Is it natural for humans to want to find one mate for life, or is it natural for humans to not be able to commit to one person for life? Are we going against nature by getting married and forcing ourselves to only be attracted to one person for the rest of our lives? If getting married and settling down with one person was not the societal norm, would we still naturally gravitate toward monogamy, or would we naturally gravitate toward polygamy?
2006-12-23 04:51:16 · 9 answers · asked by T 1 in Social Science ➔ Psychology
Generally speaking? No, I don't think humans are wired genetically to be monogamous. God said to go forth, be fruitful and multiply. Not exactly the words of a prudish, sexually paranoid, uptight God who wanted us all to keep out pants on, are they? Should we be kind, courteous and responsible about our sexual behaviour? Absolutely. But monogamy isn't the only way to acheive this. It's just a matter of decency.
I think monogamy or non-monogamy is a matter of choice. Most people are monogamous because it's the default marriage style, the one proscribed by society as being "the answer" to society's problems and being the only way to finding true happiness. Which is complete BS.
I think, once we got past ourselves, and past others' expectations of us, we would find that non-monogamy is an equally good marriage style. As long as we were conducting ourselves in a responsible, honest, loving and non-harmful way. Some people would prefer to not complicate their lives by inviting others into it, and other people would prefer to have that variety and never again have to worry about someone cheating on the other...because there's just no reason to lie when non-monogamy is perfectly acceptable to both and neither is being harmed by it.
"Normalcy" is determined by the individual couple. Monogamy may be natural for one couple and a very bad fit for another...and vice versa.
2006-12-24 15:24:29 · answer #1 · answered by intuition897 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Are you truly being monogamous? Or is this just your front while your mind participates in activities that would cause you a divorce were you to do the same on the material level as your mind does on the spiritual? It is quite natural to want to be with a mate for life and the same for some who can be the same with several mates. Monogamy or polygamy are natural human behaviors all depending on the individual. To want to be one or the other I find that supposedly monogamous individuals wish to be polygamous and polygamous individuals who want to be monogamous.
2006-12-23 13:00:42 · answer #2 · answered by JORGE N 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Here's a theory - humans are by nature monogamous long enough to have and raise children. Children mature sexually around age 13 or so. So maybe it's our nature to be monogamous for 15 years or so. But we live so much longer these days... maybe that's why we have so many divorces. Also, maybe it's because we have so many more options... it used to be that people would be living in a small group right? So you wouldn't be able to get online and search through a hundred single's profiles to find the one you want... you might be able to cheat with someone else in your clan, but the whole clan would probably hate you for it.
2006-12-23 13:12:40 · answer #3 · answered by L T 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, especially not women. It took 300 years for invaders to impose monogamy on the women of Anatolia back in the Neolithic revolution days.
2006-12-23 13:13:34 · answer #4 · answered by Jane 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
We naturally gravitate toward monogamy. Knowing one person and knowing that person well.
2006-12-23 12:57:20 · answer #5 · answered by Jeancommunicates 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
yes, but not long term....it is our nature to be with one person as a protection against outside threats and stability, but it has never been humans nature to be with one person for long term. of course there are exceptions, but it is worth noting that divorce and seperation has increased through the years as longevity of life has increased....if you are looking at the situation of the present then you may need to actually be asking what is NATURAL in todays world?
2006-12-23 13:02:44 · answer #6 · answered by devon . 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
We are not supposed to as humans remain with one person.
It is going against the grain one might say. The bible people who believe can support this.....
This is a social restriction put upon us.
2006-12-23 13:04:19 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
It is totally individual - some people are comfortable being monogamous, others are not. Each one his own.
2006-12-23 13:00:04 · answer #8 · answered by Sinka 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Human Females are more naturally monogamous than males..
2006-12-23 12:59:41 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 3⤋