The picture above is of the galaxies M81 and M82, respectively known as Bode's Galaxy and the Cigar Galaxy, in the constellation Ursa Major. These galaxies look close together in the night sky, but they are light years apart. But nevertheless, still attracted by the great force of gravity. I see relationships similar to how these galaxies interact. 2 independent bodies that are caught in a field and are spiralling towards each other. Sometimes they find equilibrium, sometimes the attraction is too strong so they annihilate each other. We spend most of our lives interacting with people in these relationships, except for a rare few. Even the most introverted of us have this natural connection to others. Without others, we don't see ourselves. We need to be recognized as us before we can become us both philosophically and mentally. I've been naturally introverted, and believe I am on the autistic spectrum to a degree, so relationships are a point of contradiction in my life. I yearn them but also fear them for their power. Because truly it is a point of power within our lives, access to relationships. This wasn't as noticable before the age of mass communication, but now it's extremely present. It is completely possible now for someone to live isolated surrounded by millions of people. I think of those in New York City, bustling constantly, but have no relationships there. Maybe they are bad at them, maybe they're toxic, maybe they're new to the city and have yet to find someone who clicks for them. But yet, they are alone in a sea of people. It's an interesting predicament, that in itself is as old as long as people have been communicating with each other. But now it's even more there. Personally I do navigate relationships like an inevitability. It's a bit of a reductive view, but I find it to be accurate when looked at. I will meet people throughout my life, and either due to connection or proximity I will develop relationships with these people. Now with computers, it can be people i've never met. Faceless enigmas in my mind, just guided by their personality alone. That's also a really interesting predicament in the modern age. I've been internet savvy since I was around 14 years old, and started forming relationships online through this manner. The yearning for connection now abstracted to people I've never seen. Likely the person reading this is one of those people. I like the online form of a relationship, but it's always missing something. I've never been the best at reading faces but it's still valuable, being there in the moment in prescence of someone else. Maybe it's their smell, their mannerisms, their amount of eye contact, whatever it may be, but that's how I am able to get a read on people. Now with the age of the internet, these things are secondary to some. What you have to say or what you do matter more. I don't know how to fully feel about that. A part of me likes the idea that personality takes a front above appearance but that's still a key human factor. Like a moth to a flame I seek to look at the faces of the people I talk to, just wondering what truly is there behind the screen. Even to those I do not like, because a key part of relationships is humanizing people. It's something quite common online to dehumanize those who live among us. Whether is be the political opponent we don't like, a guy who did something we don't like, whatever it may be but we cleave them of that humanity because handling the fact that they are human is too much for us. The way we interact leads to a strange set of paradoxes and contradictions like that. I believe a part of that is the fact that we are closed minded. Not like in the colloquial sense but in the material sense. I cannot see what others are thinking, only knowing what they tell me and what they choose to show me with their bodies. I think about this often, if this wasn't the case. Imagine our interactions were similar to a non-sentient species, where every impulse in the mind is communicated. Most people hate that idea now but i think that averison is due to the fact that we are closed minded materially. I think I would like that. Like everyone, I have thoughts I would rather not share with others. But the thing is that impulse of us not wanting to share is tied to that closed mind fact. I feel relationships could still be as nuanced and enjoyable with this different form of communication. But nevertheless, we are closed minded individuals. We are apes that have ate the divine fruit from the Tree of Knowledge and have gained sentience. Personally, even though sometimes I would love it, I can never escape this gravity towards relationships. I could have a problem being an attention seeker, I'm not sure. But I love communicating and learning truly and deeply about the people we share this Earth with. It's vital for my mental sake, and most peoples sakes I imagine. Now when it comes to romantic relationships I view them in a slightly different light. There is one thing about our average relationships like friends, coworkers, and family. But romantic relationships are on a seperate level. Not only is there a ton of choice, there is level of expectations of each other. I fear I will never reach these expectations, but that is something extremely personal to the relationship itself. As an autistic man romance is a difficulty. I understand what it is, it's plastered throughout our whole lives in every other type of relationship we have. Personally I love the idea of a life partner. Someone I melt into and become almost one with, our lives dedicated to each other. But there is still almost a soul like object in us that prevent that. Our soul like conciousness for its own survival prevents the idea of truly being for another person. I think about the saying "I would die for you" and the many similar motifs, and I like the idea a lot. But there is a true part of all of us that clings to life. We want to be recognized, but we want to live first and foremost. Like the idea of jumping in front of a bullet or pushing someone out of the way for a car sounds like the perfect display of love at the consequence of life, but I don't know how true that is for most people. Life without partners is still life, and losing someone that way sounds incredibly cruel. But cruelty is the first and foremost fact of life. Our world is hard and that's why we evolved as pack animals. This evolutionary step is not cemented into our brains and expresses itself even now though part of Earth has been conquered for our survival. I hope the person reading this already has a relationship with me in some way, and I would like to see that grow. I value that relationship very much.
This picture was edited by me and taken from Telescope live with consent