# Why Swiss Philosopher Alain de Botton Says We're All Terrible at Love

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/first-principles-7708985/why-swiss-philosopher-alain-de-botton-says-we-re-all-terrible-at-love
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/first-principles-7708985/why-swiss-philosopher-alain-de-botton-says-we-re-all-terrible-at-love.md
Podcast: [First Principles](https://stenobird.com/podcast/first-principles-7708985)
Published: 2026-09-13T08:09:00+00:00
Episode link: https://traffic.megaphone.fm/PODAGEN6910690476.mp3?updated=1776258318
Audio file: https://traffic.megaphone.fm/PODAGEN6910690476.mp3?updated=1776258318
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/first-principles-7708985/episodes/why-swiss-philosopher-alain-de-botton-says-we-re-all-terrible-at-love
Duration seconds: 1582

## Resource

Here's the podcast description: What if everything you believe about love is actually making you lonelier? Swiss philosopher Alain de Botton drops a truth bomb: our romantic expectations, rooted in 18th-century Romanticism, are sabotaging modern relationships. In this eye-opening episode, Adrian Wells breaks down why we're failing at love and what actually works. 🎯 What You'll Learn: • Why Romanticism created impossible relationship standards (and how it's still hurting us today) • The real reason 70% of couples fight about the same issues over and over • How relationship education cuts divorce rates by 30% and what those couples know that others don't • De Botton's "good enough" partner theory that could save your relationship 👤 Perfect for: lifelong learners and anyone who's ever wondered why modern dating feels so broken (spoiler: it's not just you). 📍 Chapters: [00:00] Adrian Wells introduces the love paradox [01:45] How Romanticism ruined realistic expectations [04:20] Why most relationship fights aren't about what you think [07:10] The psychology behind feeling unheard in relationships [09:30] De Botton's "good enough" partnership model [11:15] Practical steps to become a better partner today This isn't another "love yourself first" pep talk. It's a philosophical deep dive into why our culture set us up to fail at the thing we want most, plus actual tools to fix it. 🔔 Never miss an episode: Follow First Principles on Spotify or Apple Podcasts and turn on notifications. New episodes drop daily, your next favorite insight is one tap away. 🔍 Topics: relationships, philosophy, Alain de Botton, modern love, psychology Find all episodes at First Principles ------------ Keywords: ai dangers, business fundamentals, entrepreneurship philosophy, philosophy business, behavi…

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## Transcript

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