sacrifice for those who will never truly appreciate it. Everything my more logical brain tells me is that love in the sense many of us know now or even what we think of in the past may never have been "real" at all, but rather entirely product of times and economic hardships and necessities, living situation and governance, etc., and with peoples' tendencies to think narratively, along with things like religion we have collectively found a way to frame everything nicely and to shun those who might ever question the status quo. By no means is this a way for me to critique them even, just my own observations of how we've grown as a society and how it seems to no longer be sustaining us as many facets of life are trying to catch up with the rapid pace of technology and how that is shaping much of our social expectations. I'm not in favor of AI generally, but it's a bit hard to deny that many are finding companionship in such ways where it is hard to connect with other actual humans just because people have been divided more than ever, along with advancements in how we can even conceive future generations. I don't put a lot of stock in things like Kojima's Death Stranding but people closing each other off in bunkers and effectively becoming asexual doesn't seem impossible. Who knows, maybe ultimately a good thing for those of us who are just that antisocial?

 

[JayCee]

you have descrbed above , my mental point of veiw for Sooo many years .And No expectation of change in that situation . After much repeated experiences,with men and women both. And each time , Was a relief almost when those ended ,finally,
And My cynisism .Even got to the point of wanting to be atagonistic regarding thhe relationship thing. But interacting with people later on at Bars at night . It just validated my sense that people were just out there to take advantage of each other regarding sex .
Which was not my cup of tea. But it was in those situations , That unexpectedly someone seemed to want to get to know me better .Figuring it was part of the same game. But found myself just talking with him . Finding we had common beliefs about relationships.
And after a year and much experience with him.Found his point of veiw to be genuine .
It felt like a sign? We did not use the word Love , but found that we could cohabitate together . The rest is now history . Eventually just did a Quick marriage .Before a judge.
And both Loved each other till his final days . W as not smooth all the time a time went on but we had become bonded together But we got through each of those. Knowing we had discovered something uncommon and rare. In each other . And when he passed,really thought that was my end also. But knew he would want me to go on. .As best as I could.
Neither of us were diagnosed at the time. But I was suspicious,since it was in my family history . And his tendencies were obvious (Audhd) . almost twenty years later , and a official diagnosis later. It seems I may have found another on of these precious gems of a person .And even a better situation possibly . Pretty sure it will end well . As if Love could ever have a ending . Only my experience, It was just a experiential offering