Serious question, what's the difference between an open relationship and a "friends with benefits" roommate?

[KaitSyth]

I've never been able to wrap my head around the concept of an open relationship, as it seems to me the purpose for a relationship is to lock things down. I'm honestly curious from people in open relationships, if you can both just go and sleep with whoever you want... what makes it any different than just living with a friend-with-benefits? Is it the emotional connection? In which case, how is it different from liking your friend-with-benefits? Or is it just more of a title thing?

I'll take answers from anyone to learn more about this, but I'm most interested in answers from people who are in or have been in open relationships.

Note this is an academic curiosity of mine, I have no interest to either enter one nor to dissuade you from yours. You do you.

[Anonymous]

This is a good question! I think it's just a slight modification of the traditional marriage that involves a typically financially successful guy who wants sexual variety. This is something that's existed throughout history for a LONG time: a guy who is married to a woman and has no plans to leave her. He's probably raising a family with her as well. But he's banging girls on the side and his wife, while not thrilled about it, looks the other way because she sees it as a relatively small cost given the positives of the relationship and family life. (Not judging that view one way or another--just recognizing it as a view that's been held by more than a few women throughout history). In this traditional relationship, however, while the man can engage in extramarital sex, if the woman were to do so, the relationship would end.

So the modern-day "open relationship" is just a more egalitarian twist on the traditional "half open" relationship. In this set up, the two partners are committed to each other emotionally and financially and have shared aims like raising a family. But here either one can seek and engage in extramarital sex. The advent of modern birth control makes it far less likely that the woman gets knocked up by her extramarital lovers (which would have been a BIG part of the reason she'd have been forbidden to sexually stray in the traditional "half open" relationship).

[aceleon]

egalitarian my ass this is just straight up cuckery and any guy who allows this is a pathetic cuck, commitment my ass yes i'm commiting to you but kissingourkids with the mouth i sucked 5 guys with

[D_Bone_Steak]

NSA (No Strings Attached), friends with benefits (Friends With Benefits), open relationship, and other things like "I'm just a slut/cheater" are all in the same category in my mind.

These are people with so much time on their hands, that they dedicate it to fucking other people. NSA was the term that was around long before friends with benefits came onto the scene... and it's just the same shit in my mind.

If you got a job, dishes to do, a video game to play, kids, any hobby actually or any responsibilities... you have too much time on your hands if you're sitting around thinking about or getting into situations that allow for fucking if you already have someone you could be fucking.
... and what becomes of the partner? they just stay at home while you go out and fuck some other people? This is actually how degenerate our societies have become.

[sheikalana]

An open relationship you act and behave as a couple but still see other people outside of the relationship. friends with benefits is someone you only have sex with.

[aceleon]

in short one is a faker and the other is just honesty

[sheikalana]

@aceleon I guess so.

[Nikki1989]

One is a real relationship. The other is just a compromise.

[Kaneki05]

Depends how open it is. But mostly it's different due to been in a open relationship still means you have dedicated to always be with them. While friends with benefits that friend can opt out whenever they want without one person been able to say were supposed to be in a relationship.

Open Relationship is a commitment, Friends with Benefits is not. That's the difference.

[aceleon]

commitment? yes i am so commited to youthat i bend over forother guys and suck their cocks and kiss you and our kids with that same mouth. this is not a commitment this is just acting commitment.

[Kaneki05]

@aceleon imagine thinking sex is the only important thing in a relationship and is the only commitment lol.

[aceleon]

of course it is you cuck, how much of a cluster fuck would it can't you think? ''oh honey i am so in love with you but tonight you need to go outside, my lover number 100 will come and fuck me in the ass'' or sweetheart just because i blow 10 guys a weak doesn't mean i don't love you''
if this is your idea of commitment you are either have a serious brain damage or i don't even know what kind of fucked up life you had until now.

[Kaneki05]

@aceleon If you wanna think sex is special then go ahead but all nature say's otherwise, sex is just act of pleasure and procreation nothing more.
So to based your idea of love on that and been special is absurd but hey if all you want is sex then go find someone who thinks alike I don't really care.
All I was doing was pointing out there is other meanings to relationships.

[aceleon]

no there is only 1 meaning in the open bullshit.
the guy is a cuck with a weak mind and will and the girl is a whore.
also ifyou wanna go with nature don't even try it, yes human males are biologically polygynous like almost every other male animal but for human females they are biologically built for monogamy they can have sex with 1000 guy if they want or take sperm from them at the exact same time, only one of them will impregnate her the rest will all be for naught and before yougo say sex is not just for pregnancy and kids i am talking about biology, i don't care what you put on it afterwards, one gender is builded for breeding with as many girls as possible while the other builded for 1 guy.

[Kaneki05]

@aceleon Oh yeah cause women can't get pregnant from other guys at other times, nah they are solely made for one guy and once that guy has done it she can't get pregnant from any other guy right cause naturally as you said they are monogamous.
And if they are by nature then there would be no way that could happen right? It's not like it happens all the time having kids from different parents nah your totally right.

Think you some more studies on science, and just overall a key to a healthy relationship because I promise you making it all about sex ain't healthy.
Sex is a mere thing that we enjoy but not what builds a relationship hope you get that before some poor girl gets with you thinking your hoping for a meaningful connection than just sex.

[Kaneki05]

Just to add scientifically it's actually much better to breed out because that's how we defend ourselves from viruses and genetic diseases, meaning multiple parents is scientifically a helpful thing for the human race.
But I am sure you know that lol. Not that my argument was ever that this is need just if we want to go full logic route makes perfect sense to have kids from different genetics fathers.

[aceleon]

are you the one who says that while defending open relationships?
also you are more of an idiot then i thought, who cares if she can get pregnant another time? it doesn't happen until she miscarries or give birth to that guys kid, so the deed is still an biologically monogamous act, after is not relevant what is on the foundation is the important thing not the decorations that you put later on and yes sex is an important thing and no healthy relationship happens when the girl is banging other guys because the guy who lets that is not healthy in the first place.
%92 vs %8 failure vs succes rate does healthy to you? probably, because you are just a pathetic cuck boy so don't worry no girl is poor with me they are at least tasting a realman instead of cucks like you. now scram loser.

[aceleon]

there is no multiple parenting you fool, 1 person only has 2 biological parents and this is it. so no protection from disease or so.

[Kaneki05]

Imagine responding to me and tell me I should be the one to scram more like you should.
The ignorance is funny and even more so how you don't know anything about viruses and genetic diseases, did you miss all your science classes?
Go look it up it's simple facts that it is better for kids to have different genetic parents than the same one every time.
Ya know why incest can be bad? Because it's same genetics been pooled in leaving those to get vulnerable to all sorts. Viruses evolve, so what do you think happens if humans stunt there own evolution by constantly breeding the same genetics?
I am sure you don't know the answer so just go look it up.

And realise why scientifically it 100% makes sense to not have the same fathers or mothers even. More chances of people living if you have multiple kids from different genetics 101 facts.

Not that it matters now, as there is so much people we don't need to be bothered but if we went back and there was only a handful of humans the literal key to surviving is not through monogamy.

[Kaneki05]

And you can keep calling me a cuck, I would be named called by bully who isn't educated than be that bully.

[Kaneki05]

Rather*

[Astarlessnightsky]

open relationship has things locked down. They simply agree on having sex with other people as well, the same way other couples agree to go to the gym with other people as well.

[JayBones]

There is no difference. They are both whores with gentler names.

[Drumlin2001]

An open relationship is an emotional relationship you're just still sexually invovled with others. Friends with benefits there's no relationship, it's just sex and a friendship

[aceleon]

emotional? yes so emotional that you get railed by other dudes.

[spartan55]

They are all just different ways to label a trashy arrangement based upon zero respect.

[normalice]

An open relationship is the friend with benefits you live with?

[TheSpaceGnome]

Its just different ways to try to put a positive spin on being a slut.
And as always, it fails.

[OtterMan68]

friends with benefits is just two people who like to hang out then have sex on the side
open relationship: you go out regularly as a couple, but can have sex with other people

[aceleon]

slut
massive slut.

[DextroShade]

Unless it is only open on the man's end it is straight up cuckoldry. I would never let a girl who wasn't exclusively mine live with me either because I am not going to provide for a slut.

[Pohjolan]

Open relationship is more than just sex like going on vacations, family meetings, kids, etc.

[Hanrej]

Making plans about the future together, common goals to achieve.

[Anonymous]

Friends with benefits usually only involves two people.

[Staximus]

They are both bullshit relationships

[PrettyCrumblBb]

Lol you catch STD's either way.

[Beacht]

One takes more work than the other.