Is love the cause of all the world's problems?

Very often you hear people say all the world needs is for people to love eachother more. Is that true though?





Think about what love brings: jealousy, selfishness, distrust, hate, etc.





An example:


We love our pets. So much so that in North America we spend far more on our pets than we donate to save people who are dying in poor countries.





Is that an example of love, or of selfishness? We love our pets because they're companions to us. We keep them so that *we* don't feel lonely. If they were a wild animal we would likely consider them a pest and try to scare them off so they don't get into our trash. It's the same animal, except in the latter case it doesn't do anything for us.





You can love a person, an animal, a piece of land, money, a way of life. All of these you love because of how it makes YOU feel. If it didn't make *you* feel great it wouldn't be important to you. Because of that, isnt love a selfish emotion?





Does the world really need more love? (more below)

Is love the cause of all the world's problems?
I agree with you.every feeling we have for others is selfish.we are egoistic beings.Even when somebody we "loved" die ,we always say;why did you leave "me" alone.we love because we wane to be loved. everything we relate it to our self's
Reply:You are not describing true love. You are describing selfish desire. If you truly love someone, you want what is best for them. You will always be there for them when they need you.


No, true love is not the same, nor does it contribute, to the negative traits mentioned in your question.
Reply:Love has nothing to do with jealously. selfishness, distrust or hate.





Sounds to me like you've had some bumpy relationships.





None of those emotions come from love. You wouldn't want to make people miserable if you love them. Sure you can love them, but your actions may not always be loving.





Listen, my dog was equal as a brother to me. Call me selfish all you want but I was broken up when he died. Sure he made me happy, but what can I do? He's a living being.





I stand by this view "what the world needs now is love sweet love. It's the only thing that there's just to little of."
Reply:You don't know what love is. Too few do.
Reply:This question might attract more useful and knowledgeable answers if asked in its relevant category under Social Science.
Reply:I think the problems the world faces are due to the LACK of love in the world. We should all live by the Golden Rule. "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."
Reply:There are different kinds of love. There is a love called agape which is an unselfish love for all humanity.


You are right. Too often what people call love is really something selfish. But then we are human beings with complex needs. And not very many of us are so evolved as to be able to love all human beings equally.
Reply:There are many different factors that lead to the troubles of the world today and I have lots of info that I think you will find quite helpful and enlightening:





http://ecowellness.multiply.com/ for excellent inspirational info within my blog to help not only our world and its creatures, but to also open peoples hearts and minds to many amazing wonders that life has to offer. I also have lots of info in my blog to help fuel peoples imaginations to many possibilities that can be found only in the minds eye.





Along with lots of environmental info, amazing environmental pictures and videos (These videos show the beauty of this world and what life can be like if people take the time to appreciate life’s true beauty).





Let us all strive for a greener/brighter future by helping to create a solid foundation for future generations to build upon, so we can hand them a beautiful world, filled with never ending awe and wonders!!





Where peoples differences and uniqueness are accepted, where we all live as one, helping one another so that we can all play our own mysteriously beautiful melodies in the never ending, awe inspiring, song of life :-)





I truly have faith in humanity and believe that someday our lives and the world in which we live will truly be transformed for the better.
Reply:man,like if ya don't see a shrink or some'en you are gonna blow,,they be findin pieces everywhere%26lt;%26gt;IS%26lt;%26lt;%26gt;
Reply:Sorry but you need to find real love before you go describing it, you've obviously have your facts wrong.
Reply:I disagree. If we loved the "people who are dieing in poor countries" we would donate to them. The problem is, it is hard to truly love someone you don't even know exists.





Have you ever noticed how a lot of times if someone does something, someone will get mad, and be like "whomg why did he do that? He is stupid!" Well then once they find out it was a friend or other close person, they'll normaly immidiatly change and say things more like "Oh, i'm sure he didn't mean it! It was probably an accident."





Also not many people actualy LOVE their pets.... Most of the time people give affection and stuff to their pets, it is because it makes THEM feel better, the pets would be ok without it (sometimes even prefering they didn't). If you've ever seen the Dog Whisperer, you might have heard Caesar say it :P Almost all the problems he deals with is that the owners "love" the dog, and so they baby it. It is only after Caesar makes them treat them like a dog (which some are resistant to do because of their "love"), that the dog becomes normal again. Not only does the dog become normal, it becomes HAPPIER too.

















Edit: -.- So you intentionaly supported your statement of love not beniefiting people with PSUEDO-LOVE? -.- Wow.....





The Golden rule isn't the BEST either. The way we would like to be treated is not the same as others (see above example about babying dogs).





Love doesn't envoke usefull emotions. Love is the motivator of doing kind actions. So you see, no emotion is benificial in that way i guess... Because it only exists in our mind, not physicaly doing things to others.








LOL! True love isn't true love because it lasted. True love is something that is actualy love, not psuedo-love. And then people change, even likes and dislikes change. So then they no longer like the different person. Unconditional love would be love that would always last. Love doesn't need to be given back to you. Love is crushing the dualist illusion and realising you and the other are actualy one.