Which is it? Advantages or disadvantages of either?

I personally say love. Because as Yoda said, "Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, and hate leads to the dark side."

Anger and hate never helped anything.

quoting Frank Oz doesnt really help with credability...

Well, I was actually joking...but its still true. It makes a point...

i loved being loved. i've never craved being feared although i have used it to my advantage.

the worst thing is to love and not be loved back.

Yes, that is a terrible thing...

Though I think that whoever said "It is better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all" is crazy...I don't know...I guess a case could be made either way about that one.

Circ could quote a drunken shlepard, and it wouldn't do anything to change HIS credibility. It only matters on how credible the quote itself was. As a result, he can quote whoever he wants and his credibility remains the same. Look into the content, and not the source; philosophy doesn't descriminate WHERE something came from, but WHY it is there.

As to the case of 'is it better to be feared or loved?,' Circ would have to say that this depends on One's personality. Perosnally, Circ would prefer to be loved. Anyone in their right mind would. However, when you get into those diabolic Saturday Morning Super-Villians, you really have to wonder. They'd probably bask in the sensation of all their underlings and minions writhing in fear of them. Of course, they aren't your normal population, either.

Still, it really depends on what type of fear you're talking about. There is the first type of fear, which is just regular anxiety; the second type of fear, which is disquiet and apprehension; and there is a third state of fear, which is extreme awe or reverence toward a supreme being.

Personally, Circ doesn't think it is possible for any truly 'reverent' fear to come without love. However, there are other types of love, like how one could love somebody, but have absolutely no respect for them.

i voted love...if a person truly loves you than they will want to do your bidding out of love which requires respect...if they fear you than it's only because of the fear, and as soon as an opportunity arises they will do whatever they need to get out of it...

hmmm... when i read it, i took fear as to have power over others. so i read it as 'is it better to have power, or love?'

either case, i still choose love

Yeah, as would I.

Fear in the awe and reverence aspect, Circ, but thats still not true awe and reverence. The negative end of that is what I'm referring to.

Fear can give you power, but as Jordyn said, that power is only there because of the fear. The first chance one gets to knock you down or run away, they will take. Whereas love, if its true, will give you a sort of power, but that will be certain power, there because its a true and strong feeling.

To be loved ... LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE - Thats all I neeeeed!!!

no... love is quite possibly a fiction... fear is a very definite emotion... im not saying its better... just more realistic of an idea...

love is as real as fear, anger, jealousy...if you stop to think about it for a minute...love is the only emotion that can be the root of all the emotions a person can feel, so why wouldn't love be a real emotion?

actually, I could argue that FEAR is the base emotion from which all others are formed...

Fear of lonliness and solitude could create love...
Fear of risk and rejection could creay jealousy and envy...
Fear of rivalry and belittlement could create hate...

Couldn't agree more.

anger and hate havent helped anything? it was the Nazi's hate for the world that spawned the Allies shot America to the forefront of world politics... it was Japan's hate for American interferance in their traditions and independance that allowed for their ultimate defeat and eventual American aid in rebuilding and bringing them fully into the modern age...

hate does things that help... it just hurts as well... a lot

anything resulting in a negative end, always turns positive, as long as people have emotions and desire they will change what they feel should be...it would be a dire world if only hate and anger existed...love is the balance...if people didn't love other people, basic human rights and making life better...in the same token, none of that would have happened anyhow...if people didn't love...

Unless we can use a time machine to change the past enough to prevent WWII and weigh up the results in both timelines we cant accurately judge if that anger was a aid to humanity or not.I do think anger can be helpful though, mainly in the form of outrage against injustices.
Love when sustained provides a form of unity that is more constructive than any unity made by fear.

ErrantRogue, Circ would be highly inclined to disagree with you. Sure, fear may be the root, but love could be the same root. And claiming that fear is a more tangible emotion is silly. It's just a more common emotion.

To say that the fear of loniliness is what drives people to seek communication with others isn't necessarily right. It could be the desire to share and experience life with them, something that would be a result of love. The love of living. You're assuming that all human's reactions are based off fear.

Unless you're able to enter the minds of everyone, and analyze their base motivations, you can't say fear is more tangible than love. Maybe you have lived a life without a lot of love. *Gives ErrantRogue a hug.* Feel the love, embrace the love, KNOW what love is.

And without hate, those conflicts would never have been an issue in the first place, Rogue...