Georg Simmel. The flirtation, the love, and the dualism of individuality

Drawing on both classical and contemporary social theory, this article presents a deep analysis about the Simmel' study of love and flirtation (Koketterie) as social factors. With attention to the consequences that emotions and passions have both on subjectivity and social interaction, it departs from the analysis of society in terms of the division of labour and utilitarian mechanisms to consider how a society based on performances values human energy and emotional behaviour in a contradictory way. By presenting love as the social foundation of interaction, an essential element in modern conceptions of subjectivity, and a force shaping intimacy and contemporary social life, this article appeal to scholars of sociology, particularly those interested in social theory and the sociology of emotions.