[EIFS EXPERT]

Putting your western values aside for a moment, do you think humans or men in particular are naturally polygamous.

[Fr_Chuck]

marriage and its values are learned, by customs, religioius values and tradtions.

I am not sure at a pure base polygamous nature in man.

[simoneaugie]

For some men, yeah, polygamy is quite natural. For some women, polyandry is the way to go. The men can just go to Utah. I think women have to go to Nepal.

[templelane]

Men's testicles are not large enough to be properly polygamous. This indicates they have not in the recent evolutionary past experienced high levels of sperm competition like say chimps who's testicles are (with body size taken into account) have testes four times our size and are polygamous. However human males don't have tiny testicles this indicates although monogamy is the norm we as a species are not exclusively exclusive. Another possibility and this has been seen though history is the harem situation- one dominant male- many females. This has a problem if producing a lot of frustrated males who cannot breed so I think this is why in most societies this has decreased as a viable way of organising relationships. Although it does have a benefit in times of war where many young males are killed leaving women alone behind.

It is in the human female's interest to try and maintain a constant male presence for childrearing, however a little cuckolding here and there can have a genetic advantage- perhaps the best sperm providor won't be the best father...

Personally I think we are designed to live in monogamous relationships for extended periods but we do have a natural inclination to cheat. However this doesn't mean you have to!

[donf]

In my life, not only is one wife natural, it is much safer and so much more uncomplicated!

9 times out of ten, I can barley keep up with my lady, why in heaven's name would I want 2 or three more ladies complicating my world?

[EIFS EXPERT]

Among primate and nonprimate species, the degree of polygyny is determined primarily by the degree to which males of a certain species are larger than females. The more polygynous the species, according to what I've read, the greater the disparity in size between the male and female species. That is to say that smaller men or men smaller in stature than their female counterparts are more apt to be monogomous rather than polygynous. On average, men are 10 percent taller and 20 percent heavier than women. This suggests that, throughout history, homosapiens are to a degree polygynous. The testical equation is not accurate in my opinion. But who knows. I could be wrong.

I believe that men are a species that is not unlike any other species in that the number one goal/objective is to reproduce, thus making it necessary to have more than one mate.

[NeedKarma]

I like to think I'm above a primate in that I have control over my "urges". Sure I may think other women are beautiful or sexy but I don't need to bed everyone I see.

[EIFS EXPERT]

Yeah well, then you are missing the point.

[iAMfromHuntersBar]

Some animals ... wolves, beavers, pigeons seem to mate for life... others nail anything that moves!

I don't know... I'm with Donf on most of this though!

What I do know is that if most men want to keep their testicles - small or massive - they'll stay faithfull to their partners!

[NeedKarma]

Yeah well, then you are missing the point.

I don't think I have. I have a mate, I've reproduced, now I'm raising my offspring.

Those bigger males you speak of are on steroids and thus have barely functioning testicles. :D

[EIFS EXPERT]

Nope. All large males don't take steroids. I'm not talking about atletes, I'm talking about mankind.
The bigger and stronger have always dominated the smaller species. It's called survival of the fittest.

[NeedKarma]

I'm 5'11, 185lbs, wife is 5'6, 135lbs. Married 12 years, no cheating. Are we weird that way?

[EIFS EXPERT]

Apparently. Of course there are exceptions to the rule. I'm talking averages. :eek:

You do know you meet the criteria to be polygynous don't you.

[donf]

No, you are missing the point!

Within the primate world, are there not examples of mating for life?

What you are choosing to ignore are the societal constrictions we as community put upon relationships.

Please, before you go off the deep end and bombard me with millions of useless anthropological babel. Stop.

You cannot equate the way it is in the animal world to the way it should be here in the Male Female world of our culture.

First, If you want to spread your wings and mate with any female that will have for, knock yourself out.

However, if you enter into a "Marriage" then you are bound by the words of the ceremony and the Vows you give and take with each other. Last time I checked, vows are not exchanged within any animal kingdom mating ceremony.

You are trying to bend the rules of the animal kingdom to the fit into the societal norms.

Nice try, but it does not work.

If during a marital, I Vow (pledge) my fidelity to my as finance and she accepts them, then I certainly am bound by them.

I can't decide okay that was fun for the last 2.5 minutes lets see if I can find someone else to marry.

Nope, I give my vow and she accepts my vow as it is given for all times. It's not a contract negotiation nor prenuptial agreement. It is a lifetime commitment!

[NeedKarma]

Apparently. Of course there are exceptions to the rule. I'm talking averages. :eek:

You do know you meet the criteria to be polygynous don't you.

If you think I am an example of an exception then you are definetely not marriage material. Stay single all your life and spread that seed!

[oneguyinohio]

Someone told me that one half of the population was made for the other half. With that view, he tried to sleep with as many of the other half as possible.

If the goal is to meet reproductive urges, then society comes in to the equation because of the acceptability of what is the best way to successfully reproduce.

If all of society believed that exclusivity was the way to go, then that would be the practice, obviously... but with a convenience mentality, if you see it, want it, and can get it... your behavior will sometimes be rewarded.

I think the part of your question asking about naturally is the key... it depends on the environment in which the learning takes place.

[EIFS EXPERT]

One GUy,

First of all, stop yelling at your computer...

Secondly, you have it all wrong. You as a religious person has rules that you choose to live by. Me, I have none. You can say that you want one wife till your blue in the face but you know as well as I do that when a sexy young thing strolls by you probably want to kick your wife. Have you lost all your masculinity?

[EIFS EXPERT]

NK,

Yeah... Ok.

[donf]

EIFS,

I give up. From your last post, I cannot for the life of me tell who is yelling at the computer because that person is a person of faith?

Please be kind enough to identify who you are making the charges at. Also, if there is to be any yelling or threats, then this thread will be ended and discarded

[shygrneyzs]

I thought you were a troll variety from your first post and now I am more convinced. To each their own - if you want to honor every sexual urge you have, then be my guest. There are members of the animal kingdom that mate for life and those members are not human.

Go and try living out your ideas and see how it works for you and best to you.