Alain De Botton on How to Love and Avoid Loneliness (Part 1)

One of the most requested guests by Slo Mo's listeners has been British-Swiss philosopher, Alain de Botton, and I'm honored to have him on this episode and the next to talk about one of my favorite topics: Love. This is Part 1 of a two-part episode, and it may just be the paradigm shift you're looking for if you're facing challenges in the realm of love, be it giving love or receiving it (and let's be honest: who isn't?)

Alain de Botton is a philosoper and writer of essayistic books that have been described as a ‘philosophy of everyday life." He’s written on love, travel, architecture and literature. His books have been bestsellers in 30 countries and have sold millions of copies. Alain also started and helps to run a school in London called The School of Life, dedicated to a new vision of education. His latest book, published in September 2019, is a collection of essays written for The School of Life, titled The School of Life: An Emotional Education.

I love talking about love, just as much as I'm happy to discuss happiness. Alain's body and scope of work is so vast, I decided to focus this conversation entirely on love, sex, and relationships. I'm so glad I did.

Listen as we discuss:
Alain's definition of love: 'when two people meet in their raw condition.'
How the opposite of extreme of love is Loneliness, not Hatred.
How Life is a desperate emergency, and if we can just admit that, things open up.
Why Christianity gives a privileged role to those who suffer
One of the most honest takes on sex you'll ever hear
How we're always trying to get our life as close as possible to our true reality
If we're all imperfect, doesn't that make imperfection perfect?
How we've replaced happiness with "fun" just as we've replaced love with "romance"
The contradictions in love and how they're only glaring because they violate a script or story we expect from our relationship
How we shouldn't be held accountable for what we feel, but rather the actions we take based on those feelings.
Reinterpreting the typical disaster scenario in a relationship when one partner cheats on another
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Connect with Alain de Botton on Twitter @alaindebotton and alaindebotton.com

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