Friday, March 31, 2006

Barthes on Tenderness

"There is not only need for tenderness, there is also need to be tender for the other: we shut ourselves up in a mutual kindness, we mother each other reciprocally; we return to the root of all relations, where need and desire join. The tender gesture says: ask me anything that can put your body to sleep, but also do not forget that I desire you--a little, lightly, without trying to seize anything right away."

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

So tenderness can be truly altruistic? To be tender to another is to not expect reciprocity, but to deny one's own need for satisfaction and to exist in one's own desire unselfeshly. It is a delicate affection.

Anonymous said...

hey your cute

Anonymous said...

that's what i was going for