"To love is to give freely, but not harmlessly. It is impossible to explain why its object is one human being and not another; nevertheless, its dynamics were clear to the ancients, who emphasized its strategic aspect. Giving to the lover does not solicit an exchange, but constitutes a challenge. The lover tends not to take something away from the beloved, but to possess them in a sense that, alongside its sexual significance, also has political and military connotations. Eroticism would be a very insipid and vacuous experience if the lover were not exposed to the danger of defeat. (p. 113)"
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Mario Perniola
Mario Perniola (20 May 1941 – 9 January 2018) was an Italian philosopher, professor of aesthetics and author.
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