Surprised to know that there are different types of love? Well yes, albeit to your surprise, love can be measured and classified. Though this may sound very calculative, you will know, once you read the article, that love can take different forms.
Love is in the truest sense, the essence of this Universe. Definitely, that is a philosopher’s interpretation of love. When viewed from the lenses of a common man, however, love has different interpretations. Most dominantly, when we talk about love, the major focus is on the bonding between a man and a woman. Love is the foundation stone of healthy relationships. When extended to your family, love has myriads of manifestations. In life, there is nothing more satisfying and emotionally pleasing than the ability to love and be loved in return.
Types of Love
In our society, love has been given different names. Eros, Storge, Pragma, Agape, Ludus, and Mania are the six types of love that are known by the intensity and intent of how we love someone.
Eros―the passionate love.
Perhaps, this is the most evident form of love; all of us have experienced it at some point or the other. As the name suggests, it is a type of love in which desire, physical attraction, physical appearance, and romance are given top priority. Eros is the name of the Greek God of love. As a noun, it means ‘sexual love or desire’. In this type, the levels of passion and physical intimacy are high. People who love this way are very charged up, emotional, and gung-ho about their relationship initially … but as time passes, the intensity reduces.
| Love is merely a madness; and, I tell you, deserves as well a dark house and a whip as madmen do; and the reason why they are not so punish’d and cured is that the lunacy is so ordinary that the whippers are in love too.
– William Shakespeare |
Storge―an emotional bonding.
Pronounced as Stor-gay, this form talks about the familial love we experience in our society. The love we feel for our parents and siblings is what constitutes storge. It is beautiful to experience this bonding; lucky are the people who have families. When extended to love between couples, storge focuses on building a compassionate, caring, and emotional bonding.
Pragma―the need-based love.
Ever met people who’re practical and completely rational in their relationships? Pragma focuses more on needs and wants―educational qualifications, professions, income, social status, common hobbies, parental possessions, material belongings, etc. Partners measure their satisfaction in the relationship as per convenience. The day their heart takes over … well, it’s a mistake of a lifetime.
Agape―the divine love.
Agape (pronounced as A-GAH-pey) in Greek, is considered to be the purest form of love. It promotes brotherly affection and love for each other. In fact, it is exactly what all religions have been trying to teach us. It is basically love for all around us; to possess a compassionate heart. A mention of this love in the Bible goes like this: If a person has material resources and the love (agape) of God within him, his heart will take care of his brother who is in need (1 John 3:17).
| True love is like a ghost; everyone talks of it, few have seen it.
– Francois De La Rochefoucauld |
Ludus―the euphoric love.
People who have a tendency of giving up on relationships as soon as the initial euphoria is over, are said to be in a Ludus form of love. A ludus lover does not work toward a long-term commitment, and senses a form of thrill only in the initial days of the relationship.
Mania―the obsessive love.
As the name suggests, this is the worst form of love. It is full of extreme reactions like insecurity, jealousy, obsession, compulsion, and unrealistic demands. While a partner may feel important initially―given that his/her partner is so dedicated to him/her―the truth is far from different. Breaking away from such a relationship is equally difficult; do it NOW.
We are all humans and we are all different. The bottom line is―you’ve got to be happy. If your relationship isn’t healthy, somewhere you’re at fault too. Though all relationships have their ups and downs, certain forms of love are only about the downs. Blessing in disguise, wasn’t it? This article?
