Self-forgetfulness distinguishes love from narcissistic display

Evidence

The woman in love quickly forgets herself; but many women are incapable of real love, precisely because they never forget themselves. They prefer the wider stage to the privacy of the bedroom. Thus the importance of society life for them: they need gazes to contemplate them, ears to listen to them; they need the widest possible audience for their personage. — Simone de Beauvoir, The Second Sex, 1813

Categorization

• DEFINE: Defines love against narcissism: love requires self-forgetting, which the narcissist can never achieve.
• XREF: Anticipates the next chapter on the woman in love — the contrast is structural to Beauvoir’s typology. — connects to: Narcissism, romantic love, and mysticism are doomed attempts to transcend through immanence — Simone de Beauvoir, The Second Sex, 1770; Self-admiration prevents the self-forgetting that artistic transcendence demands.; Autonomous self-awareness structurally blocks feminine submission and spontaneous charm. — Simone de Beauvoir, The Second Sex, 1922 (+1 more)

Broader Connections

• Self-admiration prevents the self-forgetting that artistic transcendence demands. #corroborates (0.85)
• Lack of self-assurance prevents the self-forgetfulness needed for genuine transcendence. #corroborates (0.85) — Simone de Beauvoir, The Second Sex, 1939
• Autonomous self-awareness structurally blocks feminine submission and spontaneous charm. #corroborates (0.75) — Simone de Beauvoir, The Second Sex, 1922