If you have been to Ashley Madison, you are familiar with the concept of modern adulthood and non-traditional adulthood. This could mean infidelity, open adulthood, or other open-minded connections. Monogamy is a social construct that limits adults to two people in long-term relationships and prohibits other sexual part ners. While monogamy is the norm for many and required by many religions, in reality, many of us take non-monogamy for granted. The idea of modern adulthood, or non-traditional adulthood, has recently taken society and pop culture by storm, but it is not a new trend. Open adulthood and open-minded connections go back much further in history and may even be a part of us. Some researchers believe that humans are not biologically monogamous. A study published in 2015 found that tribal adults were so focused on reproduction as hunter-gatherers that the stronger males mated with many females regularly. The tribe’s need was to reproduce as much as possible to expand their large families. Larger tribes could better defend and hunt against neighboring tribes, creating more social opportunities for fun, enjoyment, and contact. Studies from non-Western countries show that 85% of men were allowed to marry multiple wives, and there is evidence that in tribal societies the concept of the family unit was much broader than today’s concept of the nuclear family. All adults were adults for caring for the children, and all men were adults for protecting the tribe. Emotional bonds were formed with many tribe members, regardless of whether they reproduced or not. The downside of such an arrangement was the spread of sexually transmitted diseases. The impact on fertility became a reproductive risk, and people began to have only one partner to reduce this risk. To understand how monogamy arose, scientists have studied the animal kingdom and compared human interest in bonding with a single partner. Birds like swans mate frequently, but not as often as mammals. Dolphins, bees, and monkeys are all very promiscuous. Whether they seek sex for pleasure like dolphins, or simply for reproduction, the concept of a single mate is rare in nature. It turns out that the main reason monogamy evolved in mammals was to prevent men from killing their young. This killing of newborns encouraged males to stay around to protect their offspring, and this important aspect of protection was extended to humans as well. We now have the resources to protect our children and keep them from contracting sexually transmitted diseases from multiple partnersFamilies are becoming as diverse as the population, and other, more flexible arrangements are becoming more popular and accepted.
Society’s views on monogamy are still evolving, so your coworkers don’t need to know about monogamy. your privacy is protected so you can meet open-minded adults.
