Love vs Infatuation
It is crucial to differentiate between love and infatuation since they are often misunderstood as the same thing. Love is a deep feeling that comes from one’s heart and soul, while infatuation is an emotion sparked by hormones. Love originates from the Old English word “lufu” and can be used as both a noun and a verb, whereas infatuation only functions as a noun. The younger generation frequently confuses love and infatuation, believing them to be identical.
Key Takeaways
- Love is a strong affection, permanent and universal, growing stronger over time, and not solely based on physical needs.
- Infatuation is an intense but short-lived passion, primarily based on physical attraction, and fades with time.
- While love is affectionate and unworldly in nature, infatuation is sensual and worldly, making long-term relationships less likely.
What is Love?
The Oxford English Dictionary defines love as “a strong feeling of affection.” In contrast to infatuation, love is affectionate and arises from affection. Love does not fade with time; it is permanent, universal, and grows stronger as time passes. Love is not primarily concerned with physical needs but involves sharing and is often unrelated to physical desires. Philosophers assert that love recognizes spiritual truth, making it unworldly in nature. Long-term relationships are more likely with love, as it does not easily break or end and is permanent compared to infatuation.
What is Infatuation?
Infatuation, as defined by the Oxford English Dictionary, is “an intense but short-lived passion or admiration for someone or something.” Unlike love, infatuation is sensual, mainly triggered by physical attraction. As a result, it tends to fade over time, with physical needs driving infatuation. According to philosophers, infatuation recognizes materialistic truth, making it worldly in nature. Long-term relationships are less likely with infatuation, which can easily break and fail, being momentary and impermanent.
What is the difference between Love and Infatuation?
• Love is affectionate, while infatuation is sensual.
• Love grows stronger with time, whereas infatuation fades.
• Love is unworldly, and infatuation is worldly.
• Love does not fail, but infatuation can.
• Love is permanent, while infatuation is not.
