Love is probably the most complicated element of the human psyche. It is something that many cannot explain and something that many also do not understand. And conveniently, there are two four-letter l-words that are easily confused as they are both very similar. But there are fundamental differences between lust and love, and that's why I'm here!

Lust is selfish desire. It is a primal feeling that is complicated by the human mind. For example, a male animal who sees a female animal with ample mammary glands goes crazy and his desire to reproduce takes over. Humans do the same thing, only it usually isn't cute or innocent as in the animal's case. Lust also has a habit of dehumanizing the object of lust. Many times I have overheard my friends and over people admiring a woman saying things like "Man, look at those boobs!", or "I'd tap that so hard!" and various other crude remarks. As you can tell, they are focusing on parts of the person rather than the person as a whole. The object itself simply doesn't matter.

Love is the polar opposite of lust. Whereas lust is selfish, true love is selfless. Love is where the wants of the individual are overlooked in favor of the well-being of another or a group of people such as family. Love is a team sport where the feelings of all are considered first and foremost. In the context of a romantic relationship, love is based off of the entirety of the other person. Lust values the flesh while love values things like intelligence, sense of humor, and general character. When married couples are interviewed and asked "What do you like about each other?", personality and mental characteristics are always mentioned first while bodily enjoyments are usually unmentioned. Love is wanting nothing but the best for your partner and wanting to stay with your partner forever no matter what. In the case of families, love is wanting your children to thrive and be successful in their school and life. When a loving father or mother ponders something, the thought is "How will this benefit the children?" Simply put, love is about them, not us.

While they might seem similar on paper, there is a world of difference. Lust is one-dimensional while love is all dimensions.

Learn more about this author, Joel Rice.
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