Canvassing the Internet: Platonic Admiration

[tealin]

I know I was behind the door when hormones were handed out, but surely I am not the only one who finds it possible to respect and admire someone – or even just like a fictional character – without being sexually attracted to them. In high school the response to a statement of such admiration was usually full of conspiratorial innuendo, accompanied by a virtual 'wink wink nudge nudge.' I thought that when I joined the grownup world that mindset had been left behind, but I've encountered it a few times recently and it's got me wondering. Anyone out there know what I'm talking about? Opinions? Insights? Observations? Advice, even?

Comments

[mothos.livejournal.com]

I've found that any platonic admiration I have quickly turns to something sexual when the subject is the opposite gender. Perhaps it's biological. Something along the lines of: "You're talented, and awesome. My ego tells me I'm talented and awesome. Therefore my biological imperative tells me we should mate, a lot, and have offspring to continue our talented awesomeness!"

I have forced those thoughts back to merely friendly admiration when she's seeing someone, or I'm seeing someone, or some other impassible barrier exists, but for a moment, the notion is always entertained.

That being said I've had platonic admiration for Audrey Hepburn and Tom Selleck's moustache. Neither of which has ever been sexual.

[chainedwind.livejournal.com]

Seconded. However, I have an excuse: adolescence. I'm not sure what I'll do when my last couple of adolescence-years are up. Blame it on my immature prefrontal cortex, probably.