Twin and Yang

At the beginning of time, humans had two sets of every organ and body part: two faces, four arms, four legs. They were twice as strong and twice as fast as we are now, which led them to believe that they could challenge the gods. ZeusThe king of the gods, known to the Romans as Jupiter., fearing their power, split the humans in half, separating them from half of their soul.

Or at least, this is AristophanesA comic playwright from ancient Athens.' account of twin flames in PlatoOne of the most important Ancient Greek philosophers. 's Symposium. Herein lies the origin of soulmates, two people seeking out their perfect "second half".

But your other half does not have to be a partner, some claim. They believe that any two people with an ideal connection can be soulmates - siblings, twins, even friends.

For Anne McQueen and Susan Briggs, identical twins who have never lived further than a few mere minutes from each other, this may be self-evident. The pair won viral fame after their son-in-law started posting TikToks showing them in their matching clothing.¹ They have dressed alike since childhood.

Many claim that identical twins experience a form of telepathyThe ability to send information into someone else's mind without talking to or interacting with them physically. There is no good evidence that telepathy exists.. Scientists have fought to debunkProve a myth or idea not to be true. this claim.² But the anecdotal evidence for a form of "sixth sense" among identical twins is substantial.

McQueen and Briggs might agree. The twins claim to experience "twin telepathy", often thinking the exact same thing at the exact same time. "We have the same brain," claims Briggs proudly.

Having a twin flame is something that we might be jealous about. Studies show that at nearly every age identical twins outlive fraternal twinsTwins who result from two separate eggs. They will not be identical, and are no more alike than siblings born at separate times. , whilst fraternal twins tend to outlive non-twins.³

Many think there has never been more comprehensive proof that loneliness kills. The greater longevityThe fact of lasting a long time. When referring to populations and demography, it means living a long life. of identical twins has been attributed to them receiving more care and emotional support.

Yes: We are living through a uniquely lonely era. If we had someone who completely understood us and accepted us, we would all be better off.

No: We should learn to seek happiness within ourselves first and foremost, not in others. True satisfaction comes from realisation of one's own goals.

Or... We should seek out company in others' differences rather than looking for somebody who is the same as us. A happy community of close friends and family will always create joy, even if you are not necessarily soulmates.