Is Love an Occidental Invention?

The question of whether love is an Occidental invention invites us to explore the diversity of human emotions and cultural expressions. For many years, there was a prevailing belief that romantic love, as we understand it today, was a construct unique to Western cultures, emerging from the ideals of the Romantic era. However, this perspective has been increasingly challenged by anthropologists and writers who argue for the universality of love across different societies.

Notable anthropologist David Schneider emphasized that love is a complex interplay of emotional, social, and cultural factors that exists in various forms worldwide. He argued that "love is not an inherent quality of people but is shaped by social contexts and cultural practices." This suggests that while the expressions of love may differ, the core emotions are fundamentally human.

Writers like Stendhal, in his treatise "On Love," acknowledged the complex nature of love and its universal appeal. He identified stages such as admiration and desire that resonate with people across cultures, emphasizing that love transforms ordinary experiences into extraordinary ones. His famous metaphor of "crystallization" illustrates how love allows us to see beauty in our beloved, a phenomenon that transcends cultural boundaries. Moreover, Barbara H. Rosenwein, in her work "Love: A History of a Feeling," investigates the various ways love has been understood throughout different cultures and eras. Instead of providing a single definition of love, she seeks to analyze how both contemporary and historical viewpoints shape our comprehension of this profound emotion. She emphasizes the evolution of love in the Western tradition, illustrating how idealized notions of love as a perfect union of hearts and minds can be traced back to ancient Greek literature. She also highlights how these romantic ideals have influenced the ways friendship and intimacy are expressed over time. She examines the concept of love as something transcendent, moving beyond mere physical attraction to encompass a divine connection, a shift largely influenced by Christian thought. This perspective has significantly shaped the Western understanding of love. She also adds that the idea of love as an obligation rather than simply a choice, noting how Western societies have traditionally linked love with mutual responsibilities, especially within marriage. Finally, she addresses the more obsessive and unstable aspects of love, illustrating how intense romantic feelings can lead to both joy and suffering. This analysis reveals the inherent complexity of love, challenging the idea that it is solely a modern Western phenomenon.

As the aforementioned authors demonstrate, love is not an Occidental invention. It is a universal human experience expressed and understood in myriad ways across different cultures. While cultural contexts shape how love is articulated, the underlying emotions—longing, connection, admiration—are deeply shared among all people. By engaging with diverse expressions of love, we can appreciate its profound significance in the human experience, transcending borders and traditions.

Sources

Stendhal, On Love (1822).

Barbara H. Rosenwein, Love: A History of a Feeling (2018).

Denis de Rougemont, Love in the West (1939; definitive edition 1972).

Erich Fromm, The Art of Loving (1956).