Love is generally confused with dependence; but in point of fact, you can love only in proportion to your capacity for independence.
Rollo MayRead
Hate is not the opposite of love; apathy is.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Apathy, or lack of interest, is a greater absence in relationships than hate.
Rollo May's quote emphasizes that true love involves passion and engagement, while apathy signifies emotional detachment. In this context, he suggests that indifference can be more detrimental to relationships than negative feelings like hate, as it implies a complete lack of care or connection.
Themes
LoveApathyRelationshipsEmotionsConnection
In practice
Example use cases
During a discussion on emotional health, one might use this quote to explain the importance of engagement in relationships.
More from Rollo May
All quotes βTo love means to open ourselves to the negative as well as the positive - to grief, sorrow, and disappointment as well as to joy, fulfillment, and an intensity of consciousness we did not know was possible before
Rollo MayRead
Terrorism and the whole drug scene are vivid examples of the fact that what persons abhor most of all in life is the possibility that they will not matter.
Rollo MayRead
Humor is the healthy way of feeling "distance" between one's self and the problem, a way of standing off and looking at one's problem with perspective.
Rollo MayRead
Beauty is the experience that gives us a sense of joy and a sense of peace simultaneously.
Rollo MayRead
The poet, like the lover, is a menace on the assembly line.
Rollo MayRead
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