Ph. D gone mad

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   Sooner28posted 11 years ago

   As all critical thinkers know, education alone cannot force an individual to be intelligent or even think critically.  Eric Anderson is an example of this.
   
   http://www.huffingtonpost.com/eric-ande … 28890.html
   
   He calls for open relationships to become the norm, stating, "Few, however, highlight the obvious answer to the dilemma of monogamy and cheating -- sexually open relationships. Here, in an egalitarian manner, a couple reserves emotional fidelity, while structuring in rules for extra-dyadic, recreational sex."
   
   One thing I do cling to is traditional values.  Conservatives are right in some of their criticisms of people's lack of commitment in a relationship, or having unrealistic expectations going in.
   
   Strong families provide an excellent foundation for a stable society.  Children learn most of their values from their parents.  I'm not in favor of legislating anything, but I personally believe the practice is ridiculous.
   
   If Anderson's beliefs become more widespread, children will then be taught that commitment to one person in a marriage is an "outdated value."  Oh, what will the future hold?  What kind of beliefs will this inculcate in future generations?
   
   I'm calling on lawmakers of all stripes, liberal and conservative alike, to talk openly about their relationships (when they are stable and honest and not of the Gingrich variety), and work to keep public opinion from changing to thinking about sex as some sort of game where the individuals have no long-term commitment to one another, but instead just use each other for physical pleasure.
   
   This belief in short-term gain seems to be becoming more and more widespread in all aspects of life.

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      Peelander Gallyposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      While I can see both sides of this and do not agree with Mr. Anderson, I'm also somewhat surprised by your reaction to his suggestions. Personally I feel that this puritanical American society is completely unhealthy in terms of sexual openness and that prevailing attitudes of oppression and condemnation are the root cause of myriad problems ranging from the popularity of erectile dysfunction medication to our disturbingly high ratio of serial killers. That's not to say that there are no problems whatsoever in more open societies, but they're certainly much better off. 
      
      In most cases it's men who are looking for open relationships and who are incapable of committing because they're just wired differently. Their most basic function is to spread their seed and propagate while a woman's is to bear and raise children. I'd like to think we're more evolved than that and should be more capable of regulating, overcoming or at least acknowledging the hormones and chemicals in our brains and how they control us, but I guess that would be giving people too much credit. Men and women are always going to want different things and those things are going to vary wildly from person to person, so enforcing powerful social stigmas and even legislation in an attempt to keep everyone's sex life on a straight and narrow course is pretty stupid.

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   2. 59

      MelissaBarrettposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Lawmakers really need not be brought into this...  really.
      
      My marriage is completely and utterly monogamous and woe be it on my husband if it becomes likewise...  but I'm not willing to have politicians "work" to make sure it stays this way.  Nor am I willing to have them decide that my marriage should be ANYTHING for the sake of my children.
      
      Frankly the particulars of anyone else's relationship but your own are simply not your business.  Regardless of any pristine honorable desire to sustain the moral fabric of society any attempts to codify relationships essentially is forcing your own view of morality down the throat of others that think differently.

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      Josakposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      As I see it there is nothing wrong with open relationships as long as both parties are consenting and comfortable with it. Statistics show upward of 60% of men and 40% of women cheat during a marriage surely it is better to have responsible and informed open relationships for people to get that desire for new and exiting experiences out of their system than to bottle it up and cause cheating which in turn causes divorce which is incredibly harmful to children.
      I know two couples who have open marriages and they both have very strong relationships and seem to be very happy together I had one of them over for diner a few years ago and the conversation turned in that direction, they said they felt it strengthened their marriage.
      
      To each their own but I definitely think openness and honesty is better than cheating to control those impulses.

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