This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at CU Boulder chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.
There are many ways to love. It is important to understand and recognize the different types of love we can have for ourselves and one another. To me, it’s a major component of emotional maturity. In fact, the Greeks distinguished seven separate types of love. Today, they resurface in new ways.
- Éros: This is an intimate, passionate, and sexual love. Today, this shows up in hookup culture. People have felt lust for all of time, but today’s culture accepts and accentuates the idea of a hookup.
 - Philia: This friendly type of love is characterized by loyalty and trust. It is represented by the love between friends and family. When you are hanging out with your besties and feeling fantastic, that is philia.
- Storge: Storge is an unconditional love. This might be the love a parent has for their child, or the bond between siblings. I think that originally, this love was exclusive to your genetic family, but people today have learned to have unconditional love for almost anyone.
- Agápe: This is a selfless and universal love for others and the world we live in. Loving people simply because they are also humans sharing the experiences of life is agápe. Charities, volunteer work, and acts of kindness are all examples of agápe.
- Ludus: Ludus is casual, lighthearted, and uncomplicated. It’s a very non-committal and relaxed love. The situationships of today are perfect examples of ludus.
- Pragma: This is the love that I personally long for. It’s a long-lasting and committed love that might exist between a married couple. It’s patient and sacrificial; the type of love between Jack and Rose in “Titanic”.
- Philautia: Finally, we come to what I believe is the most important type of love: self-love. The Ancient Greeks saw it as a very important love, one that makes it possible to give and receive love from others. The rise of self-care and self-acceptance in our modern society all stem from philautia.
Everybody craves love, and it’s important to distinguish each type of love that we crave. Analyzing our own emotions can help us lead a healthier life. Maybe you need more philautia, or maybe you are looking for pragma. When you cannot figure out your situationship, consider the differences between ludus and pragma. Whatever kinds of love you are seeking, you are worthy of them.Â