Imprinting....As good as human love?

[LisaCullenAZ]

Hooray! NoWorries, it's good to have you join us.

I am not down with the imprint (is it any wonder, really?)

No. No it's not. In fact, I was so sure you would say this that if you had surprised me and said that you WERE down with it, I would have been very disturbed indeed. It would have caused me to question everything I believe about life as I now know it.

I have no difficulties understanding your point of view, either because (as I stated in my opening post...) I fully "get" both sides of this argument. But I just wanted to answer this:

To start, I don't equate imprinting and love.

Me either! I think that's why it doesn't bother me so much.

Oh, and this:

I can never change my mind and I think that's dreadful.

Oh honey. I hear you. I cannot stand the claustrophobic feeling of not being able to change my mind. I am one of those people who feels "diner's remorse" the instant the waiter has taken my order. I want to chase him down through the aisles of the restaurant and tackle him before he gives my final answer to the chef. I'm not scared of commitment, I just have indecision issues. There is a distinction, believe me.

My point is, I don't think free will is lacking when it comes to imprinting. I think that, while it may be instinct that is determining your mood, it is still YOUR instinct. It is still YOUR mood. Am I making sense? I think Visitor worded it better than I am trying to now... maybe I'll quote her:

As to the "allusion of loss of free will" . . . The way I see imprinting, isn't it really the imprinter making the decision? Maybe not consciously. But ultimately? I think of imprinting as some kind of fail safe speed dating simulator on acid. It speeds through the long term mating compatibility of potential mates on a subconscious level. In other words, it's a person's very own junk mail sorter, trying to weed out and connect on a subconscious level with the subconscious of another. Hence the reason that gravity moves the moment an imprint is found. Gravity moving is like an alarm system to the imprinter which notifies them of the presence of their perfect mate. It doesn't choose for them, it simply informs them of a match. Which is probably why no such response occurs with other potential mates because the subconscious mind (i.e. the fail safe speed dating simulator on acid) has already tested compatibility and found those other potentials lacking in some way. The subconscious mind is capable of dismissing other potential mates even when the conscious mind has not. That is why it is still possible for Sam to love Leah and for Jacob to love Bella. Since imprinting is a relatively passive process, it does not impede the imprinter from falling in love and forming other relationships. In fact, it doesn't interfere at all in those relationships. Its sole purpose is to alert.

Looking at it that way, imprinting doesn't seem all that bad. It smacks less of fate and more of free will at its most potent phase.

That's what I was trying to say. I sort of also tried to say it in my other two posts in this thread but I'm quoting Visitor because it's just so much better.

Anyway, just some thoughts!

[valerrrria]

Imprinting is way better.

You're truly committed, and the love won't go away (as far as we know).

No 'divorce' or the equivalent.

To me, its like soul mates.

How can anything be better then that?

[MelissaSwitzerland]

not to offend, but you still have to get to know someone when you imprint, you still grow to love them.
Emily had to get to know Sam and fall in love with him at a regular pace. remember in new moon when jake said that until the insident when Sam attacked her she was still not sure of the imprinting/loving Sam thing. but after that she realized just how much she cared for him and ended up comforting him?
Claire will grow to love Quil throught the years and as she's growing up they'll get to know eachother, yes for the imprinter love is instantanious but the process is still the same there still is the fun period of "getting to know eachother", there is still a period of growth for the imprintee.

yep so imprinting is just human love magnified by one thousand. thats what I think.

[valerrrria]

Interesting... yes, you're right.

But like Stephenie said, (or Jake, actually), 'How can you refuse that kind of adoration?" He said something like that.

[Schakkelinchen]

I think it's like soulmates.
But I think it's a little bit unfair for the wolfes... They have no choice! If they imprint it's an absolut thing.

Look at Jakob: He loves Bella. He would never want her to get hurt.
Imagine now Bella and jakob as lovers... new moon with another ending. no edward, bella happiliy with jakob.
than BOOM ! Jakob imprints on any other girl... he couldn't change it... he would have to hurt bella because it's his nature... is thar fair??? would steph meyer want jakob to hurt bella??? I don't think so! I can't imagine it...

so everything has two sides

perhaps imprinting can be unhealthy just like charlie says about the relationship of bella and edward... when you forget your friends because you don't need them anymore that CAN'T be good!!!

so in fact I'm against imprinting... although I think it really is true love!

[Vampire Soul]

I think that imprinting can be a good thing or a bad thing. Sam and Emily found the most wonderful love together. But Sam hurt Leah when he left her. But think: if Leah imprints, then all four of them will be some of the happiest people on earth. And also, if Jacob imprints, then it will save both him and Bella a lot of pain. (Even though he doesn't think he will, I hope so)It might seem wrong that you don't have a choice when you imprint, but when you do you really don't care. (How's that for a slave of love?) I personally am for imprinting. And think! At least there's one example of imprinting in the books that wasn't fraught with disaster!
(Also, I do not think it is necessarily true that imprinting trumps soul mates---not with these freaky supernatural creatures)

[Alice_at_Heart]

I am for imprinting. I think that in real life, we also rarely have a choice with who we fall in love with. Imprinting seems to be a less dangerous. I also think that it is just as powerful as true love. I have no doubt that Quill or Sam or Jared would die for their 'imprints', just like Edward and Bella would die for each other. Imprinting is as powerful as real love, and possibly more so. Edward said "The imprinting compulsion is possibly one of the strangest things I've seen in my life. It's nearly as strong as what I feel for you." Nearly as strong. If Bella and Edward aren't true soul mates, then I don't know who is. Imprinting strikes me as love, but with a slightly obsessive element. "It's like gravity moves when you are around her." (Or something like that. I don't have a to get the exact quote from.)

[nat_and_edward_4ever]

i have mixed feelings still on the idea of imprinting. but i do have to say im still leaning on the idea that imprinting is bad. i mean i would think that for the imprinter its bad because they dont have a choice in who they love. i mean thy could have a wonderful thing going with somebody they love and care for then someone new comes along and just ruins that. the person they were with has nobody now.

also i think its bad for the imprintee because they might never know if the imprinter would still love them even if there wasnt a feeling inside of them telling them that they loved you. you would never know if it was true love. you also dont get to go through the feeelings of falling in love with each other. its automatic.

both people could have a perfect thing going with another person, then all of a sudden there is a feeling inside of the imprinter that says that even though they are with one person this just ruins that and ruins the other two people also.

[kcats14]

**please forgive me if this point has already been raised... I admit to not having read all the posts on this thread**

I find imprinting very interesting indeed, though I could go either way on the whole "is it good or is it bad" debate.

After finishing Eclipse, I had the notion that Jacob had imprinted on Bella. Before anyone might jump down my throat let me defend myself. There is no question about whether Jacob loves Bella. That is a given, but, as Jacob told Bella, when someone imprints on another, they also become whatever she needs of them, and Jacob has always been exactly what Bella needed, especially during her dark time in New Moon. Even at the end of Eclipse, though Bella had always told herself that she would be with Edward forever, I think what she really needed was someone or something to really make her test herself... that, here, being the Jacob option. She need to know that she was absolutely, resolutely, unyielding in her decision to be with Edward, and as painful as it was for both of them, the strongest test was seeing if her heart could be broken without diminishing her resolve.

On the contrary, once Jacob changed, and he was forbidden to tell Bella the truth, could the others not have known he imprinted? Since he had loved her probably his entire life could the imprinting simply passed as his normal feelings for her? This I do not know; and it could be the major flaw in my theory.

But the way Jacob left at the end of Eclipse was something more than a normal heartache. He was dealing with something it seemed, far greater than anything anyone could describe. (And I also think that what Bella needed at that time, in order for the broken part of her heart to begin to heal, was for Jacob to be away for awhile.) And Sam's knowing response to Jacob's flee also made me sense something more was going on that just a juvenile broken heart. Sam knew that he was in pain beyond what anyone could have helped him with.

Now, could Jacob really have left if he had actually imprinted on her? Hm, maybe not. But no werewolf that we're aware of has ever been in the same position as Jacob. Sam was in love with Leah before he imprinted on Emily, true, and it changed him; but the women being imprinted upon were not in love with others when the boys imprinted on them. Imprinting does not change the way the women feel (or boys, I guess, if we're now counting Leah), but rather, the level of commitment/devotion/love grows on them.

Obviously I'm completely steadfast in my theory, but I think it is a very interesting idea and one that is not out of the realm of possibility. I'm curious if others have considered the same possibility, and can't wait to see if anything about this comes up in Breaking Dawn.

[Brynnie86]

Interesting... yes, you're right.

But like Stephenie said, (or Jake, actually), 'How can you refuse that kind of adoration?" He said something like that.

I suppose that's true. I still think of it as infatuation.