Are People Naturally Polygamous?

Western civilization is both fascinated and repelled by the idea that a man could have more than one wife at a time. In the USA, polygamy-themed shows like Big Love and Sister Wives have attracted much attention, as has the trial of polygamist Warren Jeffs.

And although polygamy is considered generally unacceptable by most Westerners, there is some uncertainty and ambiguity about its moral status. For instance, although Jeffs received a life sentence, the conviction was for having sex with underage girls, not for polygamy per se. And although Western culture remains officially monogamous, it tolerates de facto polygamy in many forms.

For example, serial monogamists like Donald Trump and Larry King divorce older wives to marry younger ones, which serves to monopolize the fertile years of multiple women (the same thing that polygamy would accomplish). Celebrities like Hugh Hefner and Charlie Sheen live openly with multiple girlfriends, and various male athletes, rock stars, and actors accumulate hundreds or thousands of sexual partners.

Not I.

Mr. Nice I'd say yes. I think most people might object based on their personal preference or due to an upbringing in a puritanical society however when you look at tribal societies in other parts of the world who are raised in far less restricted environments and live in a manner closer to nature than in our society, their tendency is to have multiple partnerships. Also if you look at anthropology, there are studies (which take into account the rest of the world as opposed to opinions stemming solely from western culture) that conclude that a partner will lose interest due to a factor termed as "biological programming" that occurs supposedly to allow a bond that will last long enough to rear offspring through infancy.

Aquaj it seems in your first post you are presenting points for which is most practical out of polygamy and monogamy but it doesn't illustrate which is the natural tendency. As far as the terrorist issues I'd attribute extremism mainly to political discord than I would to a man interested in marriage. However if that were to be the case that someone would need 72 virgins as an incentive for suicide as opposed to just one doesn't that support an inclination towards polygamy? I just think that If we were meant for monogamy there wouldn't be a natural tendency for interest between couples to diminish over time. As well, a man's sexual arousal would be limited to his attraction for his partner.
However I find your point of evolving into pair bonds as supporting monogamy being natural pretty interesting but I seriously have no idea what vasopressin receptors are lol but I do understand what you are saying about being socially monogamous.

Everevolving more like a woman with a bunch of husbands wouldn't work because instead of having one guy to clean up after, cook for and blow she'd have to deal with the hassles in plurals.

Posted by virgodreamz


Everevolving more like a woman with a bunch of husbands wouldn't work because instead of having one guy to clean up after, cook for and blow she'd have to deal with the hassles in plurals.

Unless of course you had one husband clean for you, another cook, another provide sexy time and so on.

😛

Not advocating any of this btw just saying. 🙂

Hmm I like the way you think Miss Pirate!

I Think it is the hope indians of the southwest where the women had many husbands because a lot of men were killed off in wars. Might be wrong on the tribe.

I am one of the people who think we make way to much about sex. Don't get me wrong, sex is a VERY GOOD thing, and I was totally faithful the entire time I was married.

Various societies have taken the approach that you could/can have a connection where you are essentially husband and wife, but without the sexual restrictions. Open marriage, if you will. The resulting children are considered the responsibility of all the adults of that society.
The one story I have read more than once, and from what seemed to be reliable sources, was that one good old moral guy was preaching to one guy who lived in such a society and berating him because this open marriage guy was having to take care of kids that he couldn't prove were actually his. Mr. open marriage guy's response was something the effect that he thought Mr. moral guy was the crazy one because while he could prove who his children were, and took care of his children, Mr. moral would allow the other children of his society to suffer because of not being their biological father.

The Roman's seem to have had two descriptions for fathers. The biological father, and the social father. It was the social father that reared, protected and guided the non-biological kids through life. It was also the social father that was the more revered.

What can I say, sex is just sex. A sperm donor is just a sperm donor. It takes a caring person to be a real father.

May I suggest reading "Sex in History," Reay Tannahill, 1980, Stein and Day. ISBN 0-8128-6115-9. This is a good place to start to understand the various ways people have viewed sex at different times and places. It seems to me that Ms. Tannahill is one of the people who quotes my story about Mr. moral and Mr. open marriage.

If/when I have another relationship, will it be monogamous? Undoubtedly. Undoubtedly because that will be the expectation of the person I am having that relationship with, and because that is what I have been trained to expect and how I have been trained to live. But, that does not mean that there aren't others in the world that feel differently, and so be it.

Posted by caesarkreshen
Your examples are off.

Charlie Sheen, Hugh Heff? Like those are beacons of morality or intelligence. They both seem to live their lives in excess although I'd wonder if Heff's isn't somewhat of an act.

I think we are meant to be monogamous, but since people tend to change over time or misrepresent themselves in relationships, I think that it's hard to have a life-long relationship. But one at a time. Otherwise, it's as if you are living as animal and existing purely for pleasure of self and to impregnate as many women as you can.

Those cult people are the slime of the earth. They fuck a bunch of women, hold their babies when they come out, then wait 11 years and then fuck their kids too.

I'd like to hear your counter argument to my post.

I have no counter argument for you as I am not advocating polygamy if thats what you thought. I can see both arguemnts agreeing with base instints to procreate e.t.c., but hoping that the human race has evolved from this at the same time. I myself am monogamous and always have been and agree with your opinions regarding cult leaders e.t.c. this I thought was just a interesting topic of debate.

Very informative post Aquaj thanks for the link too 🙂 Now I want to get my boyfriend tested for Vassopressin lol