Love is a deep feeling of affection towards someone or something, usually accompanied by a very strong emotion. There are many different kinds of love and love has always been one of the most important feelings which many living beings are capable of, it permeates human [art](art.md), culture and daily lives. Unconditional [selfless](selflessness.md) love towards all living beings is the basis of [less retarded society](less_retarded_society.md).
What is the opposite of love? Many say it is [hatred](hate.md), even though it may also very well be argued that it is rather indifference, i.e. just "not caring", because hate and love often come hand in hand and are sometimes actually very similar -- both hate and love arouse strong emotion, even obsession, and can be present at the same time (so called love-hate relationship). Love sometimes quickly changes to hate and vice versa.
As mentioned, **love is not a single feeling**, there are many types of it, for example parental love, love of a life partner, platonic love, love for a friend, towards god, of pet animal, love of art, knowledge, life, nature, as well as selfish obsessive love, selfless love and many others. Some kinds of love may be so rare and complex that it's hard to describe them, for example it is possible to passionately love a complete stranger merely for his existence, without feeling a sexual desire towards him. One may love a [beautiful](beauty.md) mathematical formula and even people who hurt him. Love is a very complex thing.
Is there a **good real life example of unconditional selfless love**? Yes. When a fascist [Brenton Tarrant](brenton_tarrant.md) shot up the Christchurch mosques on 15 March 2019 and killed 51 people, there was a woman among them whose husband said after the incident he wanted to hug Tarrant. The husband was also present during the shooting. Not only has he forgiven the killer of his wife and someone who almost also murdered him alone, he showed him loved, something which must have been unimaginably difficult and something that proved him one of the most pure people on this planet. He said about it the following (paraphrased for copyright concerns): "There is no use in anger. Anger and fight will not fix it, only with love and caring can we warm hearts. [...] I love him because he is a human being, he is my brother. [...] I don't support his act. [...] But perhaps he was hurt in his life, perhaps something happened to him. [...] Everyone has two sides, a bad one and a good one; bring out the good in you.". (source: https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/husband-forgives-new-zealand-terrorist-14154882) { This moved me so much when I read it, I can't explain how much this affected my life. I have so much admiration for what this man said and I wish I could follow his message for my whole life. Only the words of the man alone have awoken so much of the purest love in me towards every living being on this planet, which I didn't even know existed. ~drummyfish }
