I remember seeing it in drama school. I remember being so profoundly moved by it. I remember being so frightened by the performances in terms of seeing both sides to the thing that I think for most of us is, the most alive thing in our life, which is these, like, romantic relationships and the kind of inception of those things and the death of those things.
The term "expert" usually carries highly positive connotations-someone exceptionally skilled and knowledgeable. But is such expertise always beneficial in romantic relationships? Should you marry a romantic expert? Baruch Spinoza distinguishes three levels of knowledge: Emotional-intuitive knowledge, based on the senses and imagination-often confused and unreliable. Intellectual deliberative knowledge, grounded in universal notions-true in principle, yet often incomplete in practice. Intuitive reasoning, the highest level of knowledge, which integrates emotion and intellect, culminating in what Spinoza calls the "intellectual love of God" (1677).
As Valentine's Day approaches, we start enjoying images of ruby-red hearts, kisses, and holding hands-ideals of romantic love. But what happens the day or week after? For some, there are engagements and celebrations; for others, hurts, disappointments, breakups-some of those ruby-red hearts, broken or cracked. Lasting romance is built on a kind of love that requires more than sexy lingerie and roses; it needs trust, openness, and mutual acceptance.
I met an incredible woman on a random outing to London while I was living life in slow motion, alone in a quiet English seaside town. I fell in love in a way that surprised me, both in its speed and its certainty. I knew it was her. The relationship unfolded across train rides, weekends, and the growing realization that what I thought was a temporary chapter in my life was quietly becoming its center.
Consider a common scenario. Someone's history slowly reveals itself: a past marked by addiction, by deception, by relationships destroyed through the same behaviors now emerging in your direction. You discover that the way they treat you mirrors how they treated others before: the lying, the sneaking, the betrayals they swore were behind them. The addiction they claimed to have conquered resurfaces in different substances, different compulsions, while they remain in denial about what anyone watching from outside could plainly see.
Phubbing is a social no-no and can have a drastic impact on romantic relationships, but with smartphones playing an ever-increasing role in our lives, we've all done it Are you a phubber? Or have you been phubbed? No, we didn't make that word up, and no, it's not to be confused with Clubber, the streaming platform for club-level GAA matches. Phubbing is short for 'phone snubbing' and is a term coined well over a decade ago that describes the act of ignoring someone in favour of your phone.
Almost every intimate bond begins with some form of companionship, shared laughter, or mutual support. When that foundation begins to erode, the romantic or long-term relationship above it also begins to crack. Relationships frequently disintegrate without causing a major rift, just as friendships can slowly deteriorate. This fading can be harder to see because love, cohabitation, or family ties create a stronger sense of obligation. The signals are subtler but no less powerful.
A set of studies from the University of Toronto's "MacLab" suggest that understanding the motivations behind romantic pursuit can help distinguish between healthy, self-driven motivations and those based on fear, pressure, or insecurity.
