Would not it be better if this outdated concept of a man and a women was removed? Why should we have only one partner, if we wish for more? Instead, to be replaced with a contract between two or more people. What benefits society would reap?
A child could grow up in a house with more then two parents, if these parents wished. The child would have more experiences of life and more people to care for his needs. The parents would have an easier time as the sharing of child rearing would be spread out. More people living in the same house would mean less of a burden on the need for houses in an overpopulated world. Yes these things could be done by the extended family too.
However, divorce rates are high; spending too much time with one person seems to get on people’s nerves, tension in the house, which does no good for the “familyâ€. If a person was in more then one relationship, then would that not give them more “special” people to turn to in times of struggle? People have affairs anyway, why not just make them public, this would cut down on secrets and hence stress.
Natural animalistic pattern of behavior coupled with human constructed institutions.
Sirebrum also has a valid point, in my opinion, as lasciviousness is proven to promote disease transmission …
Then again, I’m not adverse to decreasing human population through its’ own stupidity, so have at it.
Personally, I see no social advantage to marriage being convoluted and distorted any further than it has been. For most males who berate the marriage process, it is because of inherent character flaws, and an inability to supercede their own narcissism with a useful personality trait.
Mas - it depends what you think a useful trait is.
I will not dispute that I, for example, may have a great many character flaws, however. Not least of which is that I don’t place great emphasis on being useful. I concentrate on what is useful to me, and not so much on how I may be useful. That in itself can be considered a character flaw. It just isn’t considered so by me.
It may be one of my hobbies to generate as many “character flaws” within myself as possible, or at least as many as are fun.
The more you privatize the family, the easier it is to create a competitive element between family groups/consumers within a market system.
“Keeping up with the Jones’” its called. Why, if one family wasn’t trying to outdo the other, who would buy next years Craftsman lawn mower model TX-G760?
Marriage is an ideology that compliments capitalism, I’m affraid.
marriage (or social conventions like it, or just commitment between two partners) seems to keep people from becoming jelous which in extreme cases becomes violent.
I have a friend who was attact by his girlfriends x-lover by a baseball bat. The deal is, love and relationships are also territorial, I can’t see a way for society to trade partners all the time without running into a lot of, “I’m gonna rearange your face, she/him is mine” type of stuff.
I could be wrong, but these are my initial thoughts
The institution of marriage, like all institutions, is important for the maintenance and cohesion of a cultural unity.
The subjugation of female sexual power was essential for the inclusion of all males into the communal fold and the technology of marriage was necessary for social harmony.
Civilization is a male product made possible through paternalism.
Current social trends have altered the necessity for female subjugation and equalitarianism is made viable because a new social innovation now accomplishes what a previous one did.
The sexual subjugation of females is not required anymore since sex is becoming increasingly irrelevant- due to innovations- and superfluous - in a world of billions - and where the new method of feminizing men creates the same social results.
Where, in the past, women had to be restricted in their sexual choices and practices so as to avoid male competition and aggression which would disrupt and unbalance a unity, the new, more sophisticated, method of pacifying males and making them more feminine in their dispositions and psychologies is the new way of maintaining social harmony.
In short marriage remains a remnant of a previous social system, in the midst of a transition.
The emancipation of women has made marriage a dying institution and the nuclear family a thing of the past.
Free thinker quote - Would not it be better if this outdated concept of a man and a women was removed?
Hey I got a better idea, let’s leave it as a matter of individual choice whether to get hitched or not
Personally I never married because I simply didn’t want to be a family man, we holy men don’t do family…
Ah, what have I missed out on from a darling wifey? - “For heavens sake don’t let the neighbours know you read the Bible or they’ll be calling you 'Holy Joe at number 19”
“Switch that computer off and take me out for once”
“And get your teeth fixed,your mouth looks like something out of the X-files”
“And take that picture of Jesus off the wall in the spare room before the window cleaner sees it”
“Dress properly,a baseball cap,jeans, trainers and t-shirt look ridiculous on a man your age”
“Hmm…that grass needs mowing…”
“No wonder my mothers never liked you”
“Huh! Better get down the doctors first thing tomorrow for some viagra”
“I know I should have married Rick Tannahill but Sue Stokes beat me to him and I ended up with you”
“Get rid of them glasses and use contact lenses to try and look like a proper man instead of Austin Powers”
“That dustbin needs putting out…”
“And we could do with a new kitchen unit…”
“Spruce yourself up, mother’ll be here soon!”
Ah,sheer wedded bliss:)
There wouldn’t necessarily be any left over men; women may choose to have 3 men for example.
What if your wife wanted two or three more husbands…?
That’s OK, if I too can have 2-3 wives.
Aids…?
I’m not talking about one night stands, more that these people will be together in the long term.
I can’t see a way for society to trade partners all the time without running into a lot of, “I’m gonna rearange your face, she/him is mine” type of stuff.
I’m not sure about that. If you have more then one wife, would you be as jealous if your wife had more then one husband. You are thinking in terms of now where most people in the West have only one. With more wives and husbands there would be a new social conciseness.
So it seems like it is still very relevant in popular opinion.
If there had been a law in the US which said wear a blue flower on Monday and if this had been around for two thousands years, I’m sure this would be popular too.
Hey I got a better idea, let’s leave it as a matter of individual choice whether to get hitched or not
That’s what I’m saying. There is no personal choice at the moment. If I want two wives and I live in the West I would be arrested.
“That’s OK” !!?…That is soooo weak. A REAL MAN would never say something like that.
Basically, what you’re saying here is that everybody should live the lifestyle of a prostitute / porn-star, and that these gangs of deviants should be allowed to raise children. None of the men giving a shit about any of the kids because they won’t have a clue about who’s kid is who’s.
I’m pretty sure this was tried briefly in the hazy-crazy 60’s… [size=117]It failed dismally !![/size]
[size=84]* Put that in your pipe and smoke it *[/size]
“That’s OK” !!?..That is soooo weak. A REAL MAN would never say something like that.
LOL. What is a real man, you? If I’m not a real man, then what. Am I a bad father?
Basically, what you’re saying here is that everybody should live the lifestyle of a prostitute / porn-star, and that these gangs of deviants should be allowed to raise children. None of the men giving a shit about any of the kids because they won’t have a clue about who’s kid is who’s.
Who says it living like a pro? Nobody would sell sex. Why are they deviant? Why would they not be good parents? Why wouldn’t they give a shit? You are basing all your ideas on your perception on what is right and wrong. Someone told you to think that. Are you scared that you are not good enough and your wife(S) will run off. Are you scared of competition and want to keep your spouse in chains?
Food for thought guys. Have you ever seen old photos of Mormon Families? One guy surrounded by 6 wives 50 kids , the dude never looks happy in fact looks downright angry and is incredibly ancient looking. Look at photos of other cultures where more then one wife is allowed the guy looks miserable or he is not in the family photo because he is off fighting wars that he started just to have fun and get out of the house.
Think about it. It is much more healthier for guys to be in a relationship that is one woman to multiple men. You would live longer.
well, you know the punishment for polygamy… two mothers in law.
but seriously, I really enjoy being married. I am not religious, not do I think that marriage is necessarily all that great (my parents divorce was the best thing that ever happened to me) but, for me, it is great. It completely changed my relationship with my partner. It was nice to make an explicit promise in front of everyone.
I can honestly say that I have little or no desire to have multiple partners. There is only one person I want to share that aspect of my life with.
