Among other things it w/could still need to be:

- Monogamous/Exclusive - family and/or platonic love doesn't need to be. You can have as many brothers, sisters and friends as you like and love them all equally. You can even love your fellow Man on principle. You don't put any of them on the pedestal you put a romantic lover that you're dedicated to exclusively.

- A platform to *create* a family: through sex, adoption, surrogacy, fostering, whatever.

- A partnership of true transparency: Most people, however much they love their mother and father, do not share every detail of their life with them or even share every value. Romantic love can achieve this.

Sex is a factor in 99% of romantic relationships, sure... it's not the definition of it and it's rather sad to think it is.


Romantic, platonic and familial love are all different faces of similar, but not identical coins. Either way, my reason for the thread being depressing was the OP... love (whether through friendship, dating or family) is more important than money. Love exists. Money doesn't.