“Where there’s marriage without love, there will be love without marriage.”
- January 17, 1706 – April 17, 1790
- American
- Polymath, Founding Father of the United States, Inventor, Diplomat, Writer
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Quote
“Where there’s marriage without love, there will be love without marriage.”
Explanation
In this quote, Benjamin Franklin offers a candid and cautionary insight into the dynamics of relationships, suggesting that a marriage lacking genuine affection will often lead individuals to seek love outside its bounds. The structure of the sentence highlights a cause-and-effect relationship: if a marriage is empty of love, it creates a void that may be filled by extramarital affection, either emotional or physical.
Franklin was no stranger to addressing human behavior with a mix of wisdom, wit, and moral realism. In 18th-century society, marriage was often driven by economics, social status, or obligation rather than deep emotional connection. Franklin’s quote reflects his belief in honesty, personal fulfillment, and the natural consequences of neglecting emotional needs within serious commitments like marriage.
Today, this observation remains strikingly relevant. When partnerships are formed or maintained without authentic care or intimacy, individuals may be drawn toward others who offer the connection they crave. Franklin’s words serve both as a warning and a lesson: that love is not merely decorative in marriage—it is essential, and its absence can erode the very institution meant to safeguard commitment. In short, emotional neglect invites emotional deviation.
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