Do you think that humans are "meant" to pair off with one another for life?

Question

Or is it an exercise in futility?

Answer 1

Like many things "human"... it's complicated.
On the one hand, humans have the same physical drives and desires as other creatures. Food and sex come to mind readily, both of which are consumed in a variety of different patterns and amounts in the animal kingdom. Some animals are monogomous, and some animals aren't; some animals over-eat when given excess food, and some have better control. Same goes for humans.

On the other hand, humans have a bigger capacity for cognitive thinking, reasoning, and planning. These capacities also vary from human to human.

So, in answering the question (finally), owing to the individual variability that humans display in both their natural drives and higher functions, it would be expected that some humans mate for life (and hence they are "meant" to do so, by some weird logic) and some humans mate with very little commitment (like rabbits?). It would probably be an exercise in futility for a life-long mater to mate indiscriminately, and vice versa. Either way, though, it's great exercise.

Answer 2

No, I doubt that humans are physiologically meant to spend their lives with one mate. I also do not think it is an exercise in futility. Love is not futile, it is exciting and yet relaxing. It sooths us and excites us, we should always do senseless acts of love and mindless acts of beauty. I do believe that humans are meant to pair off.

Answer 3

No, actually. Monogamy is something the church put on people and that was primarily so they could track the paternity of children (if women were having multiple sex partners, it was difficult or impossible to tell who fathered her children, and inheritance issues or obligations of 'first child' of a man, came into play).

Humans are capable of monogamy if they choose, but it's natural for people to grow, change, lose interest in someone over time. It's OKAY not to be with one person from young adulthood until death, but it should all be on the up-and-up (no cheating).

If someone is ready to move on, they should move on...if they want multiple partners, then they need to ensure all their partners are kewl with that. As long as it's all honest, open, and all parties involved are content with the situation....it's all good.

Answer 4

Yes, I believe they are meant to pair off for life . If or when people switch partners over and over they tend to make the same mistakes without the growth benefit you hopefully recieve in a life long relationship . If we control our animal instincts and keep it in our pants, life long pairs occur more naturally .

Answer 5

Only if you think they should. It depends on each individual's definition of love and happiness. It's not the same for everyone. And I don't think anyone is wrong. It's right as long as it's right for you. I think there is someone I could be with for life because of the kind of a person I am. I believe that, so that's what's gonna happen. What do you believe?

Answer 6

This habit of committing to have sex with but one person is a socially contrived habit. It has little or nothing to do with actual love.

It has more to do with an attempt to...possess...than it does to reality.

Certainly, in human history, monogamy is not the norm. We humans, with memories limited by our misconception that 100 years is a really long time, mostly avoid consideration of our habits; we just assume they make sense.

We glorify the few other animals which appear to..."mate for life" as if this somehow is to be applauded since we, erroneously, claim to do the same.

The human make up probably allows for breeding with any mate that will tolerate the process when we are youthful. The urge becomes less dominate as we age so that monogamy seems less ridiculous with age.

Social taboos such as the famous one required by priests in the catholic church are proven to be ignored in a wholesale manner. This is logical since the rule was made up by old, poorly educated catholic senior potentates with little to do with their time other than make up rules for others to follow.
The advanced age of such potentates together with their poor education made ignoring youthful urges quite easy, even though it was completely delusional.

So, should we sleep around? Not in our society since most are afraid to stray from socially approved habits; at least, honestly. Society can gaurantee two things, scantimony and condemnation, of others - not ourselves, for anyone daring to venture outside the box. This applies to males and females wqually. The penchant for young males to want to copulate with any female they find accessable is normal and, with almost 7 billion of us already on the planet, to be denied.

Do we sleep around? Probably! If we think can get away with it.

Having sex with but one other person may be ok for some since sexual urges in individuals are found at different levels of energy. In my view, the concept of monogamy is a false socially contrived, unrealistic demand upon actual human behavior.

Staying in a relationship that is not happy and not pleasing (allowing for those inevitable times of rough road which we can and should overcome) is ill-advised. I favor a policy of being willing to hold the door for anyone wishing, for whatever reason, to leave a relationship with me, social, personal or business. My wife and I have followed this policy (she also has the same policy of her own volition) for over 35 years. The best way to assure a continuing, healthy relationship is to offer freedom 24/7.

Society does not reward honesty. Almost everyone prefers to have his/her misconceptions supported; actual facts be damned!

Probably a realistic policy is to make commitments that are doable and don't have much to do with the faulty human misconception of possession, especially when we are talking about another human being.

Actual affection has nothing to do with possessing someone the major motivation for which is an inadequate personality with low self esteem. Finally, sex and love are two entirely different things. I do say that “what’s good for the Gander is good for the goose”! Any relationship worth continuing must be totally equal on both sides.

Answer 7

Of course they are. Too bad that after a few years many think the grass is greener somewhere else.
They do not try to work it out or put the other partner ahead of themselves.

Answer 8

I think all humans were placed her to be "paired" with another!

Answer 9

Civilized, enlightened humans, yes.
Humans who are not self-aware and with no self control, no.

Answer 10

Genetically speaking, no.

But we are more than just animals...or so we think we are.