Is LOVE over-rated?

I agree the word "love" is over used. You often hear people say "I love that outfit" or "I love your hair". When in reality they are saying "I like it". I think there should be a word in English which describes things that you "really like".

As for the concept of LOVE I think that humanity could improve in that regard. If we all loved a little bit more, there would be less conflict.

by Ivana Katz

Deep question .

Love falls into a lot of areas in our life.
I have friends I Love, and do not forget to tell them.
I have a 21 year old son, who lives still at home...that during the day, will say ''Mum I love you''!
I say I love you too......I tell my grandchildren all the time, and my other family members I love them.
Each person is different, how 'love' works for them in their own heart.
I believe you have to of course 'feel' that emotion...then I say it.

The love between a man and woman is again, very different...and over time, it will change.
For some, for the better.
Love is personal, and it depends on how the person has grown up...had love shown to them...and in turn how they 'feel' they can respond to it, and embrace this powerful human emotion.

by jonaja

For me, 'love' encompasses many things. Unfortunately, people too often reduce 'love' to "just a euphoric feeling felt initially which disappears over time" (sorry chipp, I'll use you as an example). This is the only brand of romantic 'love' sold to us by Hollywood, media, and the like. I feel that such portrayals of love fuel people's unrealistic expectations of what it means to love and be loved because, as chipp has pointed out, this initial feeling does fade.

Romantic love, however, is dynamic. It encompasses self-giving, mutual respect, trust and a willingness to continue loving. Yes, I am of the opinion that 'love', in addition to being an emotion we feel, is also a choice. It's a choice to share one's life with another. Stan Walker's song, "Choose you" perfectly illustrates 'love' in this light.

For this reason, I believe that in working relationships everything should be based on love. It should not be expressed sparingly. Instead, it should influence our every action, and it need not be expressed through some grand gesture. For me, helping to wash up after dinner, giving a back rub and saying 'thank you' are all expressions of love.

This is the kind of love we need.

by Vee

Yes - complete over-rated. Love is just a euphoric feeling felt initially which disappears over time. It clouds your judgement and makes you loose focus.

by chipp

I actually based this question as a consequence of watching a movie called "500 days of Summer". I agree with a lot of concepts touched in that movie and one of those is that we are subjected by outside influences to believe that love is the endall of all relationships and if you don't have it at the optimum level at all times, you have somehow failed. Perhaps that is the reason for many marriages to end!?!? Or at least a level of unhappiness in a relationship. I also feel that we either overuse the phrase "I love you" or say it when we don't really know the deeper meaning of it (and this in context of a couple's marital relationship). I was talking to a friend who is a marriage counselor who told me that many couples come to her for pre-marital counseling and when asked if they actually understand the significance of love and/or marriage, some couple do decide to wait or postpone their marriage.
Love in my opinion is not all that we need to make a relationship work. A lot more is required.

by Happy Mom

It can be overused, depending on the context. When it comes to a love based relationship in the early stages - if said in abundance it is too euphoric.

by Justine Crowley

I don't think love is something that can actually be marketed. Sure, we can be encouraged to buy chocolates or flowers for our loved ones in valentines day, but the emotion of love is one that is felt by the individual. It feels good and what are we doing here if not to experience a connection with others? Not just in a sexual or euphoric sense, but there is love of friend to friend, love of parent to child and love of what one does in life to consider. I can't see how that could possibly be overrated or marketed. It just is. There should be more of it.

by Sarah Bell