Humans.
Humans are such interesting creatures. Beautiful, horrible, frustrating, amazing creatures.
The fact that our own sentience is what works against us is what makes us so fascinating as a species.
See, I've come to realize that I don't truly believe that humans are, on a genetic level, necessarily predisposed to monogamy. We're such a varies species, capable of so much more than pretty much just about every other species of animal on the planet, it seems a bit ridiculous to me to assume that only one type of relationship is what we're "intended" to pursue.
There are plenty of species who find a single mate, and mate for life. But let's be honest, as a whole, humans don't really fit that.
And there are plenty of species where it's all about whoever is strongest and whatever herd of the opposite gender they happen to be fighting for. That's closer, but not really accurate for us either.
It's been documented that sharks alter their hunting methods to fit the prey at hand. At first, it was thought that it was a difference of location. But when prey from one location was artificially transplanted into another, where it normally isn't, the sharks' hunting strategies changed to match the new prey.
They are the top predator in the world. And if they alter the way they do things to fit the situation, for THE most basic necessity of life... Why in the world do we as a species think that there's only one way to have a relationship?
Even those are happily married, and will remain so until they pass, most likely went through a few other choices first. Even if it was one at a time. Or, heck, perhaps they dated a few until they found the one they wanted to be exclusive with.
That alone would seem to suggest that monogamy isn't a predetermined path.
And yet, society continually tries to tell us that it is.
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I have more to add, but I'm getting tired. So for now, I'll end it here and pick it back up at a later point.
The fact that our own sentience is what works against us is what makes us so fascinating as a species.
See, I've come to realize that I don't truly believe that humans are, on a genetic level, necessarily predisposed to monogamy. We're such a varies species, capable of so much more than pretty much just about every other species of animal on the planet, it seems a bit ridiculous to me to assume that only one type of relationship is what we're "intended" to pursue.
There are plenty of species who find a single mate, and mate for life. But let's be honest, as a whole, humans don't really fit that.
And there are plenty of species where it's all about whoever is strongest and whatever herd of the opposite gender they happen to be fighting for. That's closer, but not really accurate for us either.
It's been documented that sharks alter their hunting methods to fit the prey at hand. At first, it was thought that it was a difference of location. But when prey from one location was artificially transplanted into another, where it normally isn't, the sharks' hunting strategies changed to match the new prey.
They are the top predator in the world. And if they alter the way they do things to fit the situation, for THE most basic necessity of life... Why in the world do we as a species think that there's only one way to have a relationship?
Even those are happily married, and will remain so until they pass, most likely went through a few other choices first. Even if it was one at a time. Or, heck, perhaps they dated a few until they found the one they wanted to be exclusive with.
That alone would seem to suggest that monogamy isn't a predetermined path.
And yet, society continually tries to tell us that it is.
************
I have more to add, but I'm getting tired. So for now, I'll end it here and pick it back up at a later point.