The Way We Are

Abstract

If we are to make informed guesses about the future of love and sex, we need to take an unblinkered look at where we were in the past and where we are today. Maybe then our crystal ball will be less opaque. This chapter starts with the way things are today. The chapter discusses the universality of passionate love and the impact of culture on passionate love. Definitions of passionate love and companionate love, and other definitions of love are provided, along with scales measuring passionate and companionate love. The chapter also discusses cultural differences in arranged marriage and marriage for love, providing examples of each.