Sex and the Sacred in North American Indigenous Art

PDF version Anthropologist Charles Lindholm (2006) writes about romantic love as a yearning for the sacred. According to philosopher Irving Singer (1984), romantic love is a combination of various aspects of love, ranging from the libidinal to the ideal. The … Continue reading

How the Australian Bullroarer Invokes the Happiness of Sexual Love

PDF version Aboriginal Australians had a longstanding belief that tjurunga—the bullroarer—brings happiness in life and lovemaking. Why so and how? Over years, anthropologists explored the rituals associated with these culturally symbolic objects. What is the Bullroarer? The bullroarer is a … Continue reading

A Towering Figure in the Study of Love: Obituary for Helen Fisher

PDF version Helen Fisher, one of the towering figures in the study of love, passed away on August 17, 2024, in New York, United States. She was trained as a biological anthropologist, mainly at Rutgers University, New Jersey. She used … Continue reading

Why Some Single People Are Happy While Others Aren’t

PDF version The long-standing cultural beliefs have taught us that being single, not in a relationship, makes people unhappy. The people in our life may pressure us to find a soulmate. Should I really have a romantic partner to be … Continue reading

Modern Teens Are More Satisfied with Being Single than in Romantic Relationships

PDF version It appears that singlehood has become a substantially increasing tendency in modern societies. Many young men and women prefer to be single rather than in a committed relationship. Aspiration for a happy marriage lost its allure in the … Continue reading

How Can Love Accept Diversity in Physical Appearance?

PDF version Love allows us to accept many physical features of those we love. Scientific surveys provide an abundance of knowledge about standards of beautiful appearance (Karandashev, 2024). Why do we still love those who are not the most beautiful … Continue reading

Why Does Love Hurt? This Is What the Story of Lucy and George in “A Room with a View” Tells Us

PDF version. As I described in my previous article, modern cultures motivate us to live and love authentically. This entails being genuine and forthright with oneself and others. This also entails accepting accountability for your errors. Such an authenticity can … Continue reading

Authentic Love Is Challenging and Can Hurt

PDF version. Modern life gives us much more freedom to be authentic in our lives, relationships, and love. The freedom to be authentic with yourself is great. However, it is also challenging; the feeling of authenticity can hurt. What Authenticity … Continue reading

Are You Prone to Parasocial Love?

PDF version. The term “parasocial love” refers to a psychological experience of admiration toward another person with whom we have no real relationship. Besides, another person may be unaware of our existence. It turns out that some individuals tend to … Continue reading