I think you’re talking about brotherly love which is more egalitarian than the exclusive, romantic kind. As I explain in the article, authentic Christianity was quickly co-opted or suppressed: the subversive message of egalitarian love ‘was mostly buried by lay Christians who would prefer to think that Jesus gave “family values” his blessing. For secular society to proceed with its profane affairs, the outsider’s bitter, sometimes visionary condemnations must be silenced or co-opted.’

So brotherly love may be an escape from cynicism, but in the same way that an unrealistic fantasy would be an escape.