What Is The Meaning Or Definition Of The Four Loves Philia Eros Storge Agape:
Love itself is a highly complicated emotion that is almost impossible to understand or explain. Most people tend to believe that love originates from the heart, but it actually starts in the brain. Researchers and psychologists, writers, and poets, all have symbolized the heart as the love symbol, but in reality, it is the brain that generates chemical reactions to make one feel loved. There are many different types and kinds of expressing love, and there are many different classifications of love in every culture. The Ancient Greeks symbolize love in four forms, Philia Eros Storge Agape. All these four types of love enhance a passionate and progressive relationship. Every relationship should have all these four loves existing and working together at the same time to ensure it lasts for a long time.
Different Types Of Love:
Following are the four different types of love as per the ancient Greeks:
Philia, Friend Bond:
Philia is love that lies within a friendship or shared goodwill. Philia is the strong bond that exists between people who share the same values, interests, activities, or even self-love. It is dispassionate, virtuous love. In this case, friendship is described as non-biological, organic, instinctive, intuitive, gregarious, and necessary. It is the least natural of love forms because humans do not need friendship in order to reproduce or regenerate. It is considered to be a higher-level love mainly because it is freely chosen. In earlier civilizations, it was the happiest and is the most full form of love but is often ignored in modern times. It is an intense form of love, though very few can glue its worth because very few can experience true friendship. It is an affectionate, warm, and tender form of platonic or non-romantic love. It ignites a desire to be friends with someone. This is the reason we sometimes feel drawn toward certain people, and we sometimes feel more attached to a friend than our family.
For example, love between friends, acquaintances, associates, groups, etc.
Eros, Romantic Love:
Eros is the sensual or sexual love that arouses romantic feelings, and that drives a romantic relationship. Eros is being in love with someone or loving someone intimately in terms of sexual passion, excluding the raw forms of sexuality. The main differentiating factor is wanting a lover or wanting one specific mate. It is one of the most desirable forms of all pleasures. It has both a positive and a negative connotation, appealing to both good and evil. It is an intense form of love that often compels us to fall in love and have sexual desires for someone. This kind of love exists in the beginning phase of a new relationship, and it may last for too long unless it is taken to the next level. It starts with a love of outer beauty, but it can later transform into the love for the beauty of the individual that goes beyond their physical attraction. The passionate feeling for one another is a precursor to entering a romantic relationship. Love that is based solely on beauty will eventually fail unless a more profound connection is formed. This is why a lot of relationships end very quickly as soon as the initial attraction is over.
For example, love between romantic partners, lovers, couples, pairs, etc.
Storge, Empathy Bond:
Storge is love that is familial. Storge is loving or liking someone in terms of fondness out of dependency or familiarity, which can be family members or people who are related in familiar ways. It is an affectionate form of love for your father, mother, son, daughter, or any other immediate or extended family member. It is explained as the most natural because it exists without coercion and emotional love because it exists due to familiarity. It includes both need-love and gift-love. Most people come to expect this kind of love, regardless of behavior or consequences. It is the kind of love that members of the same family feel for each other or the love that friends feel for one another.
For example, love and affection between parent and their children, love between brothers and sisters, love for a family member, cousin, etc.
Agape, Unconditional God Love:
Agape is a universal love that refers to selfless giving and compassion to others. Agape is the love that exists regardless of the circumstances that change or remain the same. It is the purest, perfect, sacrificial, unconditional, selfless, and the greatest or highest form of love. There is usually little or no expectation from the other end. Love always remains the same, even if there is no reciprocity. It is love that goes above and beyond the outer surface as it accepts the person for whom they are, in spite of any flaws, faults, or shortcomings. Every person strives to have this kind of love for other people. Even if you don’t like someone, you still choose to love them just as a fellow human being. This kind of love is more about making sacrificing without any expectations. It is a for of love that is expressed by a person’s behavior towards other people. Such love is unconditional for a parent for their children, or between a couple.
For example, love for strangers, visitors, etc.
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