Unconditional Love an Oxymoron?
I read an exchange between a husband and wife in Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged. The wife originally loved the man for what she perceived was his heroism, courage, etc. Turns out he's a worthless coward, always blaming luck, other people, etc.
At a moment of revelation in which she discovers this about him, she asks him what he wants from her. He says simply, "To love me."
She responds that she had always told him why she had loved him, because of his courage, etc., and this had always angered him (because he was not courageous, etc.). So, for what was she to love him?
He said, "Not to love me for anything. But to love me simply for myself. Not for my mind, my body, my actions, my qualities, or anything like that. Just for myself."
She said, "But then what are you?"
At a moment of revelation in which she discovers this about him, she asks him what he wants from her. He says simply, "To love me."
She responds that she had always told him why she had loved him, because of his courage, etc., and this had always angered him (because he was not courageous, etc.). So, for what was she to love him?
He said, "Not to love me for anything. But to love me simply for myself. Not for my mind, my body, my actions, my qualities, or anything like that. Just for myself."
She said, "But then what are you?"