In the TED video Why We Love, Why We Cheat, the speaker examines the reasons why people are unfaithful and recent societal changes that may make marriages long-lasting. The video discusses lust, romantic love, and attachment to a long-term partner. Although these emotions are typically directed towards one partner, it is possible to feel all of them towards different people. The TED talk also focuses on two social trends that have happened in the past years. The first change is that women are more educated now than ever before. The speaker, Helen Fisher, contends that the educational and intellectual progress of women will improve marriages (Fisher). Another change that has happened is that the world’s population is aging. Since older people are less likely to divorce, Fisher says that marriages have the potential to thrive on a long-term basis. The themes in this video include romantic love, women’s empowerment, and factors that promote or hinder love.
The main issue covered in the video is romantic love and its variations. Helen Fisher has done multiple research studies on love by analyzing romantic couples. Her talk is based on qualitative studies done by asking people across different societies to answer certain questions (Fisher). The video presents her findings on love and provides a deeper understanding of the issues related to the subject. For instance, she discusses the differences between sexual attraction, romantic love, and attachment. The speaker also explains the mechanism of the brain when a person is experiencing love and compares it to obsession. Therefore, the main theme covered by this video is romantic love.
Another theme present in the video is women’s empowerment and leadership. According to Fisher, women in the past contributed almost equally to the family needs as men did. Although the genders worked in different fields, they each brought something to the table that improved the family’s welfare. This declined with the inventions of certain machines during industrialization and put men ahead of women. However, women are now attaining the same level of education as their male counterparts. This empowers them and enables them to advance their careers. For instance, due to their creative skills, approximately 54% of journalists are women (Fisher). According to the speaker, female empowerment will result in companionate marriages. Marriages will last longer because of mutual love and respect between partners who view each other as equals. Women’s emancipation as a theme in this video is closely tied to the main issue, romantic love, because it will lead to longer-lasting marriages.
The final set of issues that these video covers include the factors that could promote or discourage love. In the first category, the speaker says that the world’s aging population will probably decrease the rate of divorce. From a study performed in fifty-eight societies, Fisher concludes that the older a person is, the less likely they are to divorce (Fisher). Therefore, since the American population is growing older, marriages will become more stable. However, Fisher also registers a concern regarding another occurrence that is likely to reduce the chances of people falling in love. The speaker has observed that more people in America are taking antidepressants for a relatively long period of time. Since these medications suppress the dopamine circuit and kill the sex drive, people are unlikely to feel lust, romantic love, or attachment. After identifying factors that increase love and those that decrease it, the speaker concludes that the world is a better place with romantic love.
Reference
“Helen Fisher: Why We Love, Why We Cheat.”YouTube. 2006. Web.