This is an immature, late-adolescent phenomenon but one (like the others) which can last throughout life in certain people. Some never get beyond it at all. Such love is almost totally idealistic (not romantic) and is sometimes centred around good causes, concepts of freedom, political ideologies, and similar concerns. At this stage a youngster will throw a brick through an embassy window to protest at a country’s treatment of whales or whatever. His or her sense of outrage on behalf of the underprivileged knows no bounds, and in the name of love all kinds of unloving acts are possible.
The late adolescent loves everybody – this is probably why there is such an interest in socialism at this age. Social wrongs are seen as totally unacceptable and the young person sets out to put the world to rights.
One way of looking at this not-altogether-amicable phenomenon is to see late adolescents as groping to find a way to express their love and need for love in relation to others. Because they are still insecure in their capacity to give and receive love they generalise it to any individual or group who seems oppressed. Because such love is not inter-personal (as adult love is) the adolescent is freed from the dangers of rejection, yet able to convince him-or herself that he or she is a decent, loving person. Unfortunately, elements of hatred also intrude and those who are perceived as the oppressors are attacked to show how loving the late adolescent really is. This is probably the stage in life when love and hate are most poignantly felt, but by no means are these reactions solely found in adolescents.
Love is an ambivalent business and most psychiatrists and psychoanalysts find that hate is never far from loving feelings. The very fact that we protest our love so much often underlines feelings of hate we cannot cope with.
Out of all these complex emotions of late adolescence grows love for another individual.
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