Romantic Love, Solved

We put love on trial — literally. Drew and I squared off in a full debate over whether romantic love is overrated. I made the case that love is basically your brain's con man, a neurochemical hijacking designed to make you delusional about deeply flawed people, and that the most intoxicating relationships are often the most toxic. Drew fought back with the evidence that love is the foundation of social infrastructure, physical health, and long-term happiness. By the end, we came to a gentlemen’s agreement: a framework that explains why we're all chasing the wrong kind of love, and what the right kind actually looks like. Sign up for my newsletter, Your Next Breakthrough. It will help make you a less awful person: Get clarity on what actually matters. Try Purpose, Mark's AI mentor app that learns your patterns, challenges your blind spots, and helps you take action. Get 7 days free at purpose.app/solved⁠ Check out our sponsors: • IM8: Transform your daily routine with IM8's Daily Ultimate Essentials at • Factor: Head to and use code solved202650off to get 50% off and free breakfast for a year. Eat like a pro this month with Factor. Chapters 2:21 Round 1: Love is the Brain's Conman 23:33 Round 2: Love as Social Infrastructure 45:33 Round 3: Love and Happiness 1:07:14 Round 4: We're Drawn to People Who Hurt Us Follow Mark Mark’s IG: Solved IG: Twitter: LinkedIn: YouTube: Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Romantic Love, Solved is an episode from Mark Manson Audio Articles by Mark Manson.

This episode is 101:32 long.

This episode was published on Feb 18, 2026.

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