Why do we love ourselves?

Question

There must be some hormone or some genetic secret that makes us love ourselves. This could be something to do with self preservation and self propagaton and may be the complexeties of the ego, id etc added on but is that all?

Answer 1

For we are the least of a stranger to ourselves !

Answer 2

As far as biological causes are concerned it's very difficult to actually pinpoint self-preservation at the individual level beyond the simple explanation of learned behaviors. Yes, neurology, genetics, and hormones play a part in it, but we haven't discovered all of what makes humans (or any other living organism) willing to exist for the sheer sake of life.

Metaphysically speaking, there is some consideration that not only does life and nature themselve evolve, but that life and nature are the highest point of evolution in matter and energy in the universe. The problem with proving anything here is that by considering this, you have to assume that everything in the universe has a will to exist and that free will and will power are actual forces which can be scientifically proven.

Personally speaking, I believe that all of mankind loves itself not just for the understanding of self-preservation of the individual, but for the preservation of humanity since we intuitively understand how humanity is the highest level moral purpose. For me, believing that the universe just randomly came into existence doesn't cut it and to believe that life is an opportunity won by sheer lottery doesn't make sense (if the chance to live was determined by lottery, why is it that it isn't utterly thrown away more often out of carelessness?).

So why do we really love ourselves? Because it is part of how we were created. Whether you think it's because of social pressures, natural selection, or by some overseeing creator doesn't matter. Any way you put it, we love ourselves because we are basically unable to not love ourselves. Even when we claim to no do so or when we behave in a self-destructive manner, we are really loving ourselves because we are complying and following through with our own decisions.

Answer 3

If we assume that there's some super-natural power that has created us and since we believe that with faith and hope we do bring about breathtaking miracles we certainly have creator's "something" residing in us. The Creator wouldn't want us to destroy "His something" that's sign of His existence. That's probably why we love ourselves. It might also be possible that because we wallow in the Earthly ties and Earthly belongings, that grief befall us. The day we start loving "His something" more than anything else we might lose strong feeling to be alive and yet not stop loving ourselves. Not having a desire to survive doesn't necessarily mean hating ourselves. It might mean loving something beyond survival.
Dont we forego food or sleep when we are engrossed in a activity passionately? Does that mean we hate food or sleep?

Answer 4

Our body is a temple there are geometrical figures which for eg: shri yantra if you note properly is a replica of our bodies graphically. now like temple every human would love to love themselves to elavate the soul to another plateau which every second is polluted by maya our mind with desires, unending small , small desires. Whenever we nurture a child animal or a plant we can see our mirror that is our method of nourishing in the particular thing like if a child gets love he gives it back the way he got to the society, anything what you get you try to give it back , the same way like newtons law anything that goes comes back in the same manner so if we love ourselves the world will love us and we can spread our love to others and lead a happy and healthy life.

Answer 5

People are selfish they think of their own rather than thinking about others. It is true and it should be because if we dont love ourselves then how we will know the troubles other are facing.Love ourselves and then ur bound to love others

Answer 6

To love anyone we must love ourselves.
The same spirit lives in all body, therefore first we love ourselves then love all creatures which are made by the God.

Answer 7

i dont think hormones or genetics are the answers to ur question...loving ourselves is more of a fools hope that most of us cling on to...like u said, its a self preservation thing...sometimes the most simple and easiest thing to do is to love ourselves but at times seeing our own reflection can be loathsome...we do it coz we can, there's no one to judge us...in reality we both love n hate ourselves...this balance keeps us sane and in-check...no on can say otherwise can they? ;)

Answer 8

We love ourselves only to the degree that we love other people. As individuals we have the will to survive but as individuals we also know we are dependent on society and to love ourselves, we must also love our society.

Some people don't love themselves or their society very much and that is the problem in society.

Answer 9

NO

this is a practice to love others!

without loving ourselves we can't love others

love for self is not ego nor is self preservation

love yourself and you will be able to love me & others

Answer 10

Dr. Rao,
Isn't it good to love our own self? IT is very good that we love our own self. Once we love our own self, we will start loving the people and birds and animals and trees and plants.
Biologically, I haven't check what do we have in our body, but ONE thing I am very sure that there is "ATMAN" inside of my body and that's why I love my own self very much.