Posted on 10/28/2009 10:15:17 AM PDT by Reaganesque
(CNN) -- If you were to judge the success rate of monogamy by the sex lives of public figures, perhaps couples should change their marriage vows to say, "Till a tempting new partner do us part."
Talk-show host David Letterman recently joined former presidential candidate John Edwards, South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford and former New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer on a long list of politicians and entertainers (think Jude Law) who have admitted having sex outside their marriage or committed relationship.
But do they just illustrate the realities of modern life?
In the age of hookups, friends with benefits and online dating, and as human life expectancy grows, is it still reasonable to expect people to pair up and stay monogamous until death do them part?
"It's realistic that some people can mate for life in the same sense that some people can play the Beethoven violin concerto or other people can ice-skate beautifully or learn a new language," said psychiatrist Judith Eve Lipton.
Added evolutionary biologist David Barash, "It's within the realm of human potential, but it's not easy."
Lipton and Barash, who have been married 32 years and are the co-authors of "Strange Bedfellows" and "The Myth of Monogamy," said serial monogamy may be more realistic -- a model in which people move from one committed long-term relationship to another and choose partners for different reasons at different stages of their life.
Possibilities in polyamory?
For some, even serial monogamy seems too restrictive.
(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...
We are dealing with people who have the emotional maturity of your average 12-13 year old. As any parent knows who has raised a 12-13 year old, they know that the child believes they know everything there is to know and if you correct them in any way, shape or form, they whine about how unfair and tyrannical you are. Even the best, most informed, heart-felt and lovingly delivered advice you can give them is rejected out of hand because you are hopelessly un-hip in their eyes. And now, these retarded adolescents run our government and, increasingly, our lives. Heaven help us!
“Mate debate: Is monogamy realistic?”
My fiancee says yes.
once they all started spinning for Bubba & Lewinsky you cluld see where this was headed
Seems to me, ancient societies adopted this outlook, just prior to their collapses.
Then you better say yes too!
Q. What is the same between former ESPN baseball analyst Steve Phillips and former US President Bill Clinton?
A. Both had extramarital flings with homely interns
Q. What is the difference between former ESPN baseball analyst Steve Phillips and former US President Bill Clinton?
A. Phillips suffered consequences
I think it basically boils down to the commitment level of the individual. If you can’t keep a commitment of any kind, you have no business getting married. People have to work at it if it’s important to them. Nobody ever said it’s easy. All depends on whether a person wants it or not.
“It’s realistic that some people can mate for life in the same sense that some people can play the Beethoven violin concerto or other people can ice-skate beautifully or learn a new language,” said psychiatrist Judith Eve Lipton.”
If someone is a person that is so selfish that they cannot possibly remain monogamous in a comitted relationship, that person ought to remain single for the remainder of his/her days rather than ruin the lives of successive partners.
“Then you better say yes too!”
So I’ve learned, lol!
Can't be repeated often enough.
Some people are rather selfish and could never live outside of their own bubble.
See post 9.....you beat me by seconds.
My wife thinks highly of it too! :-)
No one ever said it is "easy". It takes alot of work and committment, two attributes that are sadly lacking in today's hedonistic society.
In reading this, I got an inkling that perhaps CNN knows something about a high level, perhaps even Presidential, affair... and they are laying the groundwork for it’s revelation.
LOL, always a good sign.
Sorry.....I didn’t mean to steal your thunder. Great minds think alike. Or something like that.
So far, after 20 years of marriage, Mr. Peel has not raised $20 million.
It's worked for me for the past 25 years and, God willing, will continue to work for at least the next 25 as well.
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