What about people? Do we love others because we like their qualities, whether physical or mental? Or is it possible to love someone “for themselves alone”? Are some people ‘more lovable’ than others? Discuss this question in pairs or in groups, considering points like the following:

(i) a parent or caregiver's love for a newborn baby, for a mentally or physically challenged child; for a clever child or a prodigy?

(ii) the public’s love for a film star, a sportsperson, a politician, or a social worker.

(iii) your love for a friend, or brother or sister.

(iv) your love for a pet, and the pet’s love for you.

There is no denying the fact that the liking of an individual is highly dependent on the physical appearance and mental maturity shown at the times of interaction. Indeed some people are more lovable, but this choice depends on the individual preferences and there is no hard lined rule for this.

(i) A parent's love for a newborn baby or a mentally or physically challenged child depends only on the emotional connect and the feeling of belongingness. A parent will like the child irrespective of the mental and physical abilities but in practical terms cleverness of the child is the next benchmark for the liking.

(ii) The public's love for a film star, a sports person, a politician, a film star or sports person is based on his/her performance in the respective genre. This means that this love will eventually wither if these individuals fail to deliver on their respective jobs.

(iii) The love for siblings is basically an emotional connect. There is hardly any materialistic stance to this emotional attachment and therefore this love will remain unchanged even in the face of most difficult situations.

(iv) Love for the pets and vice versa is dependent on the compatibility between the two parties at a given instant. This means that the degree of belongingness and emotional connect can vary over time.