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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 14 of 14. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by jsimle on July 19, 2004, at 18:27:53
This is my first post in this forum and I wanted to revisit a topic that 64bowtie first brought up before about the definition of love...
It is something I have also pondered and was wondering.I guess my questions are for 64bowtie in particular. I would be interested in knowing your 6 literary definitions of love.
Also from your old post, you jokingly said that hate is the opposite of love, but if it is not, then what is the opposite of hate?
Posted by pegasus on July 19, 2004, at 18:46:53
In reply to Question about love?, posted by jsimle on July 19, 2004, at 18:27:53
I think indifference is the opposite of both hate and love.
Posted by Dinah on July 19, 2004, at 19:06:15
In reply to Re: Question about love? » jsimle, posted by pegasus on July 19, 2004, at 18:46:53
> I think indifference is the opposite of both hate and love.
I think you're right.
And I'm way more scared of indifference than I am of hate or love. To me there's nothing scarier than lack of attachment. And both love and hate are forms of attachment.
Posted by daisym on July 19, 2004, at 19:35:55
In reply to Re: Question about love? » pegasus, posted by Dinah on July 19, 2004, at 19:06:15
Maybe...but I think malice is the opposite of love. There is intent to hurt...hate can be powerful but passive. You can hate someone without actively "going after" them. You can love someone that way too. Malice implies knowing what you are doing and doing it to hurt regardless. Revenge fits in with malice for me. So maybe that is just active hate.
I'd rather have someone be indifferent than working to hurt me. But then again, I'm good at ignoring indifference.
Posted by Dinah on July 19, 2004, at 19:54:03
In reply to Re: Question about love? » Dinah, posted by daisym on July 19, 2004, at 19:35:55
Oh, I didn't mean I was scared of indifference from others. That doesn't bother me a bit.
What scares me is being indifferent. I've quite a history of emotional divorce. When things get rough I quit loving and hating and am indifferent.
And that's a scary prospect to me. I'd rather love and hate or love. Once I'm attached to someone, maybe I'd even rather hate than lose the attachment.
Posted by gardenergirl on July 19, 2004, at 21:38:29
In reply to Re: Question about love? » Dinah, posted by daisym on July 19, 2004, at 19:35:55
> But then again, I'm good at ignoring indifference.
Indifferent to indifference? I love it!
:)
gg
Posted by pegasus on July 19, 2004, at 21:43:57
In reply to Re: Question about love?, posted by gardenergirl on July 19, 2004, at 21:38:29
Posted by 64bowtie on July 20, 2004, at 1:41:28
In reply to Question about love?, posted by jsimle on July 19, 2004, at 18:27:53
jsimle,
Welcome! Thanx for your interest...
You shared:
> Also from your old post, you jokingly said that hate is the opposite of love, but if it is not, then what is the opposite of hate?
><<< Please forgive if I led you believe that that was what I meant. I always used to think that the opposite of love was hate, until my mentor David Peck pointed out to our study group that the opposite of love is indifference. Kids hate. Adults who have'nt made it to maturity might also hate, can be confusing. It's about reasoning solely with feelings. Mature adults mix in logic and feelings to make decisions, because thay can. Indifference requires reasoning more sophisticated than what kids can do. Kids aren't bad when they hate, but adults probably are, bad to themselves.
Hope this 'splainsit for ya', (((hugs)))
Rod
Posted by pegasus on July 20, 2004, at 11:22:13
In reply to Re: Question about love? » Dinah, posted by daisym on July 19, 2004, at 19:35:55
Yeah, I think I have to agree here. Maybe it's not the type of thing that really has only one opposite. Because from the receiving end, hate and love feel entirely different. Although from the giving end, I think they feel eerily similar in intensity and focus. From the giving end I think indifference seems more opposite, and from the receiving end probably hate feels that way.
Or maybe it's even more complicated than that!
pegasus
Posted by 64bowtie on July 21, 2004, at 23:40:21
In reply to Question about love?, posted by jsimle on July 19, 2004, at 18:27:53
Posted by Wildflower on July 22, 2004, at 10:08:21
In reply to Re: Question about love? Thanx for followup » jsimle, posted by 64bowtie on July 20, 2004, at 1:41:28
Rod - You mentioned in your post that you studied with Peck. I didn't realize that he held study groups? Where is it that he does this? I've read his book and found the information very intriguing but very heavy. Everytime I go back to a passage, I'll spend days thinking about it.
On the whole love/hate debate, I've always explained it to people that hate takes much more energy and caring. You have to have some feeling toward someone to hate them. Indifference requires no energy or emotion. Besides, some say that the only reason to hate someone is because you want to be just like them. Not too sure I agree but that's what they say...
Posted by 64bowtie on July 22, 2004, at 10:58:42
In reply to Re: Question about love? » 64bowtie, posted by Wildflower on July 22, 2004, at 10:08:21
WF,
M. Scott Peck practiced for many years in central Connecticut. He has written six or seven best sellers, most notably, "The Road Less Traveled". My mentor was David Peck, a businessman and twice credentialed Social Worker, LCSW and MFCC, from Fresno, in Central California. I knew David and his family for over 29 years. I wasn't a credentialed equal of David. He did value my insight, and toward his end, considered me an important collaborator. I hope I am giving proper honor to his intellectual legacy. David passed away in May of 2003 at age 78.
I never met Scott Peck, but I've read three of his books and skimmed two or three others. I'm awaiting a title like, "Way Further Down Other Roads, Also Not Very Traveled Often". However, "People of the Lie", keeps showing up in my mind as reference to all kinds anomolies in behaviors, motives, and feelings among clients.
Don't be taken aback by this info. Both David and Sott Peck, Gave over 30 years of their lives to promoting healthy living to their clients, co-workers, families and friends.
Thanx again...
Rod
Posted by Wildflower on July 22, 2004, at 12:36:42
In reply to Thanx for bringing this up... » Wildflower, posted by 64bowtie on July 22, 2004, at 10:58:42
Your message makes sense. The minute I saw Peck and Love/Hate in your message, I attributed them both to M. Scott Peck. It sounds like they taught similar life lessons.
Posted by 64bowtie on July 22, 2004, at 20:14:22
In reply to Re: Thanx for bringing this up... » 64bowtie, posted by Wildflower on July 22, 2004, at 12:36:42
WildFlower,
David was my friend and believed in me as much as I believed in his mission. I am caretaker of David's intellectual property, and re-read this or that magazine article he may have written over the last 12 or so years. Every time I discover something new and powerful in his thinking... He was a great mind... I am so lucky and grateful for what ever I have been able to witness and discover because of him...
Rod
This is the end of the thread.
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