He who knows nothing, loves nothing. He who can do nothing understands nothing. He who understands nothing is worthless. But he who understands also loves, notices, sees... The more knowledge is inherent in a thing, the greater the love... Anyone who imagines that all fruits ripen at the same time as the strawberries knows nothing about grapes.
-Paracelsus
Is love an art? Then it requires knowledge and effort. Or is love a pleasant sensation, which to experience is a matter of chance, something one "falls into" if one is lucky? This little book is based on the former premise, while undoubtedly the majority of today believe in the latter.
This peculiear attitude is based on several premises which either singly or combined tend to uphold it. Most people see the problem of love primarily as that of 'being loved', rather than that of 'loving', of one's capacity to love. Hence the problem to them is how to be loved, how to be lovable.
- Erich Fromm
The Art of Loving
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