In the Greek system, there are four distinct types of love. They believed in Agape, unconditional all-encompassing love like the love of the gods for humans (presumably just before the gods kill lots of people in an earthquake or a flood or something); Eros, or passionate love, usually (but not always) sexual; Philia, or friendship love, of the sort between comrades (and later used by psychologists for sexual kinks that most folks don't have and usually that the psychologist in question doesn't quite understand); and Storge, or familial love.
It occurred to me while I was preparing to shower this morning, as such things often do, that the Greeks missed a couple of types of love in their categorization.
Now, I am aware that the Greeks were legendary for their considerable talents in sorting and labeling things, an art they developed to such an advanced degree that their philosophers even devised classification systems for people (bronze, for slaves; silver, for tradesmen and politicians; and gold, for philosophers)...so it is with the greatest trepidation that your humble scribe dares to suggest that the Greek taxonomy of love might in the slightest way be lacking.
However, as much respect as I hold for their considerable skills at pigeonholing (and believe me, I hold it in exactly as much respect as it so richly deserves), I feel I must point out that their system is incomplete.
So I would like to propose two additional categories of love:
Orwellos, for compulsory love that is mandated by authority, such as the love of Big Brother, the love of Kim Jong Il, and the love of various hypothetical divine entities who love you in return but will cast you into a lake of fire if you fail to love them enough, or love them in the wrong way.
Stockholmia, or the love of one's abuser, such as the love of Patty Hearst for the Symbionese Liberation Army and the love of Linux users for Linux.
There may yet be a seventh category of love, for love of people for political institutions which act against their interests, though it is not entirely clear to your humble scribe whether that's an entirely separate category of love or simply a combination of the last two.
Edit: After further consideration and consultation with
I would therefore like to propose a seventh type of love. Following
Santoros, the love that people have for politicians or political organizations who appeal to their sense of identity while simultaneously acting against those people's own interests.
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Comments
Mind if I post a link to this on my own journal?
K.
You make me happy every time you post anything anywhere.
So maybe "friends with benefits" could be a lot of "philia" with a smattering of "eros" (or vice versa)? Just a thought...
I mean, you either feel eros for a person or you don't -- regardless of where they live, or where they actually live, or where they should live.
Likewise, whether or not they live with you or should live with you or don't live with you is kind of a non-issue if your feelings are best described as "Look, we're friends. Good friends. But our binkies ain't ever touching, m'kay?"
Wow, that explains some of that porn...
Edited at 2012-03-21 03:17 pm (UTC)
(Howdy, stranger; I don't even remember what string of lj links brought me here ..but it was worth the trip! *clicks away, chortling*)