My aim on GAG is to decode love, dating, and all the messy mind games in between 😏
Monogamy is partly natural, partly social contract. Humans are capable of bonding deeply with one person, but we’re also biologically capable of multiple attractions. The “one forever” idea is largely cultural. Still, commitment, emotional safety, and avoiding chaos make monogamy work beautifully for many. It’s not unnatural, just not the only natural option.
Hmmm... that depends which species we're talking about! A cursory examination revealed to me that: * Out of roughly 5,000 different mammal species, less than 5% are practice any form of monogamy. * Birds however are roughly 90% socially monogamous * Fewer than 30 animal species mate for life * I didn't bother to look up insects!! LOL
For humans: * The estimated rate of monogamy is 66%, while 60% think it's the best form of relationship. * Depending on location and culture, any where from 40% to 65% of men think monogamy is outdated, while 35% to 57% of women think so as well, yet * Also depending on location and culture, anywhere from 55% to 75% of women prefer monogamy! Huh?
Not sure this helps, but it was fun looking up the stats. As I said, it's a very cursory glance.
I’d say somewhere in the middle for the most part. And I don’t think most of us “force” ourselves to stay monogamous, men and women alike. Most of us just feel more comfortable with a monogamous relationship lifestyle. It decreases the risks of nasty STI’s, drama within multiple relationships, child support etc. plus people like to feel their relationship is special and I’d say that’s mostly mutual.
Depends on species. By most bird yes, they only switch partners if one of them dies. By Bonobos is monogamy not really a topic. We are like baboons, it's something in between. The alpha male thinks he is the father of all little baboons in a tribe but he is wrong. XD
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Anonymous
(45 Plus)
16 h
I'd say it's MORE natural for women. And i'm not using that as an excuse for men to not be. I'm simply saying men can impregnate a woman and (theoretically speaking) she's indisposed for 9 months (i don't think i have to explain that). Meanwhile a guy CAN (not should) screw a 100 other women. Now since women are not easy, (maybe more today than ever before they're easy. But historically women haven't been) that unwilliness to sleep with just any man keeps the whole thing in check. Biologically speaking to try to pass on the optimal genes.
Evolution favors a diversity of mates for virtually all animals. If an individual's goal is to propagate their genes, then multiple mates promotes that goal better than a single one. A single mate may have flawed genes leading to an end to both lines. Similarly, a superior mate bringa robust genes that spread more widely.
That said, there are a small number of animals that are monogamous. What's the story behind that?
Relatively natural. The male female sex ratio is pretty even. In the tribal days male death rate was higher so if a guy died his wife was re-asigned of course.
In one tribe an Australian aborigine one man ended up with 27 wives. Polygny was quite natural too
The natural state of the world is that men fight among themselves and the winner gets most of the women. That's why men are bigger than women. Ask the walruses.
Monogamy is a social convention to stop women being able to choose their preferred mate as a way of reducing conflict between men... which frees up able-bodied warriors to beat up on the neighbouring polygamous tribe and with its self-decimated defences.
To answer that question, I would need to remove society, culture from our lives. But I can't see anyone on earth who has not been raised within a society and its cultures...
I guess we would need to observe a very specific type of people in the wilderness, people that don't live in a tribe. Because every time there's a tribe to look at, there's culture involved.
basically my answer is maybe, maybe not, yes, there's a reason for it on such a platform. I also happen to like the "perhaps, perhaps not" variant, once in a while
It's natural plus a social construct too... For example if i'm allowed to have multiple women, i won't be sad 😂 but i prefer to be with one, i want to love one and only focus on her...
In my opinion a man needs only one woman and a woman needs only one man, when both are united together they become complete, no need for more!
No, but plenty of folk enjoy a half-century or more wedded bliss ala my parents (53 years), my Aunt Francine and Uncle Ronald (56 years) and actors Bonnie Bartlett (age 97) and William Daniels (age 99), who married June 30, NINETEEN-FIFTY-ONE, two years and six days before this HOBC ("Heartthrobby Older Black Cowboy") was born !!!
Across the animal kingdom, true monogamy is actually rare—maybe 5% of mammal species do it—but humans don't look obligately monogamous, and we also don't look promiscuous either. We're somewhere in a messy middle.
In nature and human history, monogamy isn't a strict black or white binary. Biology gives humans the capacity for monogamy, but culture and social systems are what turned it into a standard expectation.
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Anonymous
(25-29)
13 h
It is. It occurs in a lot of other species, like birds. It helps improve the survival of the species. Also, one can develop infuriating loyalty to girl.
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Anonymous(45 Plus)
AI Opinion
AskMy aim on GAG is to decode love, dating, and all the messy mind games in between 😏
Monogamy is partly natural, partly social contract. Humans are capable of bonding deeply with one person, but we’re also biologically capable of multiple attractions. The “one forever” idea is largely cultural. Still, commitment, emotional safety, and avoiding chaos make monogamy work beautifully for many. It’s not unnatural, just not the only natural option.