What is platonic love?

It’s often talked about.”platonic love“without having too many details about what it really means and where that concept comes from. So: what is platonic love?

This is the philosophical conception of a love without sexual or romantic ties, created by Plato in the dialogues of his work “The Symposium”. It was an idealized love without a sexual relationship.

Meanwhile, in its modern usage it is a reference to an idealization: one desires a “perfect” person.far from reality, this will never be achieved.

It is based on fantasy, it is an unrequited love that does not reflect the Platonic conception of love based on virtue.

Through the voice of Socrates in his books, Plato talks about “considering the beauty of souls more precious than that of the body”.

For the philosopher, love is something pure and passionless, a process that begins with the appreciation of a person’s physical appearance (for example, purely physical beauty) and then moves towards the appreciation of spiritual beauty.

Perfect love would exist only in the world of ideas.

Platonic love or “crush”

Among the words that the young generations have imposed in recent years there is one linked to platonic love, which has become famous through social networks.

This is the term “crush”, used in Tick ​​tock, instagram and other networks, which translated from English can mean “crushed”, but which in our language is linked to an impossible love, to a “love crush”.

Second Royal Spanish Academy, The crush is “a crude externalism, present above all on social networks”.

“Our recommendation is to use an equivalence, depending on the meaning given to the term (‘platonic love’, ‘passion’, ‘crush’, ‘who I like’, etc.),” it reads.

How long does platonic love last?

At some point in life, virtually everyone experiences a platonic infatuation or crush, which tends to last at least six months to a year, depending on the person.

This type of fantasy infatuation not only fills the affected person with emotions, but also triggers the release of dopamine, the pleasure chemical, in the brain. During this falling in love, dopamine helps intensify the feelings of happiness and well-being associated with romantic attraction.

Despite the one-sided nature of this crush, those who experience a crush often hope that, at some point, this imaginary connection will become mutual.

How do you create a platonic relationship?

This can be an emotional and spiritual relationship between two people. They both love and admire each other, they have a spiritual connection, but this does not imply a physical approach.

According to the Psychology Today portal, “most friendships begin as personal or professional.”

“In this latter type of relationship, the bond is intellectual and revolves around a common work interest. Loving others means understanding them in a special way,” he explains.

Can platonic love become romantic?

The affirmative answer is possible, but it implies taking a step towards another level of relationship. On many occasions, those two people who admire and feel affection for each other, but who have not consummated physical contact, could evolve towards a different instance.

“If both individuals decide to move forward sexually, several things can happen. If the intimacy is a positive experience, it can strengthen the connection, but if it is not, the intimacy can be harmful to the platonic relationship,” she notes the portal.

Transforming a platonic relationship to include a sexual dimension is not a simple process. Although platonic relationships can occasionally turn erotic or romantic, more often than not their strength lies in deep friendship and mutual admiration. This change involves a complex balance between the existing emotional connection and the introduction of physical intimacy, which requires open communication and mutual understanding on both sides.