For many of us, marriage is special. The idea of a lifelong bond between two people is accorded legal, spiritual and cultural significance throughout much of the world. Whether we are religious or secular, a permanent monogamous relationship can feel sacred.
So when we hear about animals that form lifelong bonds, our "aww" factor goes into overdrive: "How adorable! Gosh, we could all learn a thing or two from those shingleback lizards".
But for all the romantic novels, love songs and soppy greetings cards, monogamy remains more of an ideal than a reality.
Saturday, February 13, 2016
parsing monogamy
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Setting aside sex and jealousy and youthful energy. The family structure has replaced the tribal structure and support for child rearing really hasn't evolved beyond that structure. Even the single parent difficulty remains largely unaddressed.
ReplyDeleteBut then, if you can find someone you're willing to endure, who will endure you, you may feel a wee bit safer in the world. To have someone to take care of gives you purpose, and to have someone to take care of you is just nice.