Platonic Love As a Form of Liberation Is Greater Than Romantic Love

  Marshona Griffin

Dr. Jalessa Harris

ENGL 2017- 65125

1 May 2025


Platonic Love As a Form of Liberation Is Greater Than Romantic Love


When you think of love, you almost always think of romance, but the most liberating form of love may not imply romance at all.  Romantic love is glorified as the highest connection in our society, while platonic love often lives in the backdrop. It is quiet and steady. However, it is exactly this quiet energy that makes Platonic love a greater form of liberation. Platonic love is reliable, and you don’t have to give of yourself in ways that romantic love implies. Unlike romantic relationships which cripples individuals and is filled with societal pressures, emotional dependecy, and romantic pressures. Platonic love offers emotional closeness and bonds with an individual, while still being able to grow and flourish.

The sociocultural constructs revolving marriage, monogamous relationships, and even living together in a partnership clearly show that they aim to succeed in life. Couples are often forced to comply with certain standards that are harmful to their mental health. In Commitment old and new: social pressure and individual choice in making relationships last, Mary Lund states, “Commitment in some relationships implies exclusivity…However, commitment to friendships, family relationships, and many other types of groups allow for other commitments” (215).  On the other hand, love that can be termed as platonic is diametrically different as it does not possess any structure. It’s devoid of the need for certification or approval, enhancing the interaction without barriers, where individuals choose freely, defining the norms that sculpt the terms of their association. Friends are seldom critiqued for the absence of shared residence, a joint bank account, or creating social media posts touting their affection for one another. Relief from cultural expectations gives a chance for individuals to experience love in the way that they want, enabling intertwine with authenticity rather than restrictions imposed by society.

Platonic love is devoid of emotional clinginess and possessiveness, which makes it one of the most liberating forms of affection. While romantic relationships can bring forth jealousy and the constant need for validation, friendships enjoy a sprinkle of independence and trust on top. Friends are permitted to change and work towards their goals without jeopardizing the connection they share. It is the absence of feeling like you own someone that allows love to blossom without obligation, fear, or insecurity. In Lesson in Love II: The Erotics of Toxicity, Luce Delire states that, “ Furthermore, capitalism encourages the application of the property form to love relationships by fostering narcissistic behavior, a major resource for toxicity” (4). Oftentimes in romantic relationships, an individual is seen as property or valued for what they have, to their partners. Something that is in their possession and with that comes alot of additional problems one does not need. In a platonic relationship, one is free to be themselves and know that they do not need to be exclusive or constantly validated emotionally to have value.

Unlike romantic relationships, friendships offer different forms of support that are not conditional on anything in particular. Unlike romantic relationships, indoctrinate social relationships bear a sense of emotional closeness that usually is attached with other forms of affection like hugging, kissing, and boundaries such as being in a relationship which can be emotionally harming. In Platonic Relationships: The Depth Behind True Friendship, Paula Thompson tells us, “That boundary can be especially liberating when you want a connection based on unconditional acceptance and respect rather than the unpredictability of romance.”  Companionship does not have such conditions and thrives on acceptance without expecting something back. Friends provide encouragement, loyalty, and care without expecting obligations which is quite different from the obligations that some with being romantically inclined to somebody. The lack of romantic expectations creates an environment where people can depend  on each other during times of hardship and not have to worry about feeling like they’re crossing the line.

Some individuals tend to suggest that romantic love offers a deeper and more complete form of connection because of the emotional, physical, and life-building intimacy which tends to accompany it. According to Dreams of Love and Fateful Encounters: The Power of Romantic Passion, Ethel Person states, “But for anyone who has been struck, there is no denying that love, though seldom endless and never perfect, is an extremely powerful force, filled with joy, as well as sorrow. Moreover, it is a force capable of changing the lover in profound ways–...” Although this view captures the importance of relationships in a romantic context, it fails to address the emotional tolls that such relationships carry, which include but are not limited to: dependency, jealousy, and the incessant need to conform to social norms and expectations. Platonic love, which does not include the physical or romantic, provides emotional gratification while avoiding those constraints. It allows individuals to create a lasting relationship without having to lose themselves in the process. In The science of why friendships keep us healthy, Zara Abrams writes, “People who have friends and close confidants are more satisfied with their lives and less likely to suffer from depression.”  In fact, the emotional closeness involved in deep friendships is just as, if not greater, than that found in romantic relationships, showing us that love does not need to be romantic in order to be complete. 

Unlike romantic relationships which cripples individuals and is filled with societal pressures, emotional dependecy, and romantic pressures. Platonic love offers emotional closeness and bonds with an individual, while still being able to grow and flourish. Many of us crave and hope for romantic love but never overshadow familial love. It could just be the most profound relationship of your life. Even your closest friend can be your soulmate. If we as society allow our minds to shift and embrace the platonic aspect of love, we can see alot more people free and content. True liberation in love comes not from romantic love but it truly comes from the liberty to love wholly without expectation, conditions, or limitation. 














Works Cited 


Delire, Luce. Https://Stillpointmag.org/Articles/Lessons-In-Love-Ii-The-Erotics-of-Toxicity/

 Issue 11: SLEEP October 2022 Stillpoint Magazine LESSONS in LOVE II: THE EROTICS of TOXICITY. Oct. 2022.


Lund, Mary. “Cooperation and Prosocial Behaviour.” Google Books, 2025, books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=GoFDbDQTD6AC&oi=fnd&pg=PA212&dq=freedom+from+societal+pressures+in+relationships&ots=6NaqIgA_HG&sig=Fdbt0Qp8gkuyLi_JUrnHU1jGbi8#v=onepage&q=freedom%20from%20societal%20pressures%20in%20relationships&f=false. Accessed 30 Apr. 2025.


Thompson, Paula. “Platonic Relationships: The Depth behind True Friendship.” ENotAlone, 31 Dec. 2024,

www.enotalone.com/article/relationships/platonic-relationships-the-depth-behind-true-friendship-r20502/.


Abrams, Zara. “The Science of Why Friendships Keep Us Healthy.” American Psychological Association, Zara Abrams, 1 June 2023, www.apa.org/monitor/2023/06/cover-story-science-friendship.


Person, Ethel. “Dreams of Love and Fateful Encounters.” Google Books, 2025, books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=sR2PhCO5mJoC&oi=fnd&pg=PR9&dq=power+of+romantic+love&ots=dSV6d4C5-A&sig=Rt9PkLFLPqWU14dfClhCv_sYPNw#v=onepage&q&f=false.Accessed 2 May 2025.

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