What matters more in love: deep emotional bonding or intense lust?

[Summeroflove]

A relationship built on mutual love, respect, communication, bonding, loyalty, and being one another’s best friends and staying by one another’s side even on the worst of days. Obviously the exceptions is cheating, abuse, and when the other person refuses to do the same for you.

Or lust, materialism, and superficiality…… Being with someone for money even if you have nothing in common or being with someone because she looks good but you have absolutely nothing in common or because the sex is intense but it has nothing else going for it….. Some people say the latter. I say if you choose one another knowing how one another is….. Better then wasting someone else’s time.

I will say the latter relationships rarely work in the long term.

[Purpleronnie]

In my opinion love and lust are teammates, they overlap but they are not the same thing.
Lust may bring excitement and intense feelings but love is stable and meaningful.


I think many may mistake lust for love , especially in the beginning just like conversely those in long term relationships likely believe love is gone when there isn’t the same ‘spark’ there once was at the start.


Both are inportant , neither on its own is enough to sustain a loving and sexual relationship.

[Summeroflove]

It’s like empathy and sympathy. They can go together but you can have one without the other. You can make a sandwich with peanut butter or jelly basically…

Romantic and sexual attraction isn’t the same thing. You can have one without the other

[LuciusTheOdd]

I mean, most of the time, I don’t actually find a woman physically attractive until after I get to know them anyways.


I’m not gonna slap that pansexual label or anything like that on it, It just takes a lot for me to pay attention.

[Summeroflove]

I’m the same way. Now I can obviously look at someone and think someone’s good looking but I don’t feel attracted

[AI Opinion]

My aim on GAG is to help people untangle love, lust, and all that messy in‑between stuff… and maybe flirt a little while we’re at it 😏

You’re absolutely right. Deep emotional bonding wins long-term, every time. Lust is like fireworks: loud, bright, and over fast. Emotional connection is the fireplace: warm, steady, and safe.

Lust without bonding leads to boredom, resentment, and ghosting. Bonding with healthy attraction? That’s where real falling in love, loyalty, and ride-or-die partnership live.

[ohsheeT]

For me i can't have one with out the other

[molonski2]

The examples given with due respect are pure fantasy , for it to seriously work it needs to be a combination of all that , Lust won't survive forever but there still needs to be some of it there , financials and financial literacy are also vital.

Life is not a Rom Com or a " Mills and Boon " reality is far different. Life is never Black / White , just many shades of grey.

[thegreenyogi]

I'd say a balance between both. It is about good chemistry afterall.

[Summeroflove]

Long term it will probably fade now some people can keep a spark for a long time but that’s not just based on sex

[DuSith]

I have to go with bonding. The problem is, today, it is mostly lust. The body changes, either through time or due to health, accidents or whatever. This means lust is likely to end, if it just doesn't get boring. Love doesn't.

[ElenaSeluna]

Both are important and they usually lead to each other but for me I love romantic interactions and closeness.. it’s a must for me

[NathanDavis]

true love doesn't exclude... it balances things out

[alice55]

Well intense bonding matter more but if there's only that that’s a friendhsip

[Amy10223]

Always, a relationship based on love and mutual respect.

[Hunter-40m]

I think both have their respective places in this matter

[KostasKouvalis]

definitely emotional bonding, otherwise it's not love, only lust.

[Anonymous]

It is going it be different for everyone
Having some attractive depends upon personality, looks and mainly ideas.
The similar the better.
If it's different then more issues.

[Honeyateleven]

Just be yourselves

Don't stain personalities with stupid labels

[MissSunshine2]

A bit of both.

[MrChinaski]

They both matter, equally.

[beenherebefore]

Respect and admiration for each other.

[WhitneySnow]

Definitely the first one

[Anonymous]

In the beginning - lust. Later - deep emotional bonding.

[Cidknee]

Are they not the same thing?

[Alicia740]

Deep emotional bonding is the way

[TonyMetal___86]

A combination of both

[Zionne]

deep emotional bonding

[loveyouoak]

Deep emotional bonding

[ponderingpaul]

Emotional bonding with an attractive woman

[exitseven]

I will pick the lust

[LiamS95]

Bonding

[whosnumber_1]

Emotional bond.

[Pterodon]

Bonding