Even educated fleas do it

February 17, 2006 10:12 AM

That thing called love."National Geographic Photographer Jodi Cobb scoured the globe to document how people define love and how it fits into their lives." Some great photos and interesting commentary.
posted by CunningLinguist (17 comments total)

Usual good stuff from National Geographic. It's not so much that love is "overrated" so much as it's been processed by the Western entertainment complex into a cheap plastic charicature of human sentiment that has almost no resemblance to authentic feeling.
posted by slatternus at 10:24 AM on February 17, 2006

She's a great communicator, both as a narrator and as a photographer. Thanks for the post.
posted by BobsterLobster at 10:59 AM on February 17, 2006

It's a comic about two naked eight-year-olds who are married.
posted by idontlikewords at 11:00 AM on February 17, 2006

Quote from the article's front page:

Scientists say that the brain chemistry of infatuation is akin to mental illness—which gives new meaning to "madly in love."

Considering that the chemistry is related to LSD, it also gives a whole new meaning to: "Be my Valentine Phenylethylamine!" (more details in The Physics and Chemistry of Love.)

When the drugs — phenylethylamine, chocolate, dopamine, alcohol, whatever — wear off is when love really begins.
posted by cenoxo at 11:01 AM on February 17, 2006

That great! Thanks CL!

My paternal grandparents are probably also a good example of the last type of love - they have been married for 71 years and have never left each other's side. They're both hitting their 90's now and I can only assume that as soon as one of them goes, the other is likely to quickly follow...
posted by vacapinta at 11:07 AM on February 17, 2006

Really interesting piece, CunningLinguist. The Japanese Lolitas phenemenon in particular was news to me.
posted by onlyconnect at 11:08 AM on February 17, 2006

(Also, the photographer really reminded me of Mary McDonnell.)
posted by onlyconnect at 11:14 AM on February 17, 2006

Yeah, I never heard of the Lolitas before either. Very freaky. Also had never heard the romantic-love-has-a-four-year-shelf-life thing before.
posted by CunningLinguist at 11:19 AM on February 17, 2006

I work with Lucy Brown, one of the researchers mentioned. Very interesting stuff.
posted by gaspode at 11:38 AM on February 17, 2006

Madly in love: Carl Tanzler (and Elena Milagro Hoyos.)
posted by cenoxo at 11:40 AM on February 17, 2006

I dunno, I read the article in the magazine and pretty unimpressed. A lot of hokey musing about her and her husband's relationship, smattered with generic human-interest stories and a Reader's Digest-level of scientific commentary. Definitely not on the level of their Africa issue.
posted by schroedinger at 11:59 AM on February 17, 2006

In the last part it looks like someone's reading a newspaper called "AI LOV YOU". What's up with that?
posted by squarehead at 12:11 PM on February 17, 2006

"No time for love Doctor Jones!"
posted by bardic at 12:31 PM on February 17, 2006

Also had never heard the romantic-love-has-a-four-year-shelf-life thing before.

I though it was the seven year itch.
posted by StickyCarpet at 2:44 PM on February 17, 2006

What do you call that feeling when you're filled with a sudden and intense urge to just ABSORB the person you love. It's not lust, exactly, but it certainly isn't anything as rational and staid as the "comfortable feeling" that is presumed to follow the 4-year romantic shelf-life. Whatever that feeling is, I still have it regularly after nearly 10 years with my gal. I've always thought of it as spikes of romantic love. Maybe the science of love isn't as settled as National Geographic would have us believe. Perhaps love science teachers should be required to read a disclaimer about alternative theories. Nice little featurette.
posted by squirrel at 4:46 PM on February 17, 2006

Nice Cole Porter ref, btw.
posted by squirrel at 5:12 PM on February 17, 2006

AI Love You
posted by hazyjane at 3:58 AM on February 18, 2006