Do you believe that monogamy is natural or unnatural for humans?

Contributor: StarrStacked StarrStacked
I think it's both, humans are complex creatures.
02/19/2013
Contributor: Sugarfina Sugarfina
Quote:
Originally posted by Tori Rebel
There have been studies done and there is a large population of people who do not believe that monogamy is a natural function for humans. One of the most popular reasons given is that you very rarely see monogamy in nature and since humans are ... more
I agree with your study. I think monagomy is unnatural. It is a culture of society, things people started to do. I think biblical times and Christianity has a lot more to do with it than we think.
02/24/2013
Contributor: brevado brevado
For animals no, but for humans... yeah
02/24/2013
Contributor: kawaii-princess kawaii-princess
Quote:
Originally posted by Airen Wolf
We are neither naturally monogamous or polyamorous. We have the ability to choose which path we will take and it will forever be a choice. It's not easy to be either monogamous or polyamorous, nor is it easy to remain unattached.
agreed!
03/07/2013
Contributor: Nickki Hard Nickki Hard
I think we are meant to be monogamous.
03/07/2013
Contributor: BrittaniMaree BrittaniMaree
Monogamy is a natural behavior for humans
03/07/2013
Contributor: edeneve edeneve
I don't see it being biologically so, I believe it's more about choice, morals, and values combined. along w/ experience too.
03/08/2013
Contributor: snowminx snowminx
Who can really say what's natural for us? Being a type of animal we might be driven to have different partners but at the same time aren't we driven to have feelings of jealousy and wanting to be close to one person?
03/08/2013
Contributor: Mylo Mylo
Quote:
Originally posted by Tori Rebel
There have been studies done and there is a large population of people who do not believe that monogamy is a natural function for humans. One of the most popular reasons given is that you very rarely see monogamy in nature and since humans are ... more
It depends on your beliefs. Personally I believe in the traditional guy and girl relationship. I think that if it were natural to have poly relationships you would see it a lot more prevalent throughout history.
03/10/2013
Contributor: Airen Wolf Airen Wolf
Quote:
Originally posted by Sugarfina
I agree with your study. I think monagomy is unnatural. It is a culture of society, things people started to do. I think biblical times and Christianity has a lot more to do with it than we think.
Not really....monotheistic religion, which predates Christianity, and the desire to know that one's worldly possessions will be passed only to one's own offspring is the real basis for the mistaken belief that any one lovestyle is "natural" when clearly ALL lovestyles are seen in Nature and therefore, by definition, are natural.
03/13/2013
Contributor: Airen Wolf Airen Wolf
Quote:
Originally posted by Mylo
It depends on your beliefs. Personally I believe in the traditional guy and girl relationship. I think that if it were natural to have poly relationships you would see it a lot more prevalent throughout history.
It was always prevalent throughout history. The "nuclear" family of two parents and children is a relatively new concept and not "traditional" for us at all. Mistresses and lovers being openly accepted in the household and accorded status is actually more traditional than the current view of the situation we have now.
03/13/2013
Contributor: WordsmithingImp WordsmithingImp
I think that many arguments that begin on the premise of what is found in nature tend (are not always, but TEND) to be incomplete. Our romantic tendencies are not dictated by mere genetics. A lifetime of exposure to one view, and your personal interactions with it, can train your brain towards all manner of "unnatural" tendencies. The view doesn't even need to be overtly stated--all sorts of behaviors are learned through subconscious observation and mimicry. And if those tendencies lead you to a fulfilling lifestyle without causing harm to others, I don't see why you should be looked at with condescension. Nobody grows up to be exactly the way they were "naturally" at birth. And that's a good thing! Babies are cute, but not immediately useful to society.
03/14/2013
Contributor: Vanille Vanille
Quote:
Originally posted by Tori Rebel
There have been studies done and there is a large population of people who do not believe that monogamy is a natural function for humans. One of the most popular reasons given is that you very rarely see monogamy in nature and since humans are ... more
Some people are wired for monogamy, some for poly. Whatever makes you comfortable.
03/17/2013
Contributor: smlove smlove
Quote:
Originally posted by Tori Rebel
There have been studies done and there is a large population of people who do not believe that monogamy is a natural function for humans. One of the most popular reasons given is that you very rarely see monogamy in nature and since humans are ... more
Monogamy works for some people and is natural, polyamory works for others and is natural.
I think it's just another one of those things that has multiple sides. There is so much grey area, and that's okay. You figure out what works for you, and then go with it. That's natural. You don't have to be just one or the other.
03/28/2013
Contributor: mdnght mdnght
Well, from a evolutionary standpoint, we aren't built for monogamy. The shape of the head of the penis is perfect for scooping out the sperm of other males when mating, the moans of pleasure we make are meant to draw other potential mates, etc.

But then, a lot of things we do are unnatural. So who really cares, as long as everyone's happy?
03/28/2013
Contributor: bog bog
Quote:
Originally posted by Tori Rebel
There have been studies done and there is a large population of people who do not believe that monogamy is a natural function for humans. One of the most popular reasons given is that you very rarely see monogamy in nature and since humans are ... more
I don't believe we were necessarily destined or designed or intended to be any specific way.
04/08/2013
Contributor: Beautiful-Disaster Beautiful-Disaster
I think it should be a NATURAL thing, but sadly....everyone has their wondering eye... & A LOT or people cheat... :\
04/08/2013
Contributor: RaspberryRogue RaspberryRogue
It's too broad of a statement to say that all humans are or aren't meant to be monogamous because we're all different and want different things. Monogamy may work perfectly for some people and horribly for others. It just all depends.
05/22/2013
Contributor: alliegator alliegator
I think it's not so much binary as a spectrum. I also think it is near impossible to separate natural from unnatural, to disregard cultural as unnatural. Are clothes unnatural? Yes, we aren't born wearing them, but is there any human culture who has not developed some form of clothing/jewelry/body modification? Does that mean that adornment is therefore natural?
06/15/2013
Contributor: chicmichiw chicmichiw
Quote:
Originally posted by Tori Rebel
There have been studies done and there is a large population of people who do not believe that monogamy is a natural function for humans. One of the most popular reasons given is that you very rarely see monogamy in nature and since humans are ... more
I actually specifically believe that monogamy is a natural relationship for humans (though not all) -- as organisms that reproduce with a quality of quantity 'strategy', investing 2 parents in the care of the off spring is effective. But culture plays a strong role and certainly the definition of '2 parents' is subjective. I wouldn't judge anyone's choices, I just think it makes sense and is seen in many other animals.
06/15/2013
Contributor: namelesschaos namelesschaos
Quote:
Originally posted by chicmichiw
I actually specifically believe that monogamy is a natural relationship for humans (though not all) -- as organisms that reproduce with a quality of quantity 'strategy', investing 2 parents in the care of the off spring is effective. But ... more
Here is the thing what your describing isn't monogamy, it's pair-bonding. Pair-bonding is not the same as monogamy, i.e. extra-pair couplings are extremely common among pair-bonding animals, although in human terms we would call that "cheating". To put the difference in more human terms wife-swappers are non-monogamous but still pair bonded. The cultural concept we call (monogamy pair-bonding with complete sexual exclusivity by both partners) describes a rare mating strategy among animals, while pair-bonding (with describes a wide range of sexual behavior)that is common.

"I just think it makes sense"
It not that it doesn't make sense per say it that there is an unstated and analyzed assumption imbedded in that statement. It makes the sense in the environments we tend to study. Evolution is about adaption to the environment which mating strategy makes the most sense for humans is not fixed and depends on the environment. For example sex ratio, unbalance the sex ratio and pair-bonding will make less and less sense as a mating strategy compared to polyandrous or polygynous strategies depending on which sex got hit.

This question is little like asking is it natural for humans to be blondes or brunettes. Nature likes variety and adaptability, humans have the natural capacity to adapt to many different mating strategies depending on environmental pressures; some environmental conditions are more commonly seen then others thus leading to certain mating strategies becoming more common then others but we as a spices aren't tied to a single mating strategy.

TL;DR: The "natural" mating strategy for human is "what ever works"; what ever works depends on the environment and other factors; however pair bonding approaches are admittedly popular.
06/16/2013
Contributor: TJax TJax
It's not that sexual monogamy is rare in animals, it's actually non-existent. And that is also true for humans. However, humans are socially / emotionally monogamous. Meaning, while we may share our bed with more than one person, we only share our innermost feelings with one person.
06/16/2013
Contributor: Marie Hanna Marie Hanna
Very natural.
06/16/2013