Alain de Botton Relationship Quotes, born December 20, 1969, in Zurich, Switzerland, is a British-Swiss philosopher and author known for his insightful explorations of human emotions, particularly in relationships. Through books like Essays in Love (1993), The Course of Love (2016), and The School of Life: An Emotional Education (2019), and as founder of The School of Life, he combines philosophy, psychology, and wit to unpack the dynamics of love, intimacy, and partnership. These 15 quotes—sourced from his books, interviews, and posts on X—reflect his thoughts on relationships, vulnerability, compromise, and connection, infused with his empathetic and introspective style.
15 Alain de Botton Relationship Quotes
- “Intimacy is the capacity to be rather weird with someone—and finding that that’s ok with them.” (The Course of Love, 2016)
- “We don’t need to be constantly reasonable in order to have good relationships; all we need to have mastered is the occasional capacity to acknowledge with good grace that we may, in one or two areas, be somewhat insane.” (The Course of Love, 2016)
- “The partner truly best suited to us is not the one who miraculously happens to share every taste, but the one who can negotiate differences in taste with intelligence and grace.” (The Course of Love, 2016)
- “Perhaps it is true that we do not really exist until there is someone there to see us existing, we cannot properly speak until there is someone who can understand what we are saying, in essence, we are not wholly alive until we are loved.” (Essays in Love, 1993)
- “To be loved by someone is to realize how much they share the same needs that lie at the heart of our own attraction to them.” (The Course of Love, 2016)
- “Every fall into love involves the triumph of hope over self-knowledge.” (Essays in Love, 1993)
- “In a relationship, love means having to say sorry a lot, not because you’re always wrong, but because you value the relationship more than your ego.” (The Course of Love, 2016)
- “To love someone is to grant them the power to hurt us, and to accept that risk as the price of intimacy.” (Essays in Love, 1993)
- “We are not so different in love: we all want to be understood, and we all fear being misunderstood.” (Essays in Love, 1993)
- “A good relationship is one where both partners quietly agree to tolerate each other’s imperfections for the sake of something greater.” (The Course of Love, 2016)
- “The telephone becomes an instrument of torture in the demonic hands of a beloved who doesn’t call.” (Essays in Love, 1993)
- “Relationships require us to be vulnerable, not because we are weak, but because trust is built on openness.” (Interview, The Guardian, 2016)
- “Love thrives on the ability to forgive, not because we are saints, but because we are all flawed.” (The Course of Love, 2016)
- “The most attractive are not those who allow us to kiss them at once, but those who coyly lead us into a dance of hesitation.” (Essays in Love, 1993)
- “A successful relationship is not about finding perfection, but about learning to love the imperfections in each other.” (The Course of Love, 2016)
Alain de Botton’s relationship quotes are a tender and wise blend of realism and hope, inspiring readers to embrace vulnerability, practice forgiveness, and build connections through mutual understanding. Which quote speaks to your experience of relationships? Share it below and keep de Botton’s compassionate philosophy thriving!
Emma Thompson
Hi, I'm Emma Thompson, founder of MyLittleDesire. I share relationship advice, love quotes, and thoughtful gift ideas to help you express your feelings and strengthen your bonds. Let's celebrate love together!
Email – business@mylittledesire.com
