I do think love is overrated
but still has it's importance to the point there are aspects of love that are actually underappreciated so there's a guarantee our reasoning differs.
I believe love is a natural part of social life and that there is no escaping from the fact that humans as a species/animal are highly social creatures as it is a part of our strategy and strength for survival.
Where I start to think that love is overrated is when it's considered mandatory for happiness and success in modern life, that's where I call bullshit, though it could very well be due to personal bias given my background.
The background:
Spoiler
Much of my life ever since childhood was consumed by self-hatred (often times bottled up), mostly because I negatively viewed my autism as an obstacle to belonging and having value, and in my long pursuit for greatness and achievement I also desired recognition and praise from others which is normal on it's own... but it got to the point where it played a role in me growing to be overly dependent on others and so in the social sphere if I wasn't getting the attention or recognition I wanted it meant I didn't belong (yea great attitude not at all prone to bizarre logic that shifts to the mood of the moment). Even once upon a time on this very forum and into UV there were a few members I had put on so high of a pedestal that they could of never have possibly lived up to my unrealistic and unfair expectations, and when they inevitably didn't I'd act out and I think in hindsight it perhaps created a wedge between us overtime.
Combined though with broken dreams and depression in between 2010 and 2015 and after so much pain and suffering I finally came to understand that I needed real help, which started in 2015 as autism consulting where there was a strong emphasis on gaining greater independence and learning self-love. That's where I feel love is actually underappreciated, learning to love yourself. By now in the 2020's I am indeed far more independent, my outlook on my autism is now positive now that I have a better and more informed understanding of it and now embrace it as part of who I am, so much more changed for the better but the main point is that I've finally been able to make peace with my past and find a measure of happiness in my life....
.... without any relationships. Happiness is not something that a relationship can guarantee and in fact you could be even more miserable instead, happiness is something I believe comes from within when you can learn to love, nurture and take care of yourself, and this in turn has a way of attracting others which is how I am more independent but not lonely anymore.
Also I don't think love in a relationship sense makes one more dependent (unless you allow it), if anything from all that I've learned and researched each partner maintaining their own independence actually makes for a much healthier relationship.
