The Study of Love and How Social Statuses Influence Various Forms (Essay Sample)

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Reflection précis #1, The Science of Love
PART I: This essay talks about the study of love and how social statuses influence various forms. Love is an emotional feeling of intense affection towards someone. There are three types discussed in this essay namely romantic, platonic and self-love. Education, income, gender, race and religion influence the kind of people we tend to love. According to Schwartz (2013), our choices for "the love of our lives occurs along predictable lines. People fall in love with individuals they often see because they either meet them in church, schools at their place of work. Regarding U.S Census Bureau (2012d), less than 10% of all U.S marriages are interracial or interethnic and only a third occur between people of different religions. In romantic relationships, individuals prefer partners who are geographically closer to them. Social issues also influence platonic love within the parties. Friendships arise from routine interactions with another person thus; it is not possible for a friendship to develop between people who have not interacted in any way whatsoever before. Friendships arise mostly from residents in the same neighborhoods, attending the same schools and church or working in the same place. However, they differ based on people’s socioeconomic status. The middle class have friendships with non-relatives and a large geographical distance between the participants does not act as a barrier as opposed to the working classes, whose friends are most likely relatives and are of close geographical proximity. The essay also points out that social situations influence self-love. The love and feedback we receive from our significant partners affect the level of self-love. Positive and encouraging comments from our loved ones increase our self-esteem and the vice versa also holds.
PART II: Regarding romantic love, I am of the view that social statuses do not influence it. An individual can fall in love with a person of a different race, education level and also of a different religion. Love is a feeling of the heart and cannot be influenced by anything that is not emotional. Here, the idea of "love at first sight" comes into play. I believe in love at first glance, and that relationships that arise from this kind of love grow and blossom into beautiful love affairs. I concur with the fact that friendships occur within people who have routine interactions be it social or economic. However, I detest the idea that bonds differ based on the par...