Quote:
Originally posted by filtherton
In some ways, the promiscuous have a distinct advantage over the monogamous in majority monogamous societies. The advantage lies in the fact that it is very possible to for a male, by way of adultury, to trick another male into raising his child. This is quite common in birds, and probably less common in humans.
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If anyone's watched Sally Jesse, Montel, Ricki Lake, Jerry Springer you know that this happens alot more than you think.
"I done know that he be the fat'er of my baby, I lovd him that one night, than I neve' saw him again. buts I know he be my baby's daddy!"
I think we are hardwired with the need to stay in a monogamous relationship, through years of Religion, social exiles, and threats of damnation if we stray from the "pack" (society’s social norms). 200 years ago you could have been burned at the stake for being "promiscuous" outside the normal 2.5 kids, white picket fence, husband and wife family. Now-a-days with the AIDS scare and kids being forced-fed absence from 3rd grade to graduation, it's harder to see that kind of relationship appearing in society.
I think the harder society presses down on keeping the number of sexual partners you have, the bigger the backlash. Look at the 20th century, from the days of the Flapper's in the 20's and 30's, to the repressed social life of the 50's, to the flower power and free love for all of the 60's and 70's, to back to the 90's and today.
We also need to think about how society views the number of sexual partners for each sex. Males are more inclined to "get away" with having many different sexual mates. He's looked at as "cocksure", a "player", or a pimp. He's not looked down upon for his lifestyle, he's even envied for it (Man, I wish I could hook with girls like so-and-so does, he gets all the girls). Women on the other hand shouldn't have as many sexual partners as their male counterparts, as it is looked at as "trashy", sluttish, whoreish, or made to look like she will never "settle down". Women who fill "free" with their sexual activates don't feel they are being "bad", but feel it's just their way of life. Society expects men to "sow their wild oats" and women to wait until they find the right man to settle down with and be with him till death do them part (or the courts).
It's really a battle within ourselves, society vs. nature. Our social norms fighting against our own sexual energy and cravings.