Why Love Ends:The Psychologization of the Self and the Critique of Emotional Capitalism

Eva Illouz's profound inquiry in The End of Love-"Why have we stopped loving?" —is situated within her expansive theoretical framework of critiquing emotional capitalism critiques.Through a systematic examination of her work,this paper contends that the role of psychology in shaping models of selfhood and social interaction constitutes a central thread in understanding the emergence of emotional capitalism.Building on this premise,the study adopts the concept of the "psychologization of the self" as an analytical entry point.It traces the socio-historical conditions underpinning the psychologization of society,examines how this process contributes to the formation of subjectivities compatible with emotional capitalism,and ultimately links these developments to the proliferation of negative social relations.By integrating psychological discourse,critical theories of modernity,and Illouz's nuanced observations on contemporary intimacy,this research not only engages with the enduring sociological problem of "the individual and society," but also offers a theoretical framework for grasping the distinctive characteristics of emotional modernity within the Chinese context.