What is love really?

I want to briefly clarify an aspect of my previous post, "Objectively Thinking."


In that post, I refer frequently to the concept of "love," using its existence as the basis for my disagreement with Ayn Rand's Objectivism. But it has been brought to my attention (Thanks, Nate and Luke) that I need to clarify what exactly love is----or what exactly I mean when I use the word.

These two thinkers stressed the importance of differentiating between love as a verb and love as a noun, and also between self-less and selfish love. In this case, I think the most important distinction is between selfish love and self-less love.

I wrote that post with the concept of self-less love (though I hadn't put that name to it) firmly ingrained in my psyche. Because of this perception, I hadn't even considered that selfish love could exist. I think, in fact, many of you would question this, saying "Can it really be love if it's self-centered?"

My answer would have been no. No, it can't really be love. But Ayn Rand, I believe, would disagree. And that's why this clarifying post is necessary.

She wouldn't deny love's existence, but she would assert (I think) that our love stems from our selfish interests. I admit I am a selfish person. I know I struggle with myselfishness (I combined those words intentionally. It's poetic. I think.). And I know I can't love perfectly. But based on what I have felt and known, based on those times when I have been able to put myselfish interests aside, I believe true love stems from self-lessness. And I believe this is the model of love God has shown us, especially through the life and death of Jesus Christ.


I still believe God is love (self-less love). I still believe love exists (self-less love). And I still believe Rand's Objectivism attempts to deny both God and love (self-less love). And I think she's wrong on both counts. Sadly and depressingly wrong.


--Thanks for Reading