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Painting of an elderly couple in 16th century attire, man in fur-lined coat and woman in white headdress on green background.

Love

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There’s no good reason to love each other – and that’s a relief

Loving is an unreasonable decision (we are all extremely unpleasant little beasts) and that’s what allows it to survive

by John Kaag

Photo of a casino scene with people, poker chips on a table, and a man lighting a cigar. A woman in a blue top smiles.

Work and vocation

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The ways Sugar Babies navigate two roles: lover and employee

‘Sugaring’ involves the commodification of romance – presenting a puzzle of love, labour and autonomy for those involved

by Brynn Valentine

Photo of a sign on a brick wall with a yellow arrow and text “Way out” in yellow on a black background.

Emotion regulation

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If feelings for an ex are troubling you, try ‘opposite action’

Acting on misguided feelings of love only fuels the emotional fire. Learn to let the fire burn out with these DBT-based tips

by Kiki Fehling

Painting of an elderly man with a beard and a young woman in a red dress, both in a warm embrace with a landscape backdrop.

Money and economics

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How your attitudes to money could be affecting your relationship

Do you see money as a way to gain freedom or status? If your partner takes a different view, there could be consequences

by Johanna Peetz

Photo of two people at a dinner table laughing heartily with wine glasses and a plate in the foreground.

Communication and language

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Why it takes humour to sustain a long-term relationship

Maintaining a long and happy relationship requires a specific skillset. Learning to laugh at yourself and together is key

by Enrico Gnaulati

Photo of a small porcelain statue of a serene figure in robes, holding a vase on a dashboard with a blurred background.

Ethics

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Morality aside, there’s another good reason to love your enemies

Wishing your antagonists well can be seen as a moral obligation or a misguided ideal. But it might serve your interests

by Alex Moran

Painting of a woman leaning over a seated man at a desk with papers, a horse race painting in the background.

Emotions

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Why is there such a thing as ‘true love’ but not ‘true grump’?

What makes an emotion feel true? And how is that connected to your true self? New insights on old philosophical puzzles

by Shayla Love

Photo of two people on a train reading Metro newspapers with headlines about royalty and sports transfers.

Love

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What I’ve learned about relationships as an agony uncle

I am an agony uncle. This is what I’ve learned about men, women and how relationships work in my 10 years of giving advice

by James McConnachie

Painting of three individuals seated at a dimly lit table with food, in a rustic interior setting, evoking a warm atmosphere.

Stories and literature

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Ovid’s tales of mutual love show he was more than a poet of rape

Ovid’s epic poem explores two sides of the Roman idea of love: one led by violence and domination, the other by mutual desire

by Stephanie McCarter

A painting of a woman sitting at a table with a glass of beer, a cigarette, and a contemplative expression in a café setting.

Love

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Why it can be sublime to love someone who doesn’t love you back

Unrequited love might be bitter and painful, but it is also the ultimate expression of your humanity. Don’t fight it

by Alexandra Gustafson

A man and a woman sit at a table in conversation, with drinks, a flower vase, and a newspaper. A puzzle, piano, and window are in the background.

Psychosis and schizophrenia

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Love can fuel the deep empathy needed to understand psychosis

Dedicated carers search for shared mooring points of understanding to help them connect with their loved ones with psychosis

by Zoë Boden-Stuart

Photo of a woman indoors holding a phone displaying a video call with four participants against a yellow wall background.

Love

idea

Digital entanglement is changing the nature of breakups

We interviewed people about their breakups to find out how matters were complicated by being technologically intertwined

by Elise van den Hoven