authors_questions_answers Flashcards
What does Rilke suggest young people focus on before they can truly love others?
Rilke suggests that young people should focus on self-discovery, understanding their own identity, and embracing the difficulty of love before they can truly love others.
How does bell hooks differentiate between cathexis and true love?
Bell hooks explains that cathexis is the emotional investment in someone, which can occur without true love, while true love involves actively nurturing the spiritual growth of oneself and others.
Why does Fromm consider love an art rather than an emotion?
Fromm believes love is an art that requires mastery through discipline, concentration, and effort, emphasizing active giving rather than passive receiving.
What are the three brain systems Helen Fisher describes in relation to love?
Helen Fisher identifies three systems: lust (driven by hormones), attraction (linked to dopamine and norepinephrine), and attachment (mediated by oxytocin and vasopressin).
How do dopamine and oxytocin influence romantic relationships?
Dopamine creates feelings of reward and euphoria during attraction, while oxytocin strengthens pair bonding and promotes long-term attachment.
What are the barriers to kindness, according to George Saunders?
Saunders identifies three barriers: viewing oneself as the center of the universe, seeing oneself as separate from others, and believing in personal permanence above change or death.
What is the ideal ratio of positive to negative interactions in a stable marriage?
The ideal ratio is 5:1, meaning five positive interactions for every negative one.
What are the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse in relationships?
The Four Horsemen are criticism, contempt, defensiveness, and stonewalling, which predict relational breakdown.
What is the ‘good enough mother’ according to Donald Winnicott?
The ‘good enough mother’ is one who is responsive enough to meet a child’s needs without being perfect, fostering independence and emotional health.
What is the holding environment, and why is it important?
The holding environment is the supportive space provided by a caregiver, which allows a child to develop a secure sense of self and emotional stability.
How does Octavio Paz differentiate between eroticism and sexuality?
Paz explains that sexuality is tied to reproduction, while eroticism transcends biological impulses, focusing on pleasure as an end in itself.
Why does Stephen Mitchell argue that fantasy and reality coexist in romantic love?
Mitchell believes that fantasy and idealization enhance the uniqueness of romantic love, providing direction and meaning while coexisting with reality.
What are the primary attachment styles Mary Ainsworth identified?
Ainsworth identified secure, avoidant, and anxious/ambivalent attachment styles, which reflect varying levels of trust and emotional security.
What is bell hooks’ critique of society’s understanding of love?
Hooks critiques society for conflating love with romantic and sexual feelings, emphasizing that love should focus on care, respect, and spiritual growth.
Why does Rilke say love is the most difficult task?
Rilke argues that love requires patience, deep understanding, and embracing its challenges, as it is the most significant endeavor in life.
