In a nod to this blog’s origin, here’s an old-fashioned Q&A post. In a departure from that origin, this one is a video.
(YouTube existed back in 2006, but just barely. Jawed Karim uploaded the first video in 2005, titled “Me at the Zoo,” in which he helpfully explained that elephants have long trunks.)
In this video, I helpfully explain that romantic infatuation has a downside. It’s like a rollercoaster that hasn’t passed inspection since the Bush administration: thrilling, but risky.
Check it out if you want a longer answer, including some work by an anthropologist who fired up an MRI machine and found infatuation to share some neurological ground with substance addiction.
Happy New Year!