Relationship Vectors

[skorpionuk]

When thinking about how I interact with other people, there are generally three categories I use to understand the shape of the relationship. These are a bit like vectors: a given relationship could be anywhere on each x, y and z axis.

FriendshipI describe as "friends" people whose personalities I like, whom I have respect for, and whose company

Comments

[skorpionuk]

all three ... feed into each other but are separate
Yes, I think of them as the descriptors for Venn diagrams.

Maybe romance is on the same continuum as obsession, but less far along?
Hmm, perhaps. It would be good to be able to work out what kinds of emotions and/or thoughts are part of "romance" (and "obsession" - though I can tell you what thought patterns generate obsession for me out of relatively-thin air).

[zenithed]

Wow, you think about this a lot more than I do! Then again your life is probably more complicated than mine.

[skorpionuk]

Alternatively, my life is more complex (I don't think of it as complicated) because I think this way.

[sea_of_flame]

I don't know a great deal about the formal definitions, but it sounds as though you might find it of interest to read up on some of the ancient Greek terms for different types of love - philos, agape, charitas... (those are from memory, so are not necessarally a full list or correctly spelt, I'm Latin not Greek by schooling ;)

[skorpionuk]

Yup, I am somewhat familiar with those, and they may be what's influencing my thinking here.

[skorpionuk]

Trust is a tricky beastie... I tend to sprinkle mine around here and there, some with friends, some with partners, never too much in one place.

[soviet9619]

"it seems plausible to me that I don't have sufficient data to extrapolate from."

I hope this detailed (and very interesting) post isn't just an excuse for more fieldwork?

[skorpionuk]

Hahaha no! But that only because I never need more excuses for fieldwork. And that may be my new favourite euphemism.